small cuts in tire bead

[Pluto5]

I noticed some small cuts in the tire bead on my all seasons that are now in storage. They have been mounted several times. Does anyone know if these small cuts normally result from tire changing or should I find another shop to mount my tires?

 

[alreadygone]

Really very common. That's main reason to mount snows on spare wheels and not be mount-dismount-balance couple times yearly. As tires age, bead rubber gets more brittle easier to tear. If they've been on and off several times, my guess is you're much better off with the devil you know than one you don't. On the upside, tires will contiue to seal oftimes with bead damage you wouldn't believe.

Bob

 

[CapriRacer]

You need to be very careful about those cuts. If they are deep enough to get into fabric, then there is a pathway for the pressurized air to enter the casing, which in turn tends to force the rubber away from the rubber matrix. This tends to lead to a separation. It takes a while for the pressurized air to do its thing, so this is not even close to a 100% thing, but it does happen.

Normally, these types of cuts (they are actually tears.) are caused during the mounting process when the last bead to be mounted is forced over the rim flange. This is why lots of mounting lube is desired, especially on the rim flange edge and under the bead toe.

 

[alreadygone]

Capri's right (as usual). All the more reason to buy spare rims for a permanent mount.

Bob