Updated: Read post #18 please !



I just found out my left front tire went flat. it's a bridgestone S-03. I put some air back in it, and now it seems to be holding air just fine.

my question is, should i go get those repair kits like tire-in-a-can kinda thing to fix it, or go have it fix at american tire or something? and then just leave it as repaired until it wears out.

or should i get a new tire?
also, would i need to change both the tires in the front, or changing one is just fine? the set of tires on the car are used for about 4-5 months, probably 1000 miles or so.

last question, does auto innovation fix tire?

TIA

edit: very last thing, if in the future, i got a flat tire again, and needs to put the spare on, will the 02 stock wrx spare tire fit over 4pot?

EDIT again: found out there is a really small hole on the inside sidewall of the tire.
and america's tire doesn't have 235/40 17 instock.
What should i do now? the guy told me that it's not safe to just change the front two tires, and recommended changing all four. BUT they don't have any 235/40 17 of any brand instock.
Where in san jose/miliptas can i get one 235/40?
Do any of you guys have a spare S-03?

Or

Should i go ahead and change all four?

Please come to the rescue ! THANKS!

 

I guess i am qualitified enough to answer this. I work as a general service tech at good year tire and rubber co.
on your tire i would get if fixed asap. take it in an have someone look at it.
first thing they would do is measure the tread depth on the tire to see if its worth saving (like if its 3/32nds or under its not worth saving)
if the damage is too close to the side wall. it would be unsafe to repair.
please do not try to fix it with fix a flat(most of the time it builds up liquid inside the tire and detorate the tire from within, if left in too long) i've fixed so many tires that had fix a flat in it
when you take it into a place to have it fixed. make sure its patched from the inside.
hope this helps

 

Definitly take it to a tire place to be repaired. chances are if you try to fix it yourself and it doesnt work a tire shop will not even get near it. it is only about 25-50 dollars to repair a tire so its not too big of a hit to your bank.

if you are in need of a new tire depending on how new your tires are you might have to replace all four of the tires due to the symetrical all whell drive if one tire is bigger than the others it could stress the center differential. if you do get a new tire just make sure to put it on the front.

good luck.

 

bump !

 

if its puncture, get it repaired.

 

it's on the sidewall.
so it can't be repaired.

 

my advice would be to replace it since driving on rims is not very good for the rim nor the center dif.

 

I replaced all 4 tires.... now i am hella broke

so .... i have 3 good S-03 for sale, size is 235/40 17. will post in the classify section once i have more time.
got them with rims together in august, so probably 1000 miles or so, since i only drive occasionally from berkeley to san jose.

 

why did you replace all four? what was the tread depth?

The reason I ask; everyone goes crazy when anyone talks about mixing and matching new/used tires because they all need to be very close to the same diameter BUT why is it that with 4 identical tires on my car the rolling diameter on the front tires is smaller than the rear. The weight of the front end makes the front tires squat more so the rolling diameter is about an inch smaller than the less weighed down rear tires. If the tread was good on the 3 original tires you probably could've just got one tire.

 

The factory space-saver or 'donut' spare tire/wheel will not fit over the 4-pot front calipers. If you get another flat tire in the front, you will have to move a wheel/tire from the rear to put on the front, and then put the space-saver donut on the rear, which isn't all that much trouble once the car is raised. Either that, or pick up a fifth wheel that fits over the 4-pots.

--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush

 

LOl,

Just get it replaced. It's all you can really do at this point if the tire can not be fixed.

 

coz i couldn't find 235/40 17 anywhere, and S-03 is discontinued.
and i don't wanna put different tires with different sizes in the front (i.e. 225/45 17 with PS2). So i replaced all 4 with 225/45 17 PS2.
But i kept my other 3 good tires, so i am trying to get 1 or 2 S-03, so i can use the s-03 when the PS-2 are worn out.

so if any of you know where i can get some 235/40 17 S-03, please let me know.

TIA

 

I think it's impossible for the diameter of the tire to change no matter how much it's being deformed by the weight of the car. The same amount of tread is still being rotated around the axle. So the axles are spinning at the same speed.

My bad,...were you being sarcastic? I'm a little slow this morning.

 

ok sorry to bring this thread back up.. but i just searched this and didnt want to make a new thread.. ok im a newb to wrx's awd in general. i just got a flat today and i had to buy a used tire cause my tire wasnt good no more sidewaill was messed up... so the tire not being the same brand but the same size will that ruin my diff? this is in the rear if that matters

 

If they shaved it to match the other tires you should be fine.