Back to Latest News
Tyre features designed to protect your wheels.
You’ve all seen the signs of a misjudged parking job. Gutter rash and scrapes up your wheel. It’s not so bad when you have plastic wheel covers over steel wheels but gutter rash on your new factory optional alloys or aftermarket wheels can leave you feeling pretty upset.
Did you know that tyre manufacturers are working on features to help fight against wheel damage? We’re going to go over a few features some tyres have that will protect your wheels and tyre sidewalls.
Gutter Rash explained
When tyres get rubbed against a curb, the possibility of tyrewall and wheel damage is very real. If a damaged tyre is repaired improperly, there is a chance of sudden tyre blowout, potentially causing loss of vehicle control.
Recognising tyre damage
If you ever hit a curb, pothole or debris while driving, you should be inspecting your tyres for damage. Some types of tyre damage can be safely ignored as the tyre is not compromised. In other instances, the damage is irreparable and the tyre must be replaced as soon as possible.
Tyre sidewall bulges
Often a bulge in the sidewall can be tracked down to a few causes:
If a tyre is driven while flat/very low pressure and then reinflated, even though the tyre may hold air, the sidewall has been permanently damaged due to excessive heat.
Impact like debris or hitting a pothole at high speed may pinch the tyre between the wheel and cause a weakness inside the tyre sidewall causing an internal air leak. This damage is similar to being driven on underinflated but localised to a single area of the sidewall.
In some rare cases a manufacturing defect may cause the layers of sidewall to not be vulcanised correctly. This type of damage is not repairable.
Tyre sidewall indentations
Not to be confused with sidewall bulges, tyre indentations are normal and nothing to be worried about. With radial tyres, the inner reinforcement bands overlap at a certain point where they’re bonded. This results in an extra strong section of sidewall that doesn’t bulge out under air pressure as much as the surrounding tyre. While it looks odd, tyre indentations actually mark the strongest part of the tyre.
Sidewall cuts
Sidewall cuts/nicks can go either way depending on how bad the damage is. The general rule of thumb is that sidewall damage is not repairable due to the sidewall flexing during normal use. A plug or patch will not be able to stay in place with the movement and temperature ranges tyre sidewalls can see. In general, any sidewall damage that shows the internal chords of the tyre is too far gone to save.
Punctures/Cuts
If punctures occur in the middle 70-80% of a tyre tread surface, there is a great chance the tyre can be repaired with a plug that will last as long as the rest of the tyre. If a puncture occurs on the shoulder or sidewall of a tyre, see below. Sidewall damage is frequently the end of a tyres useful lifespan.
Gutter guards on tires
Gone are the days of curb feelers, with tyre companies having features like rim protectors to keep your wheels looking fresh.
Premium performance tyres with a low profile (less than 55, usually) will have a stepped sidewall design that comes out and over the lip of your wheel to protect against light curb knocks and impact damage while out on the road. These will do little to prevent damage in a heavier impact, so don’t think your tyres will make up for bad driving or an actual car accident.
Most larger profile tyres will have a ‘sacrificial’ strip at the widest point of the sidewall that is not a structure of the sidewall. This is designed to hang out from your wheel by just enough to give you a warning if you’re about to hit a curb while parking.
Some of these are not features found on cheap or budget tyres so be sure to ask about the benefits of a premium tyre for your application. Don’t forget we do offer Zip Pay in-store.
Repairing damaged wheels
Fear not if you have gutter rash on your wheels. We offer a wheel repair service where we can repair and restore damaged, curb rashed or bent wheels. So don’t stress if you’ve hit a pothole or damaged the wheels on your new car. We’re here to help!
Come see the experts!
Whether you’re experiencing vibrations through your steering wheel, your TPMS is reporting low pressure, you’ve noticed lumps on your side walls while cleaning the car or you’ve hit a curb or pothole and want some peace of mind, come see the friendly staff at Donnellans the Tyremen.
Our experienced and qualified technicians can assess the condition of your wheels and tyres and advise you of your options to ensure that your vehicle remains safe on the roads. With 5 stores located across Melbourne, we are sure to have a location that’s convenient for you.
Drop in today or call:
Blackburn - (03) 9894 1223
Collingwood – (03) 9417 5527
Preston – (03) 9480 0044
Prahran – (03) 9510 3199
Balwyn – (03) 9816 9900
