Cuts in the sidewalls of tires...

[ShooterMcGavin]

I am using some LT rated BF Goodrich KO tires and I have recently had some cutting problems in the sidewalls. The first incident... I had noticed a long slice in one sidewall for a while. It wasn't until I aired down and went up a rocky hill, and a rock rolled from under my rear tire into the sidewall, when it let go. Since then, I have aired down and driven offroad... I washed my 4Runner afterwards and I noticed some thin slices in the sidewalls of another tire. I'm guessing there are a combination of things causing this, but what are your thoughts?

Some of my ideas as contributing factors...
1. I'm not being careful enough when I am out on rocks (but I try to be very careful of sharp edges).
2. Am I airing down too low, putting more of the sidewall into contact with the ground than I should? ...and also flexing the sidewall more than I should?
3. I haven't checked the date on the sidewall, but these are probably kinda old tires.

 

[2014 Warthog]

What are you airing down too?

The older KOs had somewhat thin sidewalls too so I'd probably watch it, maybe not air down so much if that's what's happening. The ko2s are about twice as thick from what I could feel with my fingers LTs require more pressure than P tires so airing down to 15 pounds or something is really pushing it IMHO.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Ok. Good advice. I have my deflators set to air down to 18 psi. BUT, before I aired up that day that a tire blew out on me, I checked my pressures and they were much lower than I wanted - like 12-14 psi. Maybe that was the biggest factor that day. I will spend some time and re-calibrate them.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Dude .... Pics. Pics. Pics!

Small scrapes are not a big deal.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Here's the cut sidewall as as I was having the tire replaced.

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[pluton]

Check the date code on the tires. Age, and being stored at full inflation but unloaded(like a 5 year-old spare) can degenerate the integrity of tires.
You're in the PNW; does that mean 4-wheeling on aha lava rocks? We have them in the Mojave Desert. They can be very sharp.
My previous set of BFG AT/KOs lasted well, I replaced one, because somewhere it got a quarter-sized chunk flapped out of it.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

The last time I was airing up I looked for a date code and didn't find it. Haven't looked since. No, I have not been wheeling on lava, but I agree that would be very sharp.

 

[BrianSD_42]

To me that looks like a big enough CUT where I would replace the tire.

You definitely hit something like a sharp rock. Not to much you can do besides be even more careful in the future while driving on the trail.

 

[the great him]

get some good year mtr with kevlar... just one of many reasons i do not like BFG tires

 

[mountain mike]

I'm with TGH. Get some MTR's. I had KO2's on my FJ and had the same thing happen. I thought I got most of them on some shale while in Ouray, but maybe they got cut up on the rocks closer to home. Either way, I had the same thing happen with my BFG's. Even with their 10 ply sidewalls. I will say the KO2's wear well, but other than that I can't think of anything else good about that tire.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

To me that looks like a big enough CUT where I would replace the tire.

You definitely hit something like a sharp rock. Not to much you can do besides be even more careful in the future while driving on the trail.

Definitely. I trashed that tire weeks ago.

I'd like to get 5-10k more miles out of this set, while I install my lift and some other things. Then, I will have room to upgrade to something more durable, maybe 285s.

 

[JayRolla]

This tends to happen when going over downed trees, logs and sticks.

 

[the great him]

Shooter, where in the pnw are you going to get cuts like that? I have been all over the rubicon, Oregon and sw Washington wheeling and only twice cut a side wall, both times were in the snow and a metal post went through the tire. One was a broadside through a snow drift and I found a mile marker stake on the side of the road. the other I have no idea what it was but it was a clean slice. But after this two experiences I make sure I stick with at least a D rated tire and i stay away from bfg (even though I have a set right now -once again not impressed with them).

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

The offroading I have done was mostly down by Naches. I have also gone out around Mt Rainier (Greenwater), Stampede Pass, and places off I-90.

I am totally new to offroad driving, but... As much as some people say they don't like the BFG tires, I have found them to be very impressive. I have gone up some steep rocks, mud, etc., and kept up with others who were on aggressive MT tires. Maybe other tires are EVEN better Sound like I will be pleasantly surprised when I finally upgrade.

 

[JayRolla]

The offroading I have done was mostly down by Naches. I have also gone out around Mt Rainier (Greenwater), Stampede Pass, and places off I-90.

I am totally new to offroad driving, but... As much as some people say they don't like the BFG tires, I have found them to be very impressive. I have gone up some steep rocks, mud, etc., and kept up with others who were on aggressive MT tires. Maybe other tires are EVEN better Sound like I will be pleasantly surprised when I finally upgrade.

BFG's are monsters. Got my first set when I was 16 years old and it was the first time I realized 4x4 was not needed for most stuff. BFG a/t are beast mode.

Now I run whatever cheapest mud I can get my hands on in a 305/70r16. My tires I run now are very impressive on rocks and mud and loose sand. They dont ever need aired down like my BFG or other mud styles needed for same traction I get now. I love my cheap radial GT's.