Tire experts....(look here)

[KA-T_240]

This just happened to my buddy today. Car, 03 Subaru WRX. Tires had 76miles on them. All were properly inflated and checked 2-3 times after mounting. I think its pretty noticeable that its a RT-615. I have never seen something like this happen, tire defect?


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a265/90_240sx/024-1.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a265/90_240sx/025-1.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a265/90_240sx/026.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a265/90_240sx/027.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m133/rexwagon/show%20and%20shine/Myblowntire.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff19/sfx07/Show%20and%20Shine%2008/100_0854.jpg

[tekon]

does he have coilovers? are they rubbing the inside? thats what happened to my tire. wheel was rubbing on coilovers.

[KA-T_240]

does he have coilovers? are they rubbing the inside? thats what happened to my tire. wheel was rubbing on coilovers.

He has coilovers. Was not due to rubbing. Has ran the same size rim/tire/offset for 2 years with the coilover.

[blasting_speed]

Damn it looks like some one just cut them down the side there. (whistles) Maybe he just got fucked with these tires.

[Phlip]

What is the status of his alignment?
Has he had it done recently, or even at all since he installed the coils?

[1ZlowZ]

I have with the exact tire. You see, I was drifting tire got hot I'm assuming I hit something and caused the thread to rip off of both sidewalls. Probably the sidewall was a bit thicker than the tires he used to use. Causing to rub on fender causing the neat tear on the tire.

EDIT: Never mind I see its on the back of the wheel

[KA-T_240]

Its been aligned since the coils. He has had them since before I met him. Pretty sure it was aligned this winter. Alignment is pretty close to stock(no crazy camber settings......)

[Kn1ves]

I worked at a tire shop for a good 8 months, I would consider that a defective tire.

It doesn't look like the tire was put together properly.
There doesn't seem to appear to be an initial point of impact in the tire that would cause that to happen as well (like a small puncture that would have caused it to unravel)
The side wall looks like it just sorta popped.

If you've only driven it for 76 miles, you should be able to get a brand new tire for free from wherever you got it.
Manufacturers usually have a warranty that states they will replace a defective tire.
Go to an authorized falken dealer or wherever you bought them. They'll inspect it for you as well.

But then again I'm looking at pictures and not actually inspecting the tire.

[S14DB]

If it was rubbing I would expect to see some cord popping out. Looks like a clean break. Take it back and get a new one.

[aziankingz]

it looks like a falken defect..what was he doing when this happened?

[KA-T_240]

^We were on the interstate. I was right behind him.


We got this response from someone on a semi-local forum.
Originally Posted by 1_sic_rex
THIS!!!
I have seen this twice on the new batches of any of the azenis line. They must have some sort of tred skirt defect. I am the adjustment manager in rochester and could definatley help you out. I will also be sending an email around to all DTC stores to see if they have seen similar. This the third RT615 i have seen do the exact same thing.
For those of you who own them or are getting them keep your invoices. there just may be a recal coming soon.

[aziankingz]

so that pretty much answers your question..has your friend spoken to falken or the shop he got the tires from? he shouldnt be driving on the tires..hope they give him a refund.

[KA-T_240]

Well, its the weekend. He bougth them for DTD. And a shop isn't just going to give you a refund. The manufacture would have to.

[brndck]

Well, its the weekend. He bougth them for DTD. And a shop isn't just going to give you a refund. The manufacture would have to.
bullshit. any shop that cares about their customers will replace that tire, and then have the manufacturer reimburse them (the shop). otherwise, they (the shop) hafta worry about a customer bad mouthing them to every single person that they know. i've worked in 2 different tire pros franchises totaling 5 years and have seen multiple cases of defective tires, ranging from the tread delaminating from the tire, to cases like this one, and in all instances the tire was replaced at our (the shops) cost, and then our distributor/manufacturer rep came and inspected the tire, and we'd be issued a credit or delivered a replacement. for a shop to be stupid enough to lose a customer over a $100 tire *(yes i'm ballparking, but wholesale cost even on rt615s isn't that high)* would be ridiculous.

[KA-T_240]

The thing is, how is the place you buy the product from responsible of it???? That would be the benifit of buying a road hazard warranty from the place(if they offer it). If you bad mouth the place you buy a tire that fails becuase of a defect in the tire..... I would be more willing to blame falken not the place that I got the tire from.

When my sidwall got a crack in it, the shop I bought my tires from said they would put in a warranty claim for me, but I figured it was not worth it cause I had like <10% tread left and was ordering new ones the next week. And that is exactly what I would expect most business to do.


Pending what happens with this, my next tires are not going to be rt-615s.

[brndck]

/\/\/\ ya, but if i buy a gallon of milk, and its sour, i don't go all the way to the dairy, i go back to the grocery store. and in this case, with a tire with >100 miles on it and no sign of impact, i'd for sure take it back to the place i bought it, and make sure that business took care of it. falken's quality control might ultimately be to blame, but the customer doesn't deal with falken, they deal with the tire store.

[240look'n]

Any holes in the tire? It looks like a heat ring was the cause of the failure. If you run with your air pressure too low for even a few miles one can develop and destroy the tire. The heat that builds up from the sidewall bending will cause the rubber and epoxy between the plys to break down. Did it smell like shit? was there any rubber debris inside the tire?

[S14DB]

DTD has a deal where if you have a problem you can goto your local DT store and have them help you.

[KA-T_240]

Any holes in the tire? It looks like a heat ring was the cause of the failure. If you run with your air pressure too low for even a few miles one can develop and destroy the tire. The heat that builds up from the sidewall bending will cause the rubber and epoxy between the plys to break down. Did it smell like shit? was there any rubber debris inside the tire?

Tire had 35psi in it when we left, was not leaking previously. Didn't pick up anything. No smell until I saw a big cloud of dust, and then it smelt like burnt rubber.


Closest dicount tire is 300+ miles away

[pablo180]

Looks like a tire defect to me.
Maybe the tire laminator forgot to put the ply around the corner of the tire or the fabric was just not long enough to turn the corner of the sidewall.

More detailed pics of the cross section of the sidewall please?

[99maxgtr]

i had like the same thing happend to me...less than 100 miles and on the turnpike shit just ripped apart...i bought them on ebay but new...i cut my losses and didn't bother b/c i doubt anything will be done :(

[KA-T_240]

^with rt615????

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m133/rexwagon/show%20and%20shine/Myblowntire.jpg