Tread Area -
Irregular Wear -
Sidewall -
Bead Area
Tire Failures and Causes
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| TREAD AREA - Detail of Tire Damages |
| Rib Tear |
Tear at the base of the main tread grooves, generally at the shoulder.
- Running over curbs (kerbs) with a hot tire.
- Severe localized impacts.
Aggravated by sharp turning.
- Avoid under-inflation/overload.
- Avoid running over curbs (kerbs).
- Turn carefully.
If steel belt or cord shows, scrap the tire. If not, consult tire expert.
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| Chipping |
Rough, abraded tread surface with numerous small flakes or chunks of tread removed.
- Miss-application.
- Running on gravel roads.
Check service conditions to determine which type of tread/tire design is appropriate.
If steel belt or cord shows, scrap the tire.
If not, consult tire expert.
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| Chunking |
Rough, abraded tread surface with numerous small flakes or chunks of tread removed.
- Severe localized impacts.
- Running over curbs (kerbs).
Aggravated by sharp turning and off road utilization.
- Check service conditions.
- Avoid running over curbs (kerbs).
- Turn carefully.
If steel belt or cord shows, scrap the tire.
If not, consult tire expert.
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| Tread Cut |
Localized break through the tread rubber.
- Road hazards.
- Foreign objects.
Aggravated by over-inflation and high speed.
Avoid:
- Running over large, sharp objects, such as iron, stone, glass etc.
- Over-inflation and high speed.
If steel belt or cord shows, scrap the tire.
If not, consult tire expert.
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| Tread Separation (Caused by Heat) |
Bulge on shoulder or tread face area may be accompanied by split through the bottom of the tread groove. Usually localized wear in the tread above the separated area will occur. May result in a loss of a section of tread. Belt package is intact.
Excessive heat generation, caused by:
- Under-inflation / overload.
- Continuous high speed operation.
- Mismatched duals.
- Insufficient air flow around the tires.
Avoid:
- Under-inflation/overload.
- Continuous high speed driving.
- Axle weights.
- Air flow around tires.
- Dual tire matching.
Scrap the tire.
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| Tread Separation (Caused by Cuts or Stone Drilling) |
Bulge on shoulder or tread face area may be accompanied by split through the bottom of the tread groove. Usually localized wear in the tread above the separated area will occur. May result in a loss of a section of tread. Belt package is intact.
- Cuts or small stones penetrating the tread.
- Running over gravel roads.
- Remove trapped stones in tread groove.
- Review tire selection if tires are found to be misapplied to service conditions.
Scrap the tire.
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| Oil Contamination |
Tread appear swollen, soft and spongy. Petroleum odor may be evident.
Absorption of oil, grease, antifreeze, petroleum and chemicals, etc.
- Avoid parking in oily places.
- Check vehicle for fluid leaks.
Wash tire thoroughly when contamination is first spotted.
Consult tire expert.
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| IRREGULAR WEAR |
| Shoulder Wear |
Excessive wear extending across entire shoulder rib to a major tread groove, usually one shoulder of tire only.
- Under-inflation/overload.
- Misalignment.
- Avoid under-inflation/overload.
- Check suspension component.
If steel belt or cord is exposed, scrap the tire.
If not, remove the tire from service before it's worn below treads design and use for recapping.
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| River Wear |
Circumferential wear along rib edges next to major tread grooves may be wavy in appearance and vary in width around the tire.
- Slow wear on free-rolling axles.
- Common in line haul operations in which loads are light and turning is less frequent.
- Rotate tires to drive axles.
- Check air pressure.
If not worn excessively, continue to run.
If not, consult tire expert.
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| Punch Wear |
One or more inner ribs worn below the level of the adjacent ribs circumferentially around the tire.
- Improper inflation pressure.
- Loose or worn wheel bearings.
- Lack of shock absorber control in some suspension types.
- Improper bead seating and out of balance.
- Check air pressure.
- Diagnose mechanical problem.
If worn excessively, continue to run.
If not, consult tire expert.
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| Spot Wear |
Numerous areas worn flat around the circumference of the tread.
- Hard braking.
- Improper inflation pressures.
Aggravated by worn wheel bearings and imbalance
- Avoid hard braking.
- Check and adjust braking system.
- Check air pressure.
If steel belt or cord is exposed, scrap the tire.
If not, consult tire expert for possibility of recapping.
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| Scallop Wear |
Localized cupped-out areas of fast wear creating a scalloped appearance around tire on the shoulder ribs. May progress to adjoining ribs.
- Improper bead seating and out of balance.
- Improper inflation pressure.
- Loose or worn wheel bearings.
- Lack of shock absorber control in some suspension types.
- Diagnose imbalance condition and mechanical problem.
- Check air pressure.
If steel belt or cord is exposed, scrap the tire.
If not, consult tire expert for possibility of recapping.
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| Feather-Edge Wear |
Tread ribs worn high to low on each rib across the tread face.
- Misalignment.
- Damaged suspension components.
- Bent tie-rod.
Check suspension components and alignment.
If feather-edge wear is severe, the tire can be rotated to another position.
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| Heel/Toe Wear |
Each lug around tire worn high to low from front to back edge.
- Improper inflation pressure.
- Too much stop-and-go with excessive traction or braking.
- Check air pressure.
- Start and stop carefully.
- Change to opposite direction of rotation.
If Heel / Toe wear is severe, change direction of rotation.
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| SIDEWALL |
| Weather Cracking |
Numerous tiny cracks in the rubber surface, usually 360 degrees around the tire.
Exposure to high concentration of ozone and long-term exposure to weather and sunlight.
Aggravated by long-term of parking.
Store tires inside, in a cool, dry place.
Consult tire expert.
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| Sidewall Cut |
Cuts in the sidewall.
Road hazards, curbs (kerbs), pit rails, etc.
Aggravated by over-inflation.
Avoid:
- Hitting foreign objects such as rocks, pot-holes, etc.
- Over-inflation.
If damaged has reached carcass cords, scrap the tire.
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| Impact Break |
Break in the sidewall through the casing. This condition will usually deteriorate quickly to a run flat appearance.
A sudden impact with a road hazard or pot-holes.
Aggravated by over-inflation.
Avoid:
- Hitting large rocks, iron, pot-holes, etc.
- Over-inflation.
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| Sidewall Separation |
Irregular-shaped bulge in mid/upper sidewall area; may progress to complete separation of sidewall rubber from the casing exposing the ply cords. No repairs, break, punctures or contamination in the casing are evident.
- Reduced adhesion, caused by:.
- Penetration of water or air through a road hazard.
- Impact on sidewall.
- Faulty/Poor repair.
- Bead damaged during mounting.
- Avoid hitting curbs (kerbs), large rocks, pot-holes, etc.
- Repair properly.
- Do not damage bead.
Scrap the tire.
Note: Check inside of the tire carefully. You may find a liner crack or nail is the cause of this separation.
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| Run Flat |
Sidewalls exhibit jagged cracks usually 360 degrees around tire. Chunks of sidewall may be missing as well. In advanced stages, tires will lose their tread and belt package, eventually resulting in two sidewalls.
Continued operation after loss of inflation pressure
Never run continuously after loss of inflation presure occurs. Stop vehicle at once in a safe area.
Scrap tire.
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| Bulge |
Radial, pencil shaped bulge in the sidewall of a radial tire.
If one or several carcass cords are cut by a road hazard or improper repair, the carcass cords lose tension. A bulge appears on the sidewall.
Avoid hitting large rocks, iron, pot-holes, etc.
Repair properly.
Consult tire expert.
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| Bead Area |
| Bead Separation |
Circumferential cracks above bead flange area with cord material exposed.
- Overload / Under-inflation.
- Improper bead seating.
- Improper rim size (narrow).
- Excessive heat from brake drum.
Do not confuse with surface weather cracking.
- Avoid overload / under-inflation.
- Check bead seating.
- Use proper wheels.
- Avoid frequent hard braking.
- Check braking system.
Scrap the tire.
Note: Using a screwdriver, check the depth of the crack. If the crack is only around the surface, it may be weather cracking.
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