Occasionally, we get questions about strange,
unusual or just plain weird things that happen to tires. The answers, once we find them,
expand our knowledge of tire problems and solutions. We hope they do the same for you.
Please send us any question that you think might fit into this section.-Ed
Tire Termites?
The holes in this tire are actually the result of an "electrical discharge."
Electrical currents flowing through the tire were strong enough to burn through the rubber
surrounding the bead bundle and steel plies as the current traveled to the ground. This
might have been caused by:
- A lighting strike
- Driving over downed power lines
- A boom crane that may have touched power lines
So, in this case, it wasn't termites, but electricity that "burrowed" its way
through this tire. Unfortunately, the tire cannot be repaired, and it should be scrapped.
