MattPiece

For the second time in a year, I've had to replace ALL four corners due to the inside wall splitting on the Goodyear F1 GSD3's. The thing is, I dont know when they split because I can hardly do a monthly check as its on the inside of the tyre! I've got some money back on the first set of tyres as they were sent back under complaint by Micheldever, but its happened again!

The safety issue is the main concern. I have been driving around on split tyres without knowing!!! They could have given way at anytime

The second set have been sent back under complaint. I have penned a strong letter to Goodyear-Dunlop outlining the above.

Micheldever said they this was highly unusual and can only assume the load rating isnt good enough for my Sti V Wagon!!! And my car is only ~300 horses with 215/40/R17 profile - not exactly unusual in the Scooby world.

I'll be interested to know if anyone else has had the same type of issues with the very popular and highly recommended F1 GSD3s??

I've gone to P-Zeros as they have a high load rating. Didnt have any T1-Rs and the Pilots were monstrously expensive.

Rant off.

IanW

Matt are you at a STEWCON level yet?

I would contact Goodyear directly about it personally.

MattPiece

I was HANCON1 on Monday down to STEWCON 2 yesterday. I have written a strong letter to Goodyear.. We shall see what happens.

Love to the TNers

MarkO

Just been speaking to the boys at BlackCircles.com. They suggest checking the DOT/FB figure on the sidewall of the tyre (if you still have 'em), which gives an indication of the year/month of manufactur (e.g., DOT/FB 0204 shows they were made in Feb '04). Might be worth checking the date of the original set to see if both lots came from the same batch and have been potentially stored badly?

MattPiece

<vader> Didnt know that.

I dont have the first set as I assumed they were destroyed/on the side of a ship after the 28day inspection period expired. I reckon they have the info in their file as they gave me compensation. The current set are being sent to Goodyear so I'll be able to get the DOT/FB (*) from that.

Cheers

*Not a TN FB shurely?

GaryCat

Are yours the XL (Extra Load) version of the tyre? If so that's even more worrying... I think I'll go and check mine as they were supplied by Micheldever in March.

Gutmann pug

I always buy my tyres from Mitcheldever as its only just up the road from me. I also run the GSD3's so I will keep an eye on them ......

Gary

Creepy

I had the splitting too, inside wall in the small gap between tyre and wheel, all 4 tyres where replaced under warranty. But the faith is lost, sold tyres and driving now on Pzero Corsa's, next set of winter tyres will be T1-R

MattPiece

GaryC, I don't think they were as they were rated at 83Y, IIRC. Unless of course that is the XL version...

The P Zeros I now have are 88.

MarkO

Just FYI, I was admonished by the blackcircles guys yesterday. Apparently 0204 on the sidewall indicates it was week 2 in 2004, not February.

If it was a TN FB, it could have caused the split (but only if the f was for 'fat', not 'fit' )

MattPiece

Pffft.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Its probably to do with the load rating, i think a classic is meant to be around 86? but some of those tyres you mentioned are 82? (been a while since ive owned a classic) but the 86 isnt the direct kg rating for the tyre, its more like 420-450kg or something silly like that (cant remember off the top of my head but there is a chart somewhere with all the ratings and conversions on).
You are not the first to suffer this on a scoob and probably not the last, though the tyre place should have fitted a like for like load rating.

Tony

MattPiece

Yup, I think you're right as that is what Micheldever and I suspected, hence I 'moved up' to a high load rating with the P-Zeros (plus a slightly thicker profile and less width because of the conversion). I didnt want to go with XL on GSD3 as my confidence with this tyre has gone now.

The first time they split, we thought it was a faulty batch...second time indicates they aint good enough for the car!

As interesting point, what do bugeyes and new shape wagons run on, tyre load rating wise, as the classics are lighter IIRC and thus should be OK with a lower load rating???

Cheers

Geddon

GRRRR
Just found 2 bulges in my front left GSD3.
One is small - about 2inch diameter and the other is about 8 inches long.
Both are in the sidewall on the inside.
Car is MY00 classic on 215/40/17 and the tyre still has 2mm left.
Off to phone Goodyear........

Jerry B

Hi

I had a set do this on my classic a couple of years back. Think they were 215/40/17s. The inner sidewalls split below the shoulder on all four (I rotate frequently so couldn't say if it was front use that provoked it). I took them back to the supplier who promised to return them to Goodyear and ley me know, and I kept asking them but I reckon they ditched them.
I've run them before on that classic wagon and since for the last two years on a '03 WRX wagon (PPP'd, prodrive springs etc.) with no problems on several sets in 215/45/17 at +2 psi over standard.
It was quite alarming to see but I assumed it was a batch issue. The tyres were coming off anyway and had been pretty well driven.

Hope this helps. ps I'll be checking the current set for splits and load rating very soon!

Jerry B

ps. only bulges I've had were from hitting pot-holes. One time it bulged like an egg, so I got it replaced, another it holed, but went down slowly over a couple of miles.

Geddon

Just had the fronts replaced and saw the split from the inside- looks like someones attacked it with a knife! Its a big tear through the carcus about 9-10inches long
I phoned Micheldever who fitted them originally and they instantly blamed pot hole damage. Somehow they were "99.9% sure" of this without even seeing it?!
Anyway I'm getting the tyre sent back to Goodyear and I'll probably hear in about 10 weeks....
The way I see it if you pay the money for a performance tyre you expect the tyre to perform. You pays yer money you takes yer choice sort of thing.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

So much for this tyre being one of the best on the market!

vindaloo

If it helps....

Mine are 225/35x18 87Y XL.

I've changed two tyres due to bulges. I'm sure the bulges were caused by running over a largish stone, smallish rock. Both bulges were in the inner sidewalls of the tyres. One was a no brainer (**** I'm not driving on THAT!.) The other I had to clean the tyre and feel around the sidewall to identify the bulge (5p or 10p size).

Both knackered tyres were on the RHS of the car. Most potholes etc. I've would have been LHS. Both LHS tyres were fine.

...In Matt's case, the XL version of the tyre should have been fitted...

J.

COF139

I have recently bought GSD3's following recommendations from here. Mine are 91Y with a max load of 615kg.

Car is a MY03 STI PPP.

Has anyone had experience of faulty tyre walls with these ?

Granby

iTrader: (5)

How many different versions do they do of this tyre!!

Jerry B

....have checked mine, they are 215/45 17 91Y XL, no problems and it's time to replace them. Seems the Prodrive springs/settings and my driving has worn the inside edges down a bit...

I reckon the set I had that split were on the classic in 215/40/17, a couple of years back, probably on an 87 load rating. The OE tyres on both the classics and blobeye (still got some OE fitted of each size in garage on spare rims!) appear to be 87 rated, so assume this should be fine, but seems there are various load ratings available across sizes and as the last 2 sets have been fine in the 91XL rating (eXtra Load) I'll be getting the same again.

I can only assume it was a one-off batch as I've probably had around 4-5 sets or so in different sizes and only one set (all four) had this sidewall shoulder splitting problem.

rgv_stu

just popped one of mine tonight
its split between the rim and the rim protector about an inch long and went down immediately.
is it worth me sending it back ??
stu

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

I noticed some splits on the inside sidewalls of mine. Looks like slashing with a blade as described elsewhere in the thread.

They are due for a change anyway but I've ordered another set off F1s before I saw the splits on my current set.

Will get pics up when they get changed.

Anybody know the correct load rating for 1300kg (classic)?



Bob

DJFish

Have any of you folks who are having sidewall issues had your geometry checked?

Regards
Dave
Previous tyre related post

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Have the following geo settings:

Front Camber: -1deg25mins/-1deg24mins
Front Toe: Zero/Zero

Rear Toe: 0deg1min/0deg1min



Bob

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Just changed the tyres:









Were on both tyres on the inside walls. Pics just show some of the slits and its safe to say that these are not just cosmetic as you can see from the pics.


Bob

Granby

iTrader: (5)

kin ell that doesn't look good

Jerry B

Bob

Just my thoughts, but those are 83 load rated, which I think might be related to this issue. Somebody mentioned this load rating thing which got me thinking.....you can get F1s in several different load ratings, even on the same size...83, 87, 91 (XL), which I didn't realise before. I've had several sets of F1s, probably around 5, over the time they've been on the market on 2 cars, and only seen one set with splitting problems, similar to those pictured but more uniform and not so extreme.
All four split around the shoulder on a standard suspension 98 classic on 17" rims. I replaced them with new 16" F1s on the original wheels when I sold it.
My point is that on two sets of factory fitted Bridgestone tyres, one off a '00 classic and the other off my current '03, that I've had in my posession until last week so I know for sure, the load rating was 87.
I've run two sets of stock size F1s on the '03, just replaced the second set 2 weeks back, no splitting issues. The last set off were 91Y XL (Extra Load) rated. I have Prodrive springs and geo settings. They wore about 2-3mm more on the inside edges as predicted but no other problems.
The only split set were on 215/40/17 I reckon, in which size it seems an XL version isn't listed (see http://www.goodyear.co.uk/services/t...e_f1_gsd3.html for sizes/ratings etc) and looking at Bob's photos seems the classic 17 sized version might even be 83 rated. Maybe there's a link. Haven't checked the recommended load rating for our cars but assume it is 87 or above.....could be worth a call to Goodyear techies for advice....but all I can say with absolute certainty is that I've had no issues with the 91Y XL rated boots so far....And to agree with other comments above that the splits on mine were deep and serious, but those on Bobs look very serious indeed. Methinks the extra power his car is kicking out show!

Jerry B

There's some more info here:
http://uk.tyreonlineservice.com/Fitm...-_Goodyear.pdf
Information not entirely in line with what you would expect to see for Uk fitments but seems the recommended load rating is 87 minimum for Impreza Turbos whichever way you look at it.
It also appears that the 215/40/17 size that is popular on classics only comes in 83 rating in F1 GSD3. It is also not listed as a recommended fitment, whereas other popular classic and later sizes 205/50/16 and 215/45/17 are.
I think this is of particular note and if anyone is running F1s in this size (215/40/17) it may well be worth checking the shoulders!!!
Please note that this is just my interpretation of the info available and my own experiences!