Front Tyre Destroyed On Motorway

Discussion in 'Tyres' started by Munchen, Aug 25, 2025.

  1. Munchen

    Munchen Well-Known Member

    Oct 1, 2018
    142
    83
    Germany
    Hi Gang

    I had a rather lucky escape yesterday on my Explorer and I want to share it only in case it helps someone else in any way.

    My 2012 Explorer has around 30k miles on it. I've owned it for 2-years and mainly just ridden it a short 10-mile distance to and from work. On Friday the wife and I decided to do a 200-mile trip up the road together. First 140-miles was motorway, the last 60 were A-roads. Evening temperature was around 20 degress, dropping to about 12 once we reach our destination.

    Returning home yesterday the opposite. First bit twisty, next 100-miles of autobahn crusing at around 90-95mph (in Germany). 40-miles from home and I smell burning rubber, look down, no smoke, no engine change, no sign it was me and so I beleive it's a car in front with a problem.

    In any case, after 20-seconds an exit came up and I decide to take it anyway, just to check the bike over and be sure it wasn't me. Slowing down to exit speed and I get a vicious front-end wobble. I decide not to tackle the bend and keep it going straight, feet off pegs and get it stopped without much drama. I obviously knew the front tyre was finished but I didn't expect to see a 3-inch split along the tread. It was red hot too, the rear was normal temperature, even with the additonal weigh on it. The tyres are both Pirelli Angel GT.

    Recovery home was actually quite quick and easy with the ADAC but it does make me wonder about it. I'll give it a good check over when I take the wheel off later, in case it was a nail punctured the tyre because I suppose the split could have happened due to low or no pressure.

    I don't think there is a lot I could have done to prevent this but still, check tyres for pressure, wear and irregularly wear patterns regularly if you don't already.

    shared image.jpg
     
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  2. Markus

    Markus Crème de la Crème
    Subscriber

    Oct 28, 2020
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    @Munchen :
    You were really lucky!:eek:
    Thank god nothing bad had happened! ;):party:
     
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  3. Helmut Visor

    Helmut Visor Only dead fish go with the flow
    Subscriber

    Oct 3, 2018
    6,533
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    Three Counties
    I have seen a few cases of Pirellis delaminating recently.
     
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  4. Eldon

    Eldon Crème de la Crème

    Nov 14, 2018
    8,592
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    North Yorkshire
    What's the date code on the sidewall?

    Pirelli Angels are good tyres and I've ridden on them quite happily, but age gets to us all :joy:

    Glad you had an event free escape as it could've easily gone the other way.
     
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  5. Munchen

    Munchen Well-Known Member

    Oct 1, 2018
    142
    83
    Germany
    The DOT number was 4018 so it was about 7-years old. No sign of a puncture only some damage from it being run with low pressure and uneven wear on one side, difficult to see it until up close. Another reason why I should get myself some glasses I suppose.

    I now I have a Mitchelin Road 6 on it. The rear is a matching Pirelli to the old front and still looks capable of a couple of thousand miles but in Germany we're not allowed to mix tyres, so it's going in the bin.

    It'll be swapped tonight and then more attention will be paid to pressures, condition and age. I was very lucky indeed to get away with it this time. I've always stayed away from those tyre pressure monitoring systems that go on the valves mainly because they are probably Chinese made and I don't want to risk messing it. I may reconsider if there is a reliable system on the market today.
     
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  6. Eldon

    Eldon Crème de la Crème

    Nov 14, 2018
    8,592
    1,000
    North Yorkshire
    I wouldn't bother with a TPMS system as they are all fairly inaccurate as they have to have a tolerance value. This is up to 5 psi/ 0.3 bar in some cases.
    Buy yourself a little compressor, mains or battery powered, subject to storage location etc and when you do a weekly check add the pressures to your list.

    Coolant
    Oil level
    Tyre pressures
    Chain
    Once over both sides

    Should only take minutes and will catch the odd minor problem before it becomes a real one.
     
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  7. Brixton Steve

    Brixton Steve Member

    Sep 21, 2019
    55
    18
    Devon
    Glad you and the Mrs are ok, that was a close one. I have my bike in a garage with no electric so I use a Makita rechargeable battery tyre inflator, a brill bit of kit. Can thoroughly recommend it.
     
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  8. joe mc donald

    Subscriber

    Dec 26, 2014
    15,440
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    slough / burnham
    That's a scary thought a tyre that bad. Yes like the patron say glad you and your good lady are safe.
     
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  9. gazspeedie12

    gazspeedie12 New Member

    Sep 15, 2025
    11
    3
    Northampton
    No one has picked up on the code,the 40th week of 2018,over here they would fail the MOT for being over 5yrs old,maybe this is why the tyre has failed,the tyre has gone real stiff due to old age and split,iv'e had tyres that were only 4yrs old and were that stiff the fitter had a real job getting them off the rim,i usually fit my own and when he had a real job of getting them off,i knew even at 4yrs old they were way past their best.P.s.even your picture makes the front look the opposite of supple.
     
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  10. Bolosun

    Bolosun Noble Member

    Aug 25, 2020
    426
    313
    Crewe/Cheshire
    There is no tyre age limit for MOT's. If over 10 years old, they should be checked for wear, cracking etc.
     
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  11. gazspeedie12

    gazspeedie12 New Member

    Sep 15, 2025
    11
    3
    Northampton
    Sorry,i'm only relating what 2 different places have told me,i was going to buy a pair of really cheap tyres from demon tweeks and i asked why so cheap and he said they are 4yrs old so long as you wear them out in a year they will be ok because they won't pass the mot when 5 yrs old and my local mot tester told me the same thing.
     
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  12. Bolosun

    Bolosun Noble Member

    Aug 25, 2020
    426
    313
    Crewe/Cheshire
    I checked the MOT guidelines here. Maybe a new rule coming up.
     
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  13. Pegscraper

    Pegscraper Elite Member

    Jun 12, 2020
    3,673
    800
    Yorkshire
    That’s rubbish. The only vehicles where tyre age can fail a MOT, irrespective of condition, are HGV’s, buses and coaches.
     
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