BFG Tyre fault
Submitted: Friday, Oct 31, 2003 at 20:37
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joc45
I have a BFG All Terrain A/T, 265/75 R16 (not a KO, but identical otherwise) which is about 50% worn, and has developed a series of radial cracks in the sidewall near the outer edge leading up to the tread. The cracks are about 30-40mm long, and there are many right around the sidewall. Someone said these were "torque fractures" and could blow out. They don't look at all good - has anyone else experienced this problem with this sort of thing? Any thoughts on their cause?
The other tyres are KOs and look fine.
Gerry
Reply By: UB.1 - Friday, Oct 31, 2003 at 22:45
Friday, Oct 31, 2003 at 22:45
Hello joc
Sounds like stress fractures caused by under inflated tryes run at the low pressure for too long. You don't mention what vehicle, load you usually carry or anything to judge by. Is it only one tyre or more?
AnswerID:
35869
Follow Up By: joc45 - Friday, Oct 31, 2003 at 23:17
Friday, Oct 31, 2003 at 23:17
Yeh, you'd think so, but it's always been run at correct (Nissan GU) pressures except on sand, then no lower than about 14psi. When fully laden, I have always upped the pressures to about 36 front, 44 rear (placard says 29 front, 36 rear when cold, unladen).
I would have expected the other tyres to have the same symptom.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: UB.1 - Friday, Oct 31, 2003 at 23:38
Friday, Oct 31, 2003 at 23:38
Joc
the only time I've had this happen to me was after running on low pressures in sand for too long out along the
Warburton River (about 25 - 30 km at 35kph with heavily loaded vehicle & trailer in 38 degree temperature). The stress fractures didn't show through the outer cases until about 3 months later and then only on 2 wheels - both on driver's side. After the diagnosis, it took me a couple of days to work out when my pressures had been low enough for long enough to cause this.
The point is that unless you blow a tyre this type of fracture doesn't show up for a while. The BFGs are so good that this can take months and 5000km as
mine did. This is the only problem I've ever had with a BFG in over 200,000km and I put it down to driver error - tyres under by only a pound or two.
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Follow Up By: joc45 - Sunday, Nov 02, 2003 at 23:54
Sunday, Nov 02, 2003 at 23:54
UB.1,
I did do an 80km beach run on the bight in Jan last year, prob at about 18 psi, but the cracks have only appeared recently, and it hasn't done a low pressure run since that beach trip last year. Did that trip twice before in the old GQ running BFG 235/85s, and no probs.
What I have found is that running at recommended Nissan pressures on the GU, the tyres are wearing as if underinflated; ie, less in the centre, so I've upped them a few psi. Drives better now. Perhaps the rec pressures are too low.
FollowupID:
25982
Reply By: matty - Saturday, Nov 01, 2003 at 01:43
Saturday, Nov 01, 2003 at 01:43
g'day Gerry, I'm running KO BFG's on a GU. While getting them balanced, the guy was saying that the KO has a band of raised rubber on the side wall just below where the tread on the shoulder stops. This was put on to stop the splits that you're experiencing on the previous model BFG, continuing down to the bead, if they made it that far before failure. The splits also travelled in between the tread blocks and he was telling me how they sometimes weaken the the blocks that they just start lifting. As he had my 2nd tyre on the balancer he called me over to show me what he'd just been talking about, a tread block in the middle of the tyre half seperated from the casing. As we turned the tyre there were atleast half a dozen more splits in the tread but no more lifting the tread. With this he said "sorry to show you I'm not lying"
He mentioned something about wanting a dollar for ever one he saw like that
My tyres had done a fair bit of work on
Pilbara roads and were stone chipped but still with 70% tread
The old man has had 2 sets of Coopers on his GU with absolutely no probs, extensive touring towing a
Kimberley Kamper. They'll be my next tyre for sure
Good Luck, Mat
AnswerID:
35881
Follow Up By: joc45 - Sunday, Nov 02, 2003 at 23:58
Sunday, Nov 02, 2003 at 23:58
Hi Matty,
Yeh, I note that the KOs have that little band near the bead. The current KOs have given no probs (except for a dead one, sidewall staked, hence running the spare non-KO)
Did the guy say what the cause was, and whether it was fatal to the tyre (or the owner)?
FollowupID:
25984
Reply By: matty - Monday, Nov 03, 2003 at 23:53
Monday, Nov 03, 2003 at 23:53
Hi Gerry, the guy didn't really say what caused it, but I guess the result of failure is the same as any blow out. As you may have realised, when talking to different people in this game, you sort of take their expression of knowledge with a grain of salt, but this bloke wasn't pushing their brand or out there to slag off anyone, just telling me what he'd been seeing with out bias
Mat
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Rowen - Tuesday, Nov 04, 2003 at 21:27
Tuesday, Nov 04, 2003 at 21:27
Howdy all.
Um, just a quick addition. I've ran BFG's for the last couple years & was really impressed like everyone else.
I've recently started developing little fault lines & 'pops' & when i went 2 have them replaced etc & enquired about it, the mechanic mentioned that he see's this 24/7 also & that now that BFG have sold to MICHELIN, that alot of faults have crept in ( from more 'backyard' dodgy brothers? ) & he would no longer run BFG in a fit.
If thats the case, what a shame eh? they were ( hopefully still are! ) a gem.
rowen.
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