# Tire is damaged (pics attached), should I take it on the highway to get it repaired (pic attached) **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 2, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789 "2015-08-02T21:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arrowx7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Arrowx7](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Arrowx7)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/1 "2015-08-02T21:22:51Z")
Hey everyone, I have a question… I accidentally hopped a curb on an angle and scraped my wheel cover and a small area of the tire peeled away. I’ve been driving it around the city for a week now without any issues, and the tire has never deflated. 1. I know no one can guarantee complete safety… but my mechanic is quite far, and I was wondering if you would take this on the highway for 30min and get it replaced. 2. Also, should I cut away the part that detached? or would it throw off the balance of the tire? Thanks! AR ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/2 "2015-08-02T21:28:20Z")
You even have to ask ? ---
**Author:** ![SteveCBT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevecbt/32/3192_2.png) [@SteveCBT](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveCBT)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/3 "2015-08-02T21:29:38Z")
1. No 2. No This tire is unsafe at any speed and cannot be repaired. Get your spare tire on, a donut is better than this tire. ---
**Author:** ![MY\_2\_CENTS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@MY\_2\_CENTS](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MY_2_CENTS)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/4 "2015-08-02T21:42:22Z")
It’s a gonner. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/5 "2015-08-02T21:45:49Z")
**" I know no one can guarantee complete safety"** I can guarantee that your tire is now dangerous to drive on. As was already stated, you should mount the spare tire and then you should drive to a tire shop for an appropriate replacement tire. Replacing a tire does not necessitate driving to a specific mechanic’s shop. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/6 "2015-08-02T22:30:55Z")
Kaput! Gone! Any side wall damage will usually condemn a tire. This one is worse than average. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/7 "2015-08-02T22:54:01Z")
Not only is the tire done for my feeling is that the wheel itself should be scrapped and there is a good possibility of suspension damage and alignment issues also. The tire may be the least of your problems. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/8 "2015-08-02T23:05:37Z")
That’s not a wheel cover, that’s a cast alloy wheel…It may or may not be salvageable. The junk tire needs to be removed from the wheel and the wheel closely inspected. If the wheel damage is superficial, a small hand grinder can be used to carefully “dress up” the damaged area. Don’t expect any shop to do that, that’s a DIY project… ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/9 "2015-08-02T23:23:32Z")
If it were my car I would drive 30 miles on the highway to the tire store and have the tire (and it’s mate on the other side) replaced. If it were my wife’s car I would put the spare on first before driving it 30 miles on the highway for a new tire. ---
**Author:** ![auto-owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@auto-owner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/auto-owner)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/10 "2015-08-03T03:54:12Z")
I might drive it up to 40 mph or so. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/11 "2015-08-03T05:49:21Z")
If you have a spare, use that to get to the tire store. If you don’t call a tow truck. This tire should not be driven on. And I agree that the wheel should be carefully checked out along with the alignment and chassis… any decent alignment tech will give that portion of the chassis a good look-see anyway, but it never hurts to tell them to look at it to be sure. For the record, there are places that will correct even an out-of-round wheel, but wheels are subjected to so much impact energy that I’d rather have a new one. It’s very cheap insurance. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 7:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/12 "2015-08-03T07:33:02Z")
I would have no problem driving with this tire on surface roads at 45 mph or less for 30 miles (keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel). The cords are intact and the rubber that’s peeled back contributes very little to the strength of the tire. ---
**Author:** ![Arrowx7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Arrowx7](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Arrowx7)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/13 "2015-08-05T03:23:17Z")
Thanks a lot for the advice guys. I’ll get the tire switched. Cheers, AR ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/14 "2015-08-05T03:41:14Z")
So does this mean you’re going to ignore the wheel, possible suspension/steering damage, and alignment issues? ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 4:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-is-damaged-pics-attached-should-i-take-it-on-the-highway-to-get-it-repaired-pic-attached/90789/15 "2015-08-05T04:15:37Z")
I am a cheapskate and have had my share of cars that were in less than good condition when driven around, but I never messed with tires & brakes. That should give you an idea.