Screw in Tyre problem

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BimBeema
Joined: Sun 16 Oct, 2005 22:55
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Screw in Tyre problem

Post by BimBeema »

Hello all,

Got a slight problem, found a screw has inserted itself into one of my rear tyres! I've not idea how big the screw is, it's head is slightly out, so I could grab it and pull it out, but I'm not sure whethere I should or not! not knowing how big the screw is, if I pull it out and its a big screw I could end up deflating the tyre, in other hand if I leave it in, what are the chances of it doing more damage like bursting my tyre? The screw is close to the edge of the tyre wall and my tyres are in good shape so don't really want to have to buy new again!

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.
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Justin Time
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Post by Justin Time »

Take it to a tyre shop and get it fixed asap. As long as it isn't in the sidewall, it should be fixable, and I wouldn't ignore it if I were you (just my humble opinion :wink: ).
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AndyBass
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Post by AndyBass »

As above, get a professional opinion straight away. Leaving it in there isn't an option, even if the tyre stays inflated. Any penetration of the tread will allow water ingress causing the internal structure of the tyre to fail over time. Sudden tyre failure at the rear could be catastrophic. If the screw is near to the edge then I fear it will not be repairable and a new tyre is the only option.
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Post by z head »

Don't ignore it my friend, it wont go away.
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Post by Phil »

I agree with the others - get it sorted asap.
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Screw

Post by Guest »

Sounds as if it will be a new tyre job - makes you long for inner tubes, which were a cheap 100% repair you could do yourself! Instead, we have 'progress!'
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

a tyre shop should be able to fix for about £10. They will do it there and then if they aren't too busy. The only time I have had problems is if the screw is in the side wall - they don't like fixing these as weekens the tyre or with run flats especially ZR rated which they are not allowed to repair no matter where the screw is.
If I was you would et it seen to today, last thing you want is to walk back to a flat after they have shut!
Good luck
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Repair

Post by Guest »

Whether or not the tyre can be repaired depends on how close the puncture is to the sidewall - the law is very clear about this. The speed rating of the tyre is another consideration, but a good tyre sealer will be able to advise you.

Even if it is repaired, always reduce the maximum speed rating of the tyre by 10 mph per puncture - although this is not much of a problem on a ZR-rated tyre!

If your tyres had been treated with Ultraseal, you could just remove it and leave the sealant to do its job.
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Gazza
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Re: Repair

Post by Gazza »

Mike Fishwick wrote: If your tyres had been treated with Ultraseal, you could just remove it and leave the sealant to do its job.
Couldn't agree more :D
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

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BimBeema
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Post by BimBeema »

Thanks guys - your advices are appreciated. I know people are saying take it to a tyre shop, but with the head sticking out, I'm worried driving on the tyre will force the screw in even more and cuase more damage like burst my tyre or something!

Would I not be better off taking a chance and remove it whilst the car is outside the house, if it turns out that its punctured the tyre and it deflates then I can at least change the tyre and take the punctured one to tyre shop to repair, rather than risk a puncture or worse a burst tyre on the road?!

What do u think?
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Gazza
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Post by Gazza »

Screw it in further :wink: If it goes down you will still be in the same situation :wink:
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

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Robert T
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Post by Robert T »

Sam, if you have the option, don't drive on it to get the car to the tyre place - either use the space saver or take the wheel in another vehicle. If it is only a short screw it may not have gone all the way through, but without sticking the thing in a tank of water when you take the screw out, you won't be able to see whether it slowly leaking air until you come to it a few days later and find it flat. I would definitely get it checked out and if necessary repaired or replaced. If you need to replace, then it may be worth replacing the other tyre on the same axle at the same time if they are fairly well worn.

Cheers R.
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BimBeema
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Post by BimBeema »

Thansk Rob - I think that's what I'll do. I'm not sure it they'll repair it though as its close to the edge/tyre wall. The only issue with that is they tyre is in pretty good nick otherwise as I don't do a lot of mileage on it so I don't really want to buy a new one let alone buy 2 new ones!
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SpunkyM
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Post by SpunkyM »

Lots of alarmist posts on this one :shock:

Chances are you have already been driving on it for a good few miles. Tyre construction being what it is, I very much doubt you are at risk of a blowout.

My guess is that it will have punctured the tyre so I wouldn't remove it if I were you. I don't buy the stuff above about water getting in and damaging the tyre (the pressure inside the tyre is higher than outside so i don't see how this could happen).

As I see it, there is no detriment to it being pushed in further by driving on it either - whichever way you look at it you are looking at a repair or replacement if it's too close to the sidewall.

Get is sorted as soon as you can but I wouldn't be panicking over it. Many people drive for months with all sorts of nails in screws in their tyres without even knowing about it.
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roofis303
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Post by roofis303 »

i have a screw in my back tyre also its been there for months . i have done nothing about it . it was prob there when i bought the car . noticed it in june 08 . car tyre is still up . so wll just leave it be .
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BimBeema
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Post by BimBeema »

SpunkyM wrote:Lots of alarmist posts on this one :shock:

Chances are you have already been driving on it for a good few miles. Tyre construction being what it is, I very much doubt you are at risk of a blowout.

My guess is that it will have punctured the tyre so I wouldn't remove it if I were you. I don't buy the stuff above about water getting in and damaging the tyre (the pressure inside the tyre is higher than outside so i don't see how this could happen).

As I see it, there is no detriment to it being pushed in further by driving on it either - whichever way you look at it you are looking at a repair or replacement if it's too close to the sidewall.

Get is sorted as soon as you can but I wouldn't be panicking over it. Many people drive for months with all sorts of nails in screws in their tyres without even knowing about it.
Thanks thats made me feel better, but the screw head is a good cm out so I couldn't hav edriven much if any on it otherwise surley it would have been embeded itself into the tyre!
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Post by Phil »

I am amazed how blase people are to tyre problems -- it is after all the one bit of the car in contact with the road. Surely if there is even the remotest chance of something happening and you are aware of it , it needs sorting asap. I have had a rear wheel blow out, at 90mph, on a French motorway and I can tell you it is not an experience I would want to repeat even though the car remained stable and in a straight line. I have also had screws and nails in tyres and would immediately replace the tyre.
I read the forum everyday and people are worried about scratches to bodywork, corroding mirrors, scuffed seats, waterproofing hoods etc and are prepared to spend money.
Tyres for me are lifesavers as are brakes. The rest is cosmetic.
Last edited by Phil on Tue 13 Jan, 2009 18:06, edited 1 time in total.
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Punctures

Post by Guest »

Although lots of peole - due to either ignorance or laziness - drive around with screws etc in their tyres, anyone with half a brain will realise that this practice is not wise.

Every time the wheel rotates it flexes, making the screw move around in the tyre, and in your case - at the edge of the tread - it will also move as the tyre flexes under cornering forces. This means that it may soon cut through some of the adjacent portions of the tyre carcass, causing irrepairable damage and possibly causing a sudden failure such as rapid deflation or tread seperation. If this takes place under less than ideal conditions the result could be dramatic, to say the least.

Remember that most motorway 'breakdowns' are due to tyre problems, and the majority of these are due to the drivers neglecting to look at their tyres, or even to check the pressures. In extreme cases they may even be responsible for their own, or other peoples, deaths. These people are the reason we are now being cursed with mandatory tyre pressure sensors - more technology to go wrong and cost us money.

So - stop pratting around and get something done about it! It's as simple as that. Do you really need to be told what to do? By now, one hopes that you have probably done it.
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Lazza21
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Post by Lazza21 »

As former traffic cop I can also tell you that it is illegal to drive on a tyre
in that condition as well as extremely dangerous .Don't wait to get it repaired or replaced . :twisted:
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Lazza21
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Post by Lazza21 »

As former traffic cop I can also tell you that it is illegal to drive on a tyre
in that condition as well as extremely dangerous .Don't wait to get it repaired or replaced . :twisted:
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Post by roofis303 »

:head: :head: :head: :head:
Last edited by roofis303 on Tue 13 Jan, 2009 18:54, edited 1 time in total.
Phil
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Post by Phil »

:head: :head: :head: :head: :head: :head: :head: :head: :head: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce: :dunce:
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BimBeema
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Post by BimBeema »

Thanks everyone for their advice. I didn't ask so to be labelled ignorant or lazy, if I was I would have ignored it and just driven around. Infact I haven't driven the car since I found this on Sunday. I haven't fixed it yet as I get home at 7.30, 8 at night so very difficult to take it to a tyre shop at this time, so weekend will be my first chance, in the meantime I'm using the mrs car when I need to but like I said thanks for the advice to all.
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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

Me being me I would always replace the tyre rather than getting it repaired, its not a lot too pay to keep one safe, like Phil and Mike said it really isn't worth risking. I know for one I wouldn't relish a blow out especially on the rear at high speed, chances are it wouldn't happen but sods law always dictates it will, plus you have a duty of care if carrying a passenger.

Do these mobile tyre fitters also do repairs? just a thought.

Tim.
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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

oops :head: double post
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Post by gookah »

I dont wish to be alarmist, but I cannot stress the importance of this enough..... you need to get that screw out ASAP.

If you continue to drive around with this screw sticking out of your tread, you will soon risk wearing the head off it, then you cant use it for the next MFI wardrobe that has one missing.
You can get tyres a lot easier than MFI spares....these are so hard to come by... :) :D :P
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Touchy?

Post by Guest »

Perhaps you are being a little touchy - I did not refer to you as being ignorant or lazy - just illustrating my point.

Mind you, I do find it odd that anyone has to ask what to do in such a case as yours - not to mention the owner who had left a screw in place, and continued to drive for an extended period - do you see my point?
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SpunkyM
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Post by SpunkyM »

Me being me I would always replace the tyre rather than getting it repaired, its not a lot too pay to keep one safe, like Phil and Mike said it really isn't worth risking
A repair properly carried out and within the guidelines of distance from the sidewall is perfectly safe. Just my opinion of course and not criticising you for buying a new tyre!
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Post by Zed_Steve »

Im with Phil on this. Never take ANY chances with tyres, the only part of the car thats in contact with the road and moves the car . Id rather pay for a new tyre, than pay with my life.
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T48 TRE
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Screw in Tyre

Post by T48 TRE »

I recently had a slow punture develop, and when I investigated the cause found it to be a screw in the tread very close to the edge. My good luck was that it was a leased car for work , as it proved to be a replacement tyre required. I had only had a complete set of tyres on the car about 6weeks before, and although it was good in every way the garage would not repair it. I was informed they were not allowed to repair tyres where the damage is close to the walls. I will admit I was quite pleased about that as it felt safer, as I was going on an overseas trip with the car. However I still do not know how long I had been running with the screw in the tread.
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BimBeema
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Post by BimBeema »

Well I took the screw out last night - not having driven on it for a week so as to avoide any further damage as it was not completey embeded in the tyre. As it turned out the screw is maybe just over a cm in length (wouldn't have know that without taking it out) and like I said not all of it was in, so I'm hoping there's no puncture. Left it over night and checked this morning and the tyre's still up and doesn't look like its lost any air. Will keep an eye on it over next few days and see how it develops.

Thanks everyone for their advice.
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pingu
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Post by pingu »

BimBeema wrote:Well I took the screw out last night - not having driven on it for a week so as to avoide any further damage as it was not completey embeded in the tyre. As it turned out the screw is maybe just over a cm in length (wouldn't have know that without taking it out) and like I said not all of it was in, so I'm hoping there's no puncture. Left it over night and checked this morning and the tyre's still up and doesn't look like its lost any air. Will keep an eye on it over next few days and see how it develops.

Thanks everyone for their advice.
Part of my old job was inspecting tyres and you should take the tyre off as the next bit can't be done with the tyre on the vehicle.

Get a thin bladed screwdriver and probe the hole. If you see anything other than rubber you should get the tyre looked at by a professional.


We used two basic rules for the tyres.

1. Any visible canvas / cords - repair or replace.
2. Any object that is deeper than the base of the tread - repair or replace.

For rule 2. If the screw was in the block of the tread and the tread was 7mm, we were allowed a 7mm deep hole.


Just because the tyre is not deflating does not mean that the cords and canvas have not been reached. Water penetration will lead to a blister forming on the inside of the tyre. This is caused by water rusting the cords, thus weakening the bond between the canvas and the rubber. In the extreme, this blister will cause the tyre to delaminate. There is nothing visible from the outside. The only way to "see" the blister is with ultrasound (or similar).

If all you see in the hole is rubber and no canvas or exposed cords, I think you can probably drive on it quite safely.
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BimBeema
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Post by BimBeema »

Just an update.

I had my tyre checked out by a fitter/specialist on Saturday and he said not to worry. There was no puncture as the tyre wasn't letting air out and there was no damage to the tyre either as where the screw had inserted itself was one of the strongest parts of the tyre construction and most likely it would have just grazed the top layer or two of the rubber.

Result!
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Post by Jamezee »

I have got the same problem but my screw/bolt still has a washer on it!!!!!!

I have removed the wheel and put the skinny on until i get a verdict on the penetration!

Tyres are only a month or two old but I fear it will be a new tyre required.

Good job I got double bubble for the last bank holiday in this months pay!
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Robin
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Post by Robin »

I noticed one of my rears was nigh on flat a couple of weeks ago. Pumped it up & it stayed up losing only about 1psi per day. Got it checked out last week. Nail in the middle of the tread. So I'm thinking good the tyre can be saved. However the guys only mended it to get me home.
They didn't even charge me as they said the tyre should be scrapped. They didn't have one in stock.
They said needs replacing because I drove it with very low pressure for a few miles before I discovered the problem. That has damaged the side wall. I can see a dark line round the sidewall where the rubber has been stressed.
Shame as there's 6mm of tread left on it. But safety comes first.
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Jamezee
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Post by Jamezee »

Sounds right, the damage is done when the tyre looses pressure and is driven on.

Mine has retained its pressure so fingers crossed the bolt from hell has not gone in too far.
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Post by z3ddie »

Came back from hols the other week to find my offside rear down and saw the head of a nail in it - called a mobile repair service and was sorted in half and hour for £23 - patched, reflated and balanced - anyone want the number they are in Oxon/Bucks - pm me
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Robin
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Post by Robin »

I've spent half my life working on property & never dropped a screw or nail in the road !
How do all these screws & nails wind up on the roads ?
There seem to be so many it makes you wonder if some of them are there deliberately :x
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Robert T
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Post by Robert T »

Robin wrote:How do all these screws & nails wind up on the roads ?
A few years back my mum did a good one. She got punctures in two tyres at the same time. This was back in the days of K-Shoes and they had obviously come out the back of one of their trucks as she had to drive past the factory on the way home. We should have sent them the bill. :P

A few weeks ago one of my neighbours had a satellite dish fitted - the ignorant **** that fitted it dropped about a dozen cable clips, complete with nails, onto driveway in front of my garage. If I'd seen him do it, I would have picked them up and hammered them into his forehead. :head:

Cheers R.
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Jamezee
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Post by Jamezee »

Puncture repaired :) I am glad to see the back of that skinny tyre, it makes the car look like a clown mobile.

It is worth keeping a large plastic bin liner tucked away in the boot if you dont have the original bag (for putting wheel in) because the wheel wont fit in the boot and has to go on the passenger seat or passenger depending who it is and how much you like them! :evil:
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