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Per the dealer this can't be repaired, so I'm looking at a replacement. My question is: all the tires are '14 and have less than 10k on them (not sure about the depth), so am I ok to just replace the one rear, or am I looking at both rear tires should be replaced situation? Or is now the time to just replace all 4 with new PS4S
FYI: I have MPSS with 305s on the rear so they are not cheap
Not all 10k are created equal! I would say you will play a catch-up game if you don't replace both rears. However, I would keep the good enough rear tire in case you run into the same issue or just buy a used one for now.
A good inside patch and plug will buy you some time until both need to be changed. Most Porsche dealers won't do it though.
If changing this tire out, should do BOTH rears.
It's amazing how good these ties are at picking up nails and screws
I was really hoping for a patch. As noted above the dealer won't do it and I'm not sure where else to take it and/or if they will just say the same thing?
Been down this road a number of times with both of my Porsches.
First Porsche guidelines are both tires on an "axle" should be replaced if the tread depth difference between the new tire and the "old" tire is 30% or more. At 10K miles based on my experience with my cars the tire is about half worn out so if you have to replace the tire the damage you should replace both tires. However, the Porsche tech should use a tire depth micrometer to check the tread depth of the good old tire just to be sure the tire is worn more than 30% from new.
When I bring in one of my cars for a bad tire the techs reach for a tire tread depth micrometer and check tread depth. Since when I have my tires installed they come with road hazard coverage and if the tire is irreparable and has at least 3mm of tread remaining the tire is replaced at no cost to me unless the tread depth of the other tire on the "axle" is more then 30% down from the new tire's tread depth. The cost then to me is the cost of the other tire.
Regarding fixing these tires. They can be fixed. The preferred method is an internal tire patch.
Couple of points: One is AFAIK no Porsche dealer fixes "flats" any more. But most -- at least the ones I have dealt with -- have an indy tire shop they can send one to that does fix flats.
I have one located not too far from me that I have used several times.
Another point is the tire will be fixed only if it is deemed fixable. This means the hole can't be too big or too close to the side wall. (The patch doesn't last if it is on the sidewall due to the flexing. A guy at the tire shop did fix a tire with a hole close to the sidewall but he said it probably wouldn't hold air and he was right.)
The tire can't be fixed it if has been driven under inflated. The sidewall flexes too much and this degrades the inside rubber layer that keeps the air in the tire.
If the tire is dismounted and rubber dust comes out the tire's toast.
Last but not least it has been my experience that the closer to being "worn out" a tire is the more likely it will pick up something. I have only had one new tire go flat. (It was a tire that had been installed on the car courtest of road hazard coverage. The old tire had around 20K miles on it but had the necessary 3mm of tread depth so I got a new tire. I had to buy the other tire of course. Shortly afterwards the new tire picked up a nail. The tire distributor who backs the road hazard coverage at first refused to honor the road hazard coverage but the SM went to bat for me and a new tire was fitted at no cost to me.)
But this new tire going flat was the exception. All other tires the tire is very near the end of its life.
Oh, flats seem to come in waves. I have driven years with no tire trouble then have some more than one incident in it seems just a short span of time. Then things settle down and I can't recall the last time I had a bad tire.
Oh, might as well add this: More on replacing tires. The replacement tire should be the same tire as the other side and in fact the other 3 tires (other than of course the acceptable differences arising from the front and rear tire sizes.) This means the same tire brand, style, N number, everything. Porsche guidelines caution against mixing tires on the same axle and in fact on the car.
That looks like it's in the shoulder which most would recommend replacing vs patching. Personally I would replace both to limit the potential for drivetrain damage.
Is the tire losing air? May not have even punctured the tire.
Measure it (32's of an inch). Replace with one shaved tire from the Tire Rack. Plug and patch this tire, and store in garage/basement/crawl space as an emergency spare.
This one is certainly close to going either way after further looking. Here is an image from the Discount Tire website:
On the question of whether to replace one or both, if it comes to that, remember at this point you'll be "kicking this can down the road" if you just replace one. When the older one wears out, then you'll be asking yourself again, Gee, the replacement I got only has 10k miles, maybe I should only replace one again... and so on until you replace both.
This is a nice suggestion from LexVan! Maybe you'll end up with a matched repaired set eventually if they don't age out first.
I always keep one old front tire and one old rear tire in my basement, as an emergency spare. I figure I could always have my wife drive one out to me, or FedEx one if really far away, and limp home if needed. Maybe turn a 3 day event into just 24 hours. Some places may not have access to our tire sizes.
And I'd always be willing to give/lend my spare to a Rennlister, if the event arose locally to me in the Chicagoland area, and they needed help.
I recently picked up a nail on an OEM tire that had only 2,500 miles on it. I agonized over replacing one, two or four tires for a while and considered the same options as the OP. I want to replace the OEM Pirellis with MPSS tires eventually. On advice from the dealer I replaced just the affected rear tire with a Pirelli. Tracking was a little floaty after the repair and I took the car back. The tech acknowledged that the car was not tracking perfectly. They offered to perform a full alignment at my expense, but advised giving the tire time to break in/ settle in first. I was skeptical but after driving the car for a few more days the tracking issue went away.
On the question of whether to replace one or both, if it comes to that, remember at this point you'll be "kicking this can down the road" if you just replace one. When the older one wears out, then you'll be asking yourself again, Gee, the replacement I got only has 10k miles, maybe I should only replace one again... and so on until you replace both.
This is a good point.
Next question: What does the XL stand for (see pic) My tire matches everything except doesn't say XL after (103Y)
I'm also now debating on just replacing all 4 and keeping the two fronts and the good rear in as "spares" as the fronts are showing cracks on the edges
Tracking was a little floaty after the repair and I took the car back. The tech acknowledged that the car was not tracking perfectly. They offered to perform a full alignment at my expense, but advised giving the tire time to break in/ settle in first. I was skeptical but after driving the car for a few more days the tracking issue went away.
Completely expected. Since the mold release needs to be scrubbed off. Takes about 200 miles to accomplish that. Normal.
04-03-2017, 10:41 AM
One tire or two - or four?
