Goodyear MTR sidewall slice, still usable?

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Brian894X4

Brian894X4

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So I have an old style Goodyear MTR, 285/75-16 and after wheeling on a trip, I noticed a nearly hairline slice in the sidewall of one of my tires. I'm guessing it goes in about a milimeter or less and is about 2 inches long. The tire holds air no problem, and for all I know, its been there for years or just happened moments before I saw it, but in light of my driving home on the highway at 70+ mph for hundreds of miles, I replaced with my brand new MTR spare to be safe.

Thinking about the tire blow out wreck thread and how I don't want that happening to me.

Now I'm faced with the delima of what to do. Since Goodyear doesn't make the old style anymore, to replace this one tire would mean replacing all 4 tires. On the other hand, I'm not sure if a tiny slice in the outer rubber qualifies as an integrity breach on the tire and if I really need to ditch it?

I've included a picture. It's nearly as hard to see in person as it is in this photo, but it's definately a slice so the very outer rubber has a breach.

So, my questions are...

a) would a superficial slice like this pretty much deem the tire unsafe? Again about a millimeter deep or slightly less and about 2" long. Not sure how long its been there, but I was going through some sharp rocks in the prior days and its probably fresh.

b) does anyone have a source for a brand new old style Goodyear MTR in 285/75-16? My local tire distributor says that nobody in the country has any left in stock. I only need one, but would prefer brand new to match my brand new spare, so I'd at least have two matching tires.
dd.webp
 
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Brian894X4 said:
... I noticed a nearly hairline slice in the sidewall of one of my tires. I'm guessing it goes in about a milimeter or less and is about 2 inches long. The tire holds air no problem...
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about it. My tires have worse/deeper damage and it doesn't bother me :meh:
 
Slice? What slice? That's nothing.:popcorn:
 
Here in Afghanistan they would burn that tire to bake some mud bricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . after driving around on it for another 50,000 miles.
 
To worry about a little slice like that may seem silly, but its posts like this one that have me concerned.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/405093-our-new-land-cruiser-saved-our-lives.html

Tire blow outs are no minor deal and a compromised side wall worries me. Not much on the trail, but at 70+ mph on the freeway after many hours of driving, which my rig frequently does.

Unfortuantely, after a nation wide search of all plausible sources, an old style MTR in 285/75R-16 apparently just plain does not exist.

If anyone knows where I might find a new or even used one, I'd appreciate any tips.
 
Can you tell how deep it is exactly?
 
If it bothers you replace it. Tire blow out at HWY speed would suck.

But from your "description" of it personally I would not worry much. Good advice to have it inspected. But remember the tire shop is in the business of selling tires.
 
If you pull at it can you see the cords of the tyre? If you can or any cords could have been cut bin it.

If not and it's only a few mm (1/16-1/8) deep you could glue the slice back together with vulcanising rubber cement.

And if you're completely paranoid you could patch the inside of the tyre with a big version of a bicycle patch.
I've done this as a temporary fix and it lasted ages as the spare, with a few 'get me home' runs.
 
7schulz said:
I would go to your local tire shop and have them look at it.
Click to expand...

Corbet said:
Good advice to have it inspected. But remember the tire shop is in the business of selling tires.
Click to expand...

In Kalifornia, they will tell you that you have to replace it. Any sidewall damage is an immediate replace. They will not repair it or touch it. Even if it's in the shoulder of the tire (in the tread) 99.9% of the time they won't touch it.

Some shops have been known to tell their customer that legally they cannot let them drive out of the shop without a new tire. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately Oregon has picked up on this trend. It's maybe 50/50 for shops that will repair tread damage in the shoulder area, and very few shops will even look at damage on the sidewall.

Ozdunc said:
If not and it's only a few mm (1/16-1/8) deep you could glue the slice back together with vulcanising rubber cement.

And if you're completely paranoid you could patch the inside of the tyre with a big version of a bicycle patch.
I've done this as a temporary fix and it lasted ages as the spare, with a few 'get me home' runs.
Click to expand...

Best suggestion so far.
 
I'm confused as to why the OP is concerned with the area circled, but apparently not with the more significant damage directly to the left, and then again below, the area in question. The damage in those two areas seems worse to me, but still wouldn't qualify the tire as a 'throw-away'.
 
I don't pay attention until I see cord in a cut, then evaluate if any cords are cut. If I replaced tires for little surface cuts, would need new tires after about every trail run. Some pix of the tires on my DD, often driven at 80mph+. :hillbilly:

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Brian894X4 said:
...
Unfortuantely, after a nation wide search of all plausible sources, an old style MTR in 285/75R-16 apparently just plain does not exist.

If anyone knows where I might find a new or even used one, I'd appreciate any tips.
Click to expand...

The "old school" MTR's are gone. A buddy who runs them in 315, just cut one and was forced to get a pair of the new type, couldn't find that old type anywhere. In 315 the new type are over an inch taller than the older type, is looking thinking about replacing the other two almost new tires, so they are the same diameter.:frown:
 
96r50 said:
I wouldn't worry about it. My tires have worse/deeper damage and it doesn't bother me :meh:
Click to expand...

X2. If that one has you concened you better keep it on the pavement from now on. Tire "abrasions" just come with the territory. You'll be fine.
 
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