[mx_9]

For my AWD Volvo I had to get all 4 tires when only one needed to be replaced due to sidewall damage. Is this the case for the STi as well? It supposedly has to do with AWD and needing the tires having the same tread depth on all corners (I confirmed this with a couple of tire placed before I ordered all 4 tires).

FYI, each tire had about 25% wear at the time.

[ldivinag]

it's for ALL AWD especially with trick diff like a LSD or even a locker...

but i heard stories where if you order new tires from TIRE RACK, they will shave the tire down to your specs...

[jrich523]

hey JJ... i have some pics to post.. but i was just looking at the inside of my RE70's and noticed some STRANGE cuts on the inside walls.. looks like a razor blade was taken to them.. like i said i will post some pics... but.. i dont see how a rock could do this.. and i doubt its glass.. its on both front tires.. (or maybe they were back? damn tire shop)
either way.. if you can take a look at the 3 you have left.. im curious if you have the same problem... also did it blow out on the inside or outside of the tire? or maybe top?
its 4am.. sorry

[jrich523]

pics..



http://65.175.229.91:8080/ner/tire/

this scares me a little.. they are pretty deep.. no idea how they got there..

[TL-racer/STi-driver]

I wonder if you took it to the same tire shop that puts nails all over the road in front of their shop to get more business. I would look into it and have them investigated by some type of authorities like the department of transportation. They may be causing some pretty serious accidents and possibly killing people in the process. Where is the tire shop? Let's spread the word if they are doing this. That does not look like a rock did that or a tire manufacturer defect. Keep us posted.

[jrich523]

It was on both rear tires.. i took it to a very good place (spoken highly of by MANY people) and i was in the shop where they did it (i seem to have a nack for getting in shops )
anyways.. the area was clean... so unless they took a razor blade to it while i wasnt looking.. i dont think it was the shop..
i dont think i will be going back to them but im not sure i would like to confront them about this..
i know it wasnt something i ran over cuz its both rear tires... MAYBE if it was one side (front and back) i MIGHT believe that.. but both rear?!

while we are on it.. how safe are they to use?

[sciolist]

Man, that's wild. It sure doesn't look like a cut that was made quickly - look how articulated it is. Just going from the photo, it looks more like a stress failure of some kind to me. It's right in the area where the internal shear forces are going to be high during cornering.

It's hard to tell how superficial the fault is from the photo. I would definitely not want to run that tire in any kind of high speed event.

[donmei]

You have a warranty from Bridgestone. Subaru dealer can work it for you.

Someone who knows tires can tell if it was damage that caused the blowout, i.e. road hazzard, or blowout that caused the damage.

Usually the tire develops an aneurism (sp?) before it blows, but if it was on the inside sidewall, you'd never see it.

Don