crack in the sidewall, Any fixes?

[Gilby959798]

I have 38x15.5x15 swampers that are like brand new tread wise but there is a crack on the sidewall where air is leaking. I know a tire shop wont touch the side wall but is there anything i can do to fix it? the truck sees hardly any road time and is currently not even licensed or insured (just sitting in the garage). Options I can come up with include:

1) Tire Slime - I know its not the greatest fix but it might help.

2) Tube -  I dont know how reliable this would be in only 1 tire on the truck so I was wanting your opinions.


I dont really want to put the money into the truck to get another tire because other more important things need that money allocated to them and chances are another one might do the same thing soon.


Any Advice?

Thanks.

[Grim 82]

I would try to put a patch in it and run it with a tube. I'm not a fan of the slime.

[Irish_Alley]

I love slim in my 3 Wheeler and 4 Wheeler but seams every spring after sitting for most of winter I need to add more then I don't think it would find the crack in a sidewall very well and you would probably have to use a gallon for a 38. Try a patch like said just don't trust it at highway speeds

[Gilby959798]

I'm Thinking about trying the patch and sell the wheels and tires. should be perfect for the guy mudding and i could probably get almost what I have in the truck out of the wheels and tires...

any thoughts? the truck is sitting right now and I have a set of wheels that I could throw on it so it is still mobile...

[beastie_3]

just remember that the sidewall flexes and stretches when rolling over obstacles. Any type of patch will have to be very strong. Even if it is just sealed, the structural integrity of that area is weakened.

[1979C20]

Get it vulcanized. My dads jeep had a cracked side wall, he works for a trucking company. his boss sent him to the guy who fixes their tires. He scored the inside and put rubber in it than vulcanized the.rubbers tohether and sealed it. It held for the life of the tire. Cost 40 bucks.

[screamin86]

I had slime in one of the 33x12.5 swampers I had on my truck for awhile because of the same issue. I had to put like twenty something oz in it since it was something that I'd take over 40mph. Can't remember the formula. When I had them dismounted it looked awful but it never leaked and that tire held air better than the rest haha.

[VileZambonie]

Tube it or replace it.

[bake74]

     As vile said, tube it or replace it, I wouldn't put my life on a patch on a tire, as beastie said also, tires flex and contract, In  my opinion it like Russian roulette.

[screamin86]

I do agree to tube it or replace it. That's why I dismounted mine. I sold the three for $50 and told the guy I'd only use them in mud.