Just an F.Y.I. If you ever had a bulge in a tire.......

[gdrill]

and wondered why it did that. Well, I bought a set of rims with rubber a couple years back. They were all good but one. It had a bulge. It was no worry to me, I bought them for the rims. I proceeded to put them away with the masses. So they have been in my storage shed for a couple years. Today I decided to dig around and see what rims I have that would fit things. Well, I found this! This is a BFG Radial TA. It is literally separated at the seams. And believe it or not, it still is holding full pressure! If you see a bulge and wonder why it did that and if it's bad.........it's really bad!

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[RT6PK]

That just happened to me with a BFG Radial TA. What scares me is that I had just driven the car to work.... 50 miles one way some of those miles at 75 mph on the turnpike. **** those Radial TAs

 

[Richard Cranium]

and wondered why it did that. Well, I bought a set of rims with rubber a couple years back. They were all good but one. It had a bulge. It was no worry to me, I bought them for the rims. I proceeded to put them away with the masses. So they have been in my storage shed for a couple years. Today I decided to dig around and see what rims I have that would fit things. Well, I found this! This is a BFG Radial TA. It is literally separated at the seams. And believe it or not, it still is holding full pressure! If you see a bulge and wonder why it did that and if it's bad.........it's really bad!

View attachment 639009 View attachment 639010 View attachment 639011

Just for curiosity, how old was the tire?

 

[gdrill]

They are old for sure. I could look. But the point is still the bulge. It was bulged before I got it. If they are new and bulged i would think it's no different than than 29 years old and bulged. They are dangerous regardless. I was just surprised by what happened sitting in storage.

Is this the date code?

 

[BeeKool]

Just for curiosity, how old was the tire?

 

[ws23jrt]

Early on when I first got my 69 Coronet RT I started buying stuff for the car- including tires that were a new set of BFG Radial TAs. That was in 1980.
Fast forward and I finally got the car running in 2007. I tested the car out and finished what was needed to make it a driver.

So I now had a driver with 27-year-old tires on it that only rolled maybe 20 miles.

I learned some stuff about tires and decided to replace them. That was a tough call because by appearances my old new tires still looked new.

This topic tends to come back up from time to time and is a hard pill to swallow for some.

Tires are like stuff in the fridge. No matter what it may look (and even smell) like they indeed have a shelf life.

I recall the kids that changed out my 27-year-old -new- tires. They looked at me with their -knowing- eyes and smiled at the old man.
My bet is that the -Old new tires- I left with them did not go to scrap.

 

[ws23jrt]

They are old for sure. I could look. But the point is still the bulge. It was bulged before I got it. If they are new and bulged i would think it's no different than than 29 years old and bulged. They are dangerous regardless. I was just surprised by what happened sitting in storage.

Is this the date code?

View attachment 639034

There is a very good reason that "date codes" are on tires.--Age matters.

 

[gdrill]

I am in no way saying age doesn't matter. I'm saying a bulge is bad regardless of age.

 

[ws23jrt]

I am in now way saying age doesn't matter. I'm saying a bulge is bad regardless of age.

Duh--sorry to perhaps seem abrupt.
The tire we view in this thread has clearly failed.
We all have no clue about its life and what it felt before it had its aneurysm.

 

[gdrill]

The main reason I posted this isn't for all you antique human beings like myself! Who were fixing cars at the age of 13. This is for those who are much younger than us, were raised in a city, by a single Mom, who never owned a crescent wrench, who never changed a tire before they got the classic they are tinkering with now. Or for those who just wouldn't think that this stuff happens.

 

[65-440]

usually happens from an impact , ie potholes and other **** in the road ..... once there is a bubble consider it done, it'll only get worse !

 

[ws23jrt]

usually happens from an impact , ie potholes and other **** in the road ..... once there is a bubble consider it done, it'll only get worse !

This is a big key to this topic. A tire can receive big damage and keep on rolling. Sometimes for years.

 

[oldbee]

Get away Will Robinson, get away. Yrs ago a fresh retreaded semi-tire leaning against the wall in the shop let loose at lunchtime, sounded like a 155mm howitzer gotta my off! Thank god, no one was close.

 

[1967coronet440]

They are old for sure. I could look. But the point is still the bulge. It was bulged before I got it. If they are new and bulged i would think it's no different than than 29 years old and bulged. They are dangerous regardless. I was just surprised by what happened sitting in storage.

Is this the date code?

View attachment 639034

the date code is the last 4 digits of the DOT number. Should read something like 1618

 

[Ranger16]

I also had a BFG T/A Radial separate a belt on me. No more BFG's for me. I replaced them with Cooper Cobra GT's.

I also had a Michelin develop an apple sized bulge on the side wall. It was gone the next day, but I replaced them anyway. And they only had 98,000 miles on them.

 

[66383]

replaced my T/A's last week because they were 6 yrs. old. Looked great, but no matter I just had the front suspension rebuilt and aligned. Even though they looked fine, didn't want to chance it.

 

[gdrill]

DOT

 

[beanhead]

They are old for sure. I could look. But the point is still the bulge. It was bulged before I got it. If they are new and bulged i would think it's no different than than 29 years old and bulged. They are dangerous regardless. I was just surprised by what happened sitting in storage.

Is this the date code?

View attachment 639034

Those sure are old, that date code is February 9, 1940...