Tyre with exposed cord

[K-c8fs1]

Afternoon all,

quick question; I bought a used tyre on eBay, a 19" Michelin SuperSport with about 6mm tread. However, when it arrived I spotted that there is a little bit of rubber missing and the cord is exposed underneath. It's not the usual wear, it's more like accident damage which has caused a small piece of rubber to be pulled out. In other respects there are no punctures and no damage through to the inside. It's a shame to chuck the tyre away but I presume it's not road legal. Is it any good for track use or anything??

[K-c8fs1]

Thanks all, fairly conclusive then!

I don't think it's any sort of wear, it looks like localised damage caused by the car being pulled sideways. Such a shame as these are great tyres. Oh well, I've already received the refund so I'm best off sending it back to the seller. cheers.

[K-c8fs1]

Sheepshanks said:

Does the seller want it back?

that's a good question. the way eBay works these days is if the buyer opens a dispute about an item description the seller really has no chance, and so they issue a refund more or less right away. They're also liable for return postage so I was issued a royal mail postage label to print out. The problem is I now have to try and take an old tyre into my main branch post office which is in a WH Smith in an indoor shopping precinct in the middle of town. Talk about pain in the butt! I doubt the seller will be too worried if he never get's it back though. I may just re-list it on eBay as scrap as it'll be easier for me to dispose of that way than carrying it to a PO!

[K-c8fs1]

GregK2 said:

How much did it cost out of interest?

Cheap! Too cheap. I had my suspicions when I bought it, but because the description was so... non-descript (it just said 6mm tread, no repairs or punctures) I took my chance to bag a bargain. Came to about £25 + £12 P&P!

[K-c8fs1]

HustleRussell said:

Why.

I have done for around 19 years now. Had some superb deals over that time and been very happy with what I've received, and maybe saved thousands on my various cars and my parents cars. Only ever bought nearly new michelins. Why do you ask?

[K-c8fs1]

Leveret said:

Seems to me you have no redress. If you put it on a wheel and it holds pressure, the description doesn't lie. I disagree with the majority here in that I would be content to have it on a car for ordinary use within speed limits. The photos magnify the damage, which is clearly a one-off lateral shunt, and is only at the very edge of the road contact area.
Think about the physics - how likely is it to suddenly deflate at the relatively low pressure of car tyres? Even at its weak point I think it would be considerably more substantial than the thickness of my much flimsier bicycle tyres which run at around three times the pressure of car tyres. And even if it did, I suspect you could cope with a tyre going flat - as long as you carry a spare!

I largely agree with you on the safety aspect, which is why I posed the question. But legally any exposed cord is an immediate MOT failure and points/fine if stopped by the police. But I presume that's largely because exposed cords usually imply severe wear through the rubber, weakening and no tread left. In my case there's no real wear and it is just a localised cosmetic defect. Nonetheless, illegal to drive on, but perhaps fine for track use.

[K-c8fs1]

Ahbefive said:

No, this is mental advice.

The chord is now liable to quickly corrode and also allow water ingress to other chords making this tyre a ticking timebomb as to when it will give up. This could be on your driveway or whilst doing 80mph on the motorway. Not worth the risk.

yes, very good point about corrosion. that would be the key issue. thanks

[K-c8fs1]

mrfunex said:

Whilst technically (legally?) true, I question the logic of this. If the tyre is questionable at best whilst driving at normal road speeds and demands, why would it then be ok when driving much faster/harder on a track?

yes, fair point. I've never taken my TT on a track so it was a hypothetical really. I've already gotten my refund on the tyre and need to dispose of it. The reason I was asking was in case anyone else wanted the tyre to save me the hassle of chucking it myself. It would be the decision of the new owner whether to use it on a track or a planter for their garden, or whatever; I just thought I'd provide as much info to them as possible..