Byproduct of Ultra Low Profile Tires?

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I was heading back down south from the NH Whites early today and had a bit of a scare...was in the left lane on I93 when traffic slowed down suddenly and I saw a tire rolling roughly in the middle of the highway ahead of us. I was sorta trapped next to a semi in the right lane, didn't really like that feeling with an uncertain situation ahead of us but the little group of vehicles I was in was able to scrub speed without swerving around or anything else unseemly happening.
I thought it was a tire/wheel combo at first, but it turned out to be the shell of a tire rolling around and then noticed what I think was a high end MB sedan pulling onto the right shoulder...this vehicle had super low profile tires and its left front wheel appeared to be empty. The rolling tire ended up bumping into the MB it had come from just before I went by.

This struck me as sort of a strange occurrence, a tire that had been shed without the wheel basically staying largely intact and rolling around like that. It hit me right away that it may have had something to do with its ultra low profile nature, maybe when there was a sudden loss of pressure the wheel edges just quickly sliced the sidewalls off and the treaded part of the tire just stayed in one piece and went on its merry way to bump into its owner a little ways down the road?

Glad that the MB got over to the side safely and that none of us behind it got into any tussles that could have led to damage and injuries. I would imagine that wheel the tire came from was not in great shape at the end...
 
How low profile? I wouldn't think a 40 or 45 would have issues, a 30 on a large wheel might have issues if you slam them into a hole or something.
 
How does being a "low profile" tire correlate with the tire separating from the wheel?
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If anything, I'd expect this from a taller profile where the sidewall would have MORE lateral flex when cornering.
Thereby stressing the tire bead (seal with the wheel).
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
How low profile? I wouldn't think a 40 or 45 would have issues, a 30 on a large wheel might have issues if you slam them into a hole or something.

I didn't get that great a look as I went by, but they looked pretty extreme to me...I don't know who the gentleman in this pic is and I hope he doesn't mind me posting this photo here, but this is the first snap I saw that looked like what I think I saw.
[Linked Image]

That kind of tire would be nearly useless to me given the roads I have to deal with up in the hills to get home...
 
Probably never checked tire pressures, This is a 255-35-20 on my Regal GS, smooth ride and not harsh
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When a radial tire gets punctured and all the air is let out, it will eventually separate into 3 pieces: The 2 sidewalls and the tread (in the form of a hoop).

In this case, there is very little sidewall, so it would be easy to miss that they were there.

I have seen lots of them when I analyzed returned tires - some with the tread and sidewalls, some without the tread, some without the sidewalls.
 
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255/35/20 = you have a 3.5" sidewall. With the Pirellis you're running the ride should be good given the tread width. But I wouldn't get in any pot hole crossing contests though....
 
Originally Posted by CapriRacer
When a radial tire gets punctured and all the air is let out, it will eventually separate into 3 pieces: The 2 sidewalls and the tread (in the form of a hoop).
In this case, there is very little sidewall, so it would be easy to miss that they were there.
I have seen lots of them when I analyzed returned tires - some with the tread and sidewalls, some without the tread, some without the sidewalls.

Very interesting info!
I am sure that the vast majority of damaged tires I have seen on roads have been from semis, but I can't recall seeing a hoop like this before. Part of the reason why I thought it must have still been on a wheel at first!

BTW, cornering was at least not immediately involved in this tire failure, as we were on I93 at the time and nowhere near on/off ramps.
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
Hot weather is good for busting weak tires!

I thought Wednesday and Thursday were quite pleasant in the mountains even though I knew it was scorching back home....went out at about 10:30 this morning to hoof it over to town and I immediately thought, "It is HOT out here today!!!"
 
If you drive on the flat tire for long enough, it will become scorching hot and eventually come apart. I saw an older BMW on the side of the freeway today with a completely destroyed half carcass on a rear wheel. No idea where the other 1/2 went ...

Looked like this - and you have to drive on the flat for quite awhile before it does that. Don't think it has anything to do with low profile tires, aside from it maybe being harder to tell the tire is flat, especially on the rear.

[Linked Image]
 
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bigger wheels + rubber band tyres are the craze these days, not me!!! other than looks theres nothing good unless in a competition vehicle on a race track. crack a big fancy OE wheel + it costs what 4 aftermarket sanely sized wheels will!
 
Originally Posted by benjy
bigger wheels + rubber band tyres are the craze these days, not me!!! other than looks theres nothing good unless in a competition vehicle on a race track. crack a big fancy OE wheel + it costs what 4 aftermarket sanely sized wheels will!


OEM 20's for my 300 are ~$390. Cheapest not on clearance 20" I saw on tire rack was $204 for some ugly black ones. Aftermarket ones that look like my OEM 7 spokes are $253.

In fantasy land I'd own a set of those 3D printed wheels HRE did. Talk about insane prices for wheels.

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I know, but driving along RT. 93 through Franconia Notch, (as well as other areas of N.H). is downright surreal with those peaks looming sooo close on either side of the valley roadway!
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I can't wait to get back up that way in less than two weeks time on my way to volunteer on the New England Forest Rally, based out of the Newry/Bethel/Errol areas.
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I don't like 20's or push button start - so bought LT series and then added option packages/options to get what we wanted in both
 
Originally Posted by dailydriver
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I know, but driving along RT. 93 through Franconia Notch, (as well as other areas of N.H). is downright surreal with those peaks looming sooo close on either side of the valley roadway!
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I can't wait to get back up that way in less than two weeks time on my way to volunteer on the New England Forest Rally, based out of the Newry/Bethel/Errol areas.
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My wife hates driving through Franconia Notch because she feels like the peaks are looming over her...I tell her they've been there for a while and are unlikely to fall on her.
I think it is an exhilarating drive and also like to ski at Cannon now and again...although I have to admit that I don't care for the tram in winter. I like to do laps on the Front Five...haven't been to Mittersill yet.
 
Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
My wife hates driving through Franconia Notch because she feels like the peaks are looming over her...I tell her they've been there for a while and are unlikely to fall on her.

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Yeah, but I can see how she feels that way driving through there, it being such a pronounced, steep, 'close' valley cutting through those peaks.
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They must have engineered some miraculous sort of road drainage system for when the monsoons/ridiculous downpours/'training' thunderstorms pass over that area, no??
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Originally Posted by Malo83
Probably never checked tire pressures, This is a 255-35-20 on my Regal GS, smooth ride and not harsh
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On those beautifully paved and temperature climate California roads, maybe they ride like a dream

On the bombed out streets of NYC, even my (by today's standards chunky 215/55/17s ride awful)

The Caddy has 245/40/18s on it and it rides truly horrific

Unacceptable for a $55k luxury car, 2y/8k on and 3 have had to be replaced due to bubbles

What they need to do, is make wheels/tires a choice, regardless of trim level

I need the smallest alloys offered, on the top trim car
 
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