I learn something every day
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 304
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From: San Dimas, California
I learn something every day
This is something of a "heads up" and I'm not sure where it belongs in the forum. Moderator(s) move it as you see fit.
I recently got a great price on five used 37" Toyo MT's mounted on Mickey Thompson Classic II rims. The milage was minimal and it was hard to see any significant wear on them. They looked great and I was very happy with the deal.
I took them to get balanced at a tire shop that I have used with confidence for 35 years and left to get a bite to eat.
When I returned, I was told that after I left, they were unable to balance two of the tires. Upon removing them from the rims to inspect them, they discovered that one of them had a huge glob of tire sealant stuck to the inside of the tire wall although there were no punctures or tears in the tire.
They scooped the glob out and eventually balanced that tire before I returned.
Then they showed me the other tire. There was a huge amount of a black powderized substance on the inside that resembled rubber pellets. At first I thought it was something like the balancing beads that I have read about. I was informed that this tire had apparently been run flat for an extended amount of time. The resultant heat build up from the friction of running flat had scorched the inside material of the tire and caused it to flake off from the inside tire walls as a powderlike substance.
In short, the tire walls had been thinned and weakened from the inside and the tire was no longer safe. But it still looked great from the outside.
So...Even though these tires are made to take abuse, don't run with flat tires if you can avoid it. Minimally, you run the risk of ruining them. Worse, there's the possibility of causing premature failure at highway speeds.
I didn't know that tires could get that hot. I learn something everyday.
I recently got a great price on five used 37" Toyo MT's mounted on Mickey Thompson Classic II rims. The milage was minimal and it was hard to see any significant wear on them. They looked great and I was very happy with the deal.
I took them to get balanced at a tire shop that I have used with confidence for 35 years and left to get a bite to eat.
When I returned, I was told that after I left, they were unable to balance two of the tires. Upon removing them from the rims to inspect them, they discovered that one of them had a huge glob of tire sealant stuck to the inside of the tire wall although there were no punctures or tears in the tire.
They scooped the glob out and eventually balanced that tire before I returned.
Then they showed me the other tire. There was a huge amount of a black powderized substance on the inside that resembled rubber pellets. At first I thought it was something like the balancing beads that I have read about. I was informed that this tire had apparently been run flat for an extended amount of time. The resultant heat build up from the friction of running flat had scorched the inside material of the tire and caused it to flake off from the inside tire walls as a powderlike substance.
In short, the tire walls had been thinned and weakened from the inside and the tire was no longer safe. But it still looked great from the outside.
So...Even though these tires are made to take abuse, don't run with flat tires if you can avoid it. Minimally, you run the risk of ruining them. Worse, there's the possibility of causing premature failure at highway speeds.
I didn't know that tires could get that hot. I learn something everyday.
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: San Dimas, California
I thought about cutting it in half and making a swing seat out of one half and a planter out of the other. In the end, I bought a new one and added it to the mix for the next rotation. 
JK Junkie
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,606
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From: The OC baby! CA
