# Chunk of tire came off--side wall

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [March 30, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855 "2023-03-30T17:44:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![flanry01\_184663](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/43a26b/32.png) [@flanry01\_184663](https://community.cartalk.com/u/flanry01_184663)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/1 "2023-03-30T17:44:22Z")

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Hi. I bumped the curve trying to make room for a bus. Was traveling \<5mph. Scratched the wheel with the resulting damage to the tire. Does this warrant a tire replacement?

 ![IMG_8909](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/9/39e14343adf5b9f5794ee7ba8cec6bd9d316d861.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/2 "2023-03-30T17:47:38Z")

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It only looks like some rubber was removed. If you lift up that part to the left can you see anything besides rubber? If not then you’re probably fine, tire-wise. You might want to get your alignment checked to see if it was affected.

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**Author:** ![flanry01\_184663](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/43a26b/32.png) [@flanry01\_184663](https://community.cartalk.com/u/flanry01_184663)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/3 "2023-03-30T17:50:24Z")

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Its just rubber underneath the flap to the left

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/4 "2023-03-30T18:31:18Z")

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It looks like the tires are near where they should be replaced anyway. That will be a weak spot but have an actual tire shop look at it. Do you really want to find out at 70 mph?

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**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/5 "2023-03-30T18:48:15Z")

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> [@bing](#):
>
> Do you really want to find out at 70 mph?

Not the best time to find out.

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/6 "2023-03-30T23:27:18Z")

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You have what is called rim protectors built into the tires themselves… They can only do so much though…  
Peal the rubber flap back and see how deep it goes, if you can see any sign of white cords then the tire needs to be replaced… You can kind of judge how deep it is compared to the bead area of the tire… The rubber is very thick in that area of a tire compared to a conventional sidewall…

And for you YouTube people out there here ya go…

[![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/7/d/7dc4ef5191ace047dec56bc64dd8c03cdb58791a.jpeg "What are Rim Protectors?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ6cS2DzWrw)

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/7 "2023-03-30T23:40:58Z")

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Hard call to make based on the photo. Could be dangerous, maybe not at all dangerous. Suggest to take car to a mechanic for an inspection & opinion, ask what they think. Could take it to a tire shop, but the tire shop might tend to give you a more biased opinion that a mechanic.

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chunk-of-tire-came-off-side-wall/189855/8 "2023-03-31T00:15:27Z")

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Yeah hard call but what I did. I ran over my favorite tape measure and the point on the end embedded in one tire. It didn’t leak but when I measured I figured tha it was only maybe 2/32 nds from a puncture. The tires were in the yellow barely, but with winter coming I just put four new tires on. Life is good. Tires cheap. And changing a flat when it is ten below, not fun.