Dent in tire

nofearengineer · 08-28-09, 11:02 AM

Guys, I am looking at a used spare tire for my trailer. I actually found the same tire (Goodyear Marathon ST 215/75 R14) on the same chrome directional wheel I use.

However, it has a "line" across the sidewall, where it was probably lying over against a hard edge of something for a while. It isn't a cut or a gouge; there is no missing material whatsoever. The line is maybe 3/32" deep, and about 3-4 in. long. The reason I think it was lying against something is the line continues across the other side of the wheel, much less deep, but still a trace of it.

I am wondering if this line would come out of the tire once it warms up, I might leave it out in the sun for a few hours and see what happens.

I hear the strength of the tire sidewall is from the belts and cords; the rubber is just there to hold it together. That being said, I still wouldn't use a tire with holes or cuts in it. This is just a little more subtle, and the price is right, so I'd appreciate your thoughts.

WTL · 08-28-09, 03:11 PM

By line, you mean a straight depression in the sidewall? Like where two belts on the inside join together? I dont think its from the tying lieing on something.

I've seen that on relatively new tires before. It always made me a tad nervous, even though I dont know that its wrong.

nofearengineer · 08-28-09, 03:28 PM

I'm not talking about where two layers of rubber would have come together when they were building up the layers.

What I'm talking about is like a chord of a circle, in a geometry sense of the word. Look up chord, if you don't know what I mean.

It was almost assuredly put there by the previous owner from laying the tire over on its side against a horizontal 90-degree edge.

So it's a dent, and not a cut. I'll try to take a picture of it tonight and post it. I'm thinking it's mostly an aesthetic thing, and perfectly okay for a spare. At least better than a can of Fix-a-Flat.

WTL · 08-28-09, 10:21 PM

OK, I got you.

For a spare, i dont think I would fret too much. I think you are working your way through this by yourself.

Isn't your trailer a tandem?

nofearengineer · 08-28-09, 10:59 PM

I wish! Not for the handling so much (my rig is a dream), but yeah, if a tire blew out, it would sure be nice to have the opportunity to stop before you're dragging a bare rim on the highway.

WTL · 08-28-09, 11:01 PM

Yeah, if it were a tandem trailer I'd say no worries whatsoever. That a big boat for a single axle...

I *think* its sounding ok, have you bought this tire yet? It is just a spare, and it is better than fix a flat. I blew a trailer tire once and it was no where near as catastrophic as blowing a vehicle tire, I just pulled through it and stopped slowly.

nofearengineer · 08-29-09, 12:50 AM

Okay...here are the pics...

You can see it's in really good shape, lots of tread, etc. Rim is nice and shiny too.

Now here's the backside, close up on the dent.

I don't know...maybe I'm making something out of nothing. On a radial, I wouldn't think twice about this, but I know these trailer tires load the sidewalls differently. I love my boat and don't want to destroy her in a fiery apocalypse (unless I'm getting a Viking burial

).

Abbeysdad · 08-29-09, 01:14 AM

I've read that sidewalls on ST tires are pretty tough and that seems like a pretty minor surface blemish.

08-28-09, 11:02 AM	#1
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Dent in tire Guys, I am looking at a used spare tire for my trailer. I actually found the same tire (Goodyear Marathon ST 215/75 R14) on the same chrome directional wheel I use. However, it has a "line" across the sidewall, where it was probably lying over against a hard edge of something for a while. It isn't a cut or a gouge; there is no missing material whatsoever. The line is maybe 3/32" deep, and about 3-4 in. long. The reason I think it was lying against something is the line continues across the other side of the wheel, much less deep, but still a trace of it. I am wondering if this line would come out of the tire once it warms up, I might leave it out in the sun for a few hours and see what happens. I hear the strength of the tire sidewall is from the belts and cords; the rubber is just there to hold it together. That being said, I still wouldn't use a tire with holes or cuts in it. This is just a little more subtle, and the price is right, so I'd appreciate your thoughts. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

08-28-09, 03:11 PM	#2
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	By line, you mean a straight depression in the sidewall? Like where two belts on the inside join together? I dont think its from the tying lieing on something. I've seen that on relatively new tires before. It always made me a tad nervous, even though I dont know that its wrong. __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

08-28-09, 03:28 PM	#3
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	I'm not talking about where two layers of rubber would have come together when they were building up the layers. What I'm talking about is like a chord of a circle, in a geometry sense of the word. Look up chord, if you don't know what I mean. It was almost assuredly put there by the previous owner from laying the tire over on its side against a horizontal 90-degree edge. So it's a dent, and not a cut. I'll try to take a picture of it tonight and post it. I'm thinking it's mostly an aesthetic thing, and perfectly okay for a spare. At least better than a can of Fix-a-Flat. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

08-28-09, 10:21 PM	#4
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	OK, I got you. For a spare, i dont think I would fret too much. I think you are working your way through this by yourself. Isn't your trailer a tandem? __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

08-28-09, 10:59 PM	#5
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	I wish! Not for the handling so much (my rig is a dream), but yeah, if a tire blew out, it would sure be nice to have the opportunity to stop before you're dragging a bare rim on the highway. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

08-28-09, 11:01 PM	#6
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	Yeah, if it were a tandem trailer I'd say no worries whatsoever. That a big boat for a single axle... I think its sounding ok, have you bought this tire yet? It is just a spare, and it is better than fix a flat. I blew a trailer tire once and it was no where near as catastrophic as blowing a vehicle tire, I just pulled through it and stopped slowly. __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

08-29-09, 12:50 AM	#7
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Okay...here are the pics... You can see it's in really good shape, lots of tread, etc. Rim is nice and shiny too. Now here's the backside, close up on the dent. I don't know...maybe I'm making something out of nothing. On a radial, I wouldn't think twice about this, but I know these trailer tires load the sidewalls differently. I love my boat and don't want to destroy her in a fiery apocalypse (unless I'm getting a Viking burial ). __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

08-29-09, 01:14 AM	#8
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	I've read that sidewalls on ST tires are pretty tough and that seems like a pretty minor surface blemish.

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