Buldge on sidewall..new tires

[440interceptor]

Noticed on the crown vic a buldge on the sidewall..drivers side front tire, it's a little bigger than a quarter..not too bad yet but was wondering what causes this..it wasn't a curb..could it have been from a pothole or frost raising the pavement this spring?

The car has four Cooper tires on it size 225/60-16 ...previous owner bought them..I think Cooper's are considered a fairly cheap tire?

Still have the winter tires on the rear but will be getting them off very soon...all four Coopers are beginning to show cracking on the sidewalls, I think the previous owner liked armor-all.

I'll be looking for 4 new tires & want very good tires but not the very best or most expensive...here's what I'd be looking for... manufacturer doesn't matter, but tire model must have been around long enough to have a good reputation..good handling & grip on dry & wet roads, allow for a comfortable yet stable ride & not known to crack prematurally on the sidewalls & a good warranty. I looked at Tire Rack, I'm just looking for opinions here.

 

[alreadygone]

By bulge I'm assuming you mean an "outie"? The sunk-in type are normal and totally harmless, but bulges are usually a sign of interior damage. Need to remove and inspect soonest, or replace asap.

As a Cooper tire dealer, I don't consider them cheap or low quality. As with all other mfgrs. Cooper builds various grades, with their new CS4 being a world class premium tire comparable with any manufacturers best. Be sure you compare like to like (IE 400 treadwear to other mfgr. 400 treadwear).

If present Coopers have decent tread remaining (half, 6/32, or better) and are less than 5yrs old,(check DOT number on sidewall) you should see a Cooper dealer about warranty replacement.

Bob

 

[JHZR2]

an outie seems to be the result of too low a tire pressure. At least that was the claim when the falken tires on my bmw had one.

JMH

 

[alreadygone]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
an outie seems to be the result of too low a tire pressure. At least that was the claim when the falken tires on my bmw had one.

JMH


Not entirely, usually low pressure will cause a LOT of outies just before it turns into a ball of thread.

outer bulges are usually from sidewall cord damage, either pinched between rim and pothole/curb,improper initial mounting (though this usually shows up immediately), and quite often, from a long object puncturing tread and then rubbing on sidewall from the inside.

Bob

 

[JHZR2]

I think Im saying the same thing. The claim was that low pressure caused it to be easier to create the "pinch" between the rim and pothole on the falkens, which have soft sidewalls (for an H-rated tire). Thus I got a bulge.

Thanks for the info!

JMH

 

[440interceptor]

Hey Bob, wasn't trying to say Coopers are no good in any way, just that when I purchased the Bridgestone winters in November the dealer told me that Coopers considered basically a bargin tire.
The buldge is protruding, not like you see on some tires that you see what looks like an indentation. It's on the midway area between the rim & tread.