Tyre damage expertise anyone?

Small cuts are something that many of us live with. But yours sounds a bit bigger. If you get an expert opinion from a tyre shop, I reckon theres a 99% chance they would say it was terminal. They are (justifiably) wary about tyre damage and the safety issues, and litigation. Easier just to sell you a new tyre as well. I gather the steel belts can rust and the damage can spread.

But if I get that sort of damage in the bush, and I want to prevent it getting worse because I'm miles away from civilisation, then my bush fix is to deflate the tyre, and slip in a few drops of Locktite 406 superglue, which will do a magnificent job of supergluing the rubber and obliterating the gap. I also have used it for small splits. Like all superglue it will only work if the rubber is compressed under pressure for about a minute. Then you can get the tyre replaced back in civilisation.

Cheers
Phil

Hi,
I have been involved in the tyre industry for many years, have even owned my own tyre shop.
My advice to you would be to have it looked at by a "tyre" person to be sure before you ditch the tyre, however, I think it is definatly terminal as once you cut through to the belts there isn't much left and the tyre is likely to "seperate" before too long, this is where the tread rubber comes away from the belts, this will sometimes happen with a bang with the tyre exploding at high speed or it will develop a lump that will grow bigger and bigger causing a vibration. either way its dangerous.
I know they are expensive (life is also very precious) but I would sudgest getting rid of it, for safety sake..

IMO if you can see the belts it's history.

Any tire shop "expert" will tell you its fubar, adn buy a new one.

then again, would you wanna risk it on your car at 100kph?

Thanks to all for your advice.

I figured it would probably be terminal damage - but it's worth checking.

Given I've run the Coopers for 50,000km so far without a puncture, I guess I'm doing okay.

Cheers,

Benn