Little gash in rear tire. Fixable?

[KhromalusionaL]

Guys,

I just discovered a small cut in my rear tire this morning. It is about 3/4 inch long and has just a little bit of the caseing showing if i spread it out with my pen. I am about to head out on a ride early morning to Montana and no one local is able to mount a new tire. Is there a way to "fill" the cut with something to get me through the weekend? I know I run the risk of flatting and I am willing to take the risk. I will try to post a pic.

joshua

 

[Geezer]

If it holds air than I would just keep riding on it without worrying about filling the cut.

I had a similar situation recently. On my way to CFR I found a nail in my rear tire. It held air, so I kept riding until I got to BugRs house where I knew there would be a compressor and help if needed. When I pulled out the nail I found that it had gone in sideways and do not puncture the carcass. I ran that tire hard with no problem until it was completely worn out.

 

[KhromalusionaL]

Forgot to mention that it seems to be holding air. I did the ol spit test and checked the air pressure this morning got 40psi. I rode it to work and will check the pressure again at lunch.

 

[Ignacio]

As long as it's on the tread area and not the sidewall...I'd leave it alone and just run it. If you were to try and patch it....3/4" of an inch is a very long cut to try and ream and patch with string or plug.

 

[KhromalusionaL]

Yeah not going to try to run a plug no way that it would work. cut is to long. The cut is right dead center on the tire too. Just thought it i stuff some kind of glue, or sealant it would protect it from anything else going into the cut and causing a leak.

 

[wfooshee]

I'm in the "don't worry 'bout it" boat. If the rubber is cut but not the belts and carcass, it's nothing.

But a cut (as opposed to a nail hole) that leaks is a new tire on the way.

 

[dcarver]

What the heck though? I kinda like his idea. Keep road grit outta there..

Does the crack 'close back up' if left alone? (is it Friday yet?) If so, I'd just ride it. If not, I'd clean it out with some Brakleen and stuff some black RTV in there..

Then ride ride ride..

edit - if the pix is representative of 'at rest' I'd try to fill it..

 

[JamesK]

+1 on filling it up with some RTV to keep anything from getting in there and making it worse. But for sure a cut like this means the damage will likely continue to get worse with use and stress on the tire.

 

[FJRBluesman]

I don't screw with gashes, etc, I'd get a new tire. I'd rather play it safe.

 

[07FJRSD]

sorry I'm crazy will do most anything, NO WAY WOULD I RUN THAT TIRE

 

[fjrob1300]

YAWN..... I found a gash in my tire the day after it was installed. I figuered it was holding air so let er rip. I put 14000kms on it. So unless you have too much money or one of the nay-sayers is willing to buy you a new one ,forget about it.

 

[FantasticJohnR]

New tire = $150

Blow out in a curve or highway = hospital bills, maybe severe injury never mind damage possibly to the bike.

Also, if this does start leaking air- there is no way to patch a gash like you can a nail hole. So will have to tow it- so if this happens anywhere father than 50 miles or so from home (basic insurance coverage), the tow will cost more than the $150 you saved.

Or, maybe nothing will happen- so your choice really is to bet nothing will happen, or if something does happen - will definitely cost you way more than $150.

I Like this quote by Jean Nidetch “It's choice--not chance--that determines your destiny.”

 

[RadioHowie]

Love the point/counterpoint from "ignore it" to "replace it". Talk about both ends of the spectrum.

Here's a suggestion no one's made....pull the tire, put a glue-on patch inside, corresponding where the gash is outside, then drive it till it's worn out.

This way, you've been proactive about preventing future air leaks at that spot, without being over reactive about tossing an otherwise perfectly good tire.

 

[Bungie]

What the hell.. I was searching for pr0n on google with 'reaming gashes' and it brought me here. All roads really do lead to the FJRForum.

 

[Bounce]

local riding? ride it.

long trip that would be funar'd if it failed? swap it.

 

[stealth1]

Look at the bright side.

At least you have an accurate tread wear indicator now.

If you hadn't seen it you would be riding now.

As long as the cords aren't affected I don't think tire performance would be compromised.

I'm not an engineer but that's my opinion.

 

[chrisflock]

Well, if the gash isn't through the cords, and isn't causing a leak, it is the sort of thing that you might have never noticed. I mean, there's already cuts in the tire for the purpose of making 'tread'.

What I would do, is get me some o that rubber cement. Like what comes in some tire patch kits. Clean the gash out real good, then glue 'er up.

That should prevent sand, rocks, water, etc from getting in there and causing more damage.

 

[Ignacio]

New tire = $150Blow out in a curve or highway = hospital bills, maybe severe injury never mind damage possibly to the bike.

Modern motorcycles tires don't "blow". They spring a leak and lose air at a reasonable rate that all but the slowest person noticing can stop safely.

The only way a tire can blow is if MANY of the belts underlying the cords are suddenly and catastrophically severed....like running over a big chunk of metal that makes a big 1" plus hole.

------

If the gash bothers you and accumulates grit or other stuff (which I really doubt it does), try gluing it. The glue actually causes a chemical reaction that makes the rubber stick together....RTV doesn't do anything like that and wouldn't hold as the tire flexes.

I'm with the camp that a gash that doesn't go past the belts is not much different than the on-purpose grooves. My guess from the look you had a partial penetration and if it really was close you'd have a leak in at least part of the gash.

But, looking at the tire...it also looks like it's in the last 1/4 of its life* anyway.

* Unless you're Skooterg, then about 1/2 left including cords.

 

[dcarver]

Yeah, this tire ran for over 300 miles with this..