Can someone please tell me if this gouge in my tire can be filled in with some sort of product? I just got these tires (Pirelli Winter 210's), and I really do not want to replace them if I do not have to. Dammit I just bought these tires

 

Cannot be filled. Looks like its pretty deep and probably will cause a blowout soon.

Change the tire.

Dixit

 

I'd have to see it in person, but it doesn't look THAT bad.
I'd err on the side of caution and change it, but if it's not that deep then just roll with it.

may want to take it to a tire shop and get their opinion on it. (they'll surely say to change it because they want your money), but I've driven on worse and not had problems.

 

2 new tires or $6k in work cause you lost control on the highway after a blowout....possibly a hospital bill too...

 

im dramatic...ha.

yea...i agree...take to tire shop and ask...

 

damage to the sidewall is nothing to fck with; its fragile compared to the tread. just buy a replacement, as sidewall punctures cannot be fixed.

 

I dunno.... I guess it all depends on how much extra rubber is on those sidewalls and if anything structural has been cut or not.

It looks pretty terrible in the picture, but I get the feeling that is because it's so incredibly zoomed in. Maybe a pic of the cut showing a full 1/4 of the tire/wheel would help? If this gouge is as small as I think it might actually be, I might be tempted to just leave it....

 

You are right. Because of the pic it looks worst than it really is. The gouge is actually about 3-4 mm at its deapest. There is no wire or anything in the tire that has been contacted.

 

i don't think that would pose a problem. but IMO i'd change it because
a) the sight of that gouge would get on my nerves
b) don't like the idea of a possible blow-out due to that

my $.02

 

I'm with Dixit. Change it.

I had cracks 1/4 that size in my sidewalls when I had 19"s and I changed the tires immediately.

The thing that sucks about sidewall damage is that the tire is most likely to blow out in hard cornering, causing a dangerous situation.