Achilles ATR Sport tyre Failure

[agrsv8]

Hi,

Just thought i would pop on here and give everyone a headsup

I brought 2 rear 245/30R20 Achilles ATR Sport tyres 4 months ago and they have both failed.

One had two massive bubbles in the inner sidewall, the other sidewall completly gave way with a 30 cm tear.

After much of a debacle the state tyre rep said he would replace the tyres pro-rata, meaning i would pay for the tread i'd used.

Little did i know the tyre joint that shall remain un-named unless u PM me, wanted to charge me $140 fitting and balancing per wheel...PER WHEEL.

I said that was BS and I wsn't going to pay $280 for the 3mm of tread i'd used.

WAS such BS.

I stood up for myself and The Achilles rep paid 50% of the cost.

Still not happy about it.

STEER CLEAR OF ACHILLES PPL and if you have the same happen ask for the tyres and get them fitted after you ring around.

Cheers

[sweefu]

On the otherside, I'm on my second set for the daily with no complaints, they aren't a performance tyre but for a daily they are fine, I got very good k's out of my last set, hence why I purchased a second set.

[RUF-60L]

i have them, taken them on a track day and still going strong

[DLFHUB666]

I have had them for a year now in 245/35 R19 no complaints at all.

[NIXONLS1]

I had the archillies atr sport 225/30/20r which both rear failed, bubbled and tore apart on the dyno. Worst ####ing tyres i have ever used, never again. Using federal 595 now.

[sweefu]

They are certainly not a performance tyre, if I had a car with a little bit of power or a car which needed to handle even slightly well I wouldn't consider them. Even federal 595ss are cheap as chips. I only use Achilles because of their 400 treadwear rating on my stock V6 Berlina, I think anyone with an SS or something with some power should consider a better tyre, 400 is incredibly hard. (The advans I run on my skyline are a 180) Federal 595ss are a 220 from memory.

[NIXONLS1]

They are certainly not a performance tyre, if I had a car with a little bit of power or a car which needed to handle even slightly well I wouldn't consider them. Even federal 595ss are cheap as chips. I only use Achilles because of their 400 treadwear rating on my stock V6 Berlina, I think anyone with an SS or something with some power should consider a better tyre, 400 is incredibly hard. (The advans I run on my skyline are a 180) Federal 595ss are a 220 from memory.

I dont mind the feds, seem to grip fairly well.

[Verynice]

what do you expect for cheap, poor quality tyres? it's not as if they are a premium tyre...

[axemurderer101]

Hi,

I brought 2 rear 245/30R20 Achilles ATR Sport tyres 4 months ago and they have both failed.

I had the archillies atr sport 225/30/20r which both rear failed, bubbled and tore apart on the dyno. Worst ####ing tyres i have ever used, never again. Using federal 595 now.

hmm anyone else see the pattern of rear tyres failing?

[NIXONLS1]

what do you expect for cheap, poor quality tyres? it's not as if they are a premium tyre...

No one said they were a premium tyre bro...

[NIXONLS1]

hmm anyone else see the pattern of rear tyres failing?

Not from skids, may have something to do with camber, how ever mates have had the same Tyres with no problems.

[sweefu]

I could see them failing in decent conditions, I know people who use them for drifting and they are terrible, de laminate very quickly. Maybe a similar story if they have a hard life, which leads to a premature failure.

[showbags]

Side wall bubbling is usually caused by incorrect load rating or abuse.

[agrsv8]

These tyres were on my wifes car for 4 months, she doesn't do skids, she has traction control on 24/7, I expect it is what you pay for. They are made in Indonesia so i believe that quality control is lacking . I will never buy them again. Federals will be the cheapest thing I go.

On another note the tyre rep didn't seem to care that my wife was 9 months pregnant at the time. Luckily she was only doing 50 km/h about 400m from home. I mentioned "what if" she was on the freeway doing 100km/h, he shrugged his shoulders. Guy was a wanker, stuffed me around, turned up an hour late rocking up in his brand new Merc. I wish i had one free punch someone in the face pass!!

[Jezza]

where the tyre is made isnt the problem as the wheels or motor magazines 2011 tyre test had a Indonesian made tyre in the top 4 (if i remember correctly)

[agrsv8]

one tyre test in a magazine doesn't check 100% of there product, Achilles might be good 99% of the time, but it's that 1% that could end up with a fatality. I am not buying them again, chances are I'd never ever have a problem, but if It did explode on a freeway and I lost a loved one i'd never forgive myself.

[agrsv8]

Here are some pics:

[NIXONLS1]

That exactly what mine did, but a chunk actually flew off.

[GTP 85]

Doesnt that sort of sidewall damage occur when the tyres are underinflated? I've seen that happen a few times on big rims with minimal sidewall.

some of those tyres were big name brands too...

[agrsv8]

tyres have never been underinflated, 4 months old, they mentioned this too me and i said look at the sidewall, still has the hairy indicator bits!

[thewheeldeal com au]

As an Achilles retailer I am really disappointed in your experience with the product and if you were in Melbourne I'd love for you to come and see me so we could sort it out for you.

Firstly, with regard to tyre warranties, the process is this (regardless of brand):
- Customer must purchase a replacement tyre & pay all service charges associated with that change-over (the warranty is against the product, not the service - unless the service was included in the price of the original tyre)
- The tyre is returned to the manufacturer or distributor for assessment
- If a warranty claim is upheld then the cost of the tyre is refunded to the retailer on a pro-rata basis depending on tread used (<25% used is usually a complete 100% replacement - some brands will refund 100% no matter the tread wear)
- The retailer then refunds the same percentage of the retail price of the tyre back to the customer

With this in mind it seems you had a somewhat different experience. I'm not sure what he tried to charge you but perhaps he didn't explain the warranty process fully - not sure what happened. Sounds like he wasn't very helpful in any-case. There are all sorts of people in this industry who will do all sorts of things to make a buck. Thank god they aren't all like that.

Now, regarding the failure of your tyre, it looks to me to be nothing more than an impact fracture on the inside of the sidewall. This can happen to ANY tyre and believe me I've seen it on everything from Italian made Pirellis, Japanese Toyos, Taiwanese Federals you name it...it happens. If you hit something hard enough (with a 30 profile tyre in particular) then you will pinch the sidewall between the rim and the object and this will split the rubber in the sidewall. This then allows pressurised air to get into the sidewall plies and with movement and heat will eventually lead to a big bubble and then a blow-out. It's not a long shot to suggest that somewhere along the way you've hit something and I can see by the condition of the inside rim on your wheels that's true. We all hit things from time to time, be they potholes, railroads, roadworks etc. It happens. My point is simply that this kind of damage can happen to any tyre regardless of brand.

Anyway, it's not for me to assess the tyre, that's up to the manufacturer or distributor. I'm sorry to hear that you've had a disappointing experience with your tyre service and it's a shame that this frustration has been directed at the product rather than the dealer. We sell well over 100 of the ATR Sport tyres every month and we have not had a single claim to process for 2 years, and that claim was upheld in full by the distributor.

If you are interested in giving the product another shot or if you like to try something else I'd be happy to help you out - just let me know. With the 245/30R20 size you are going to be limited to budget brands anyway simply because none of the premium brands have a high enough load rating (most are only 90). Your choices are Achilles, Neuton, Altenzo, Nankang, Sonar, Carbon Series...I think that'll be about it.

Let us know how you go... I'm only a phone call away if you want to discuss.

[agrsv8]

thanks for the info, will keep that in mind.

The main problem with my experience wasn't the pro-rata payment, i was happy to pay that, It was the tyre retailer charging me $140 per wheel for fitment. I was never informed by anyone that wheel fitment without a wheel purchase (as mine was warranty) would cost more than normal. So you can imagine after sorting this all out for two weeks, waiting an hour for a rep after having to take half the day off work I am already pissed. But then after they have installed the tyres after trying to slide their way out of accountability they say your bill, for the 2.5 mm of tread you have used on 2 tyres is going to cost you $320. When i knew cost price of these tyres in WA is $265. It just made me want to snap, I wanted the tyres back off the rims. I can go to any other tyre retailer and pay a tenth of that price and I can go through mates and get them on for $5. For said "tyre establishment" to say a 20" tyre fitment costs more because it is an upside down fitment is a joke. I was standing there when they fitted them. probab;y took 3 mins per wheel. So say 6 mins. divide that into an hours 60/6=10 10x280=$2800/hour. Talk about money for jam

In regard to your comment "and I can see by the condition of the inside rim on your wheels that's true"... The reason they are hacked up is because my wife was 9 months preganant when the tyre failed. She was like 400m from home so she crawled home slowly on them but it still took it's toll. Yet another thing I have to deal with now, the Achilles rep didn't pay for that now did he.....

[thewheeldeal com au]

It was the tyre retailer charging me $140 per wheel for fitment. I was never informed by anyone that wheel fitment without a wheel purchase (as mine was warranty) would cost more than normal.

It should not cost any-more than normal...that's ridiculous. $15-$20 bucks per tyre maybe but $140 is crazy.

Based on your WA price of $265ea (fitted?) you should have paid $530 for the two tyres.
Then assuming 9mm tread depth less 3mm wear = 66% refund ($350 refund)
Total cost $180 total..

If it was indeed only 2.5mm wear on 9mm that's only 27% worn and perhaps could be argued for a 100% refund..

Although, this is all assuming a warranty failure which can only be assessed by the distributor. Impact fractures are generally not considered a warranty failure and to me that's what it looks like, but hey, I'm just looking at pics on a computer on the other side of the country. I'm not trying to judge mate, just trying to help out with what I can. Hopefully you get better service at the next tyre store you use.

[agrsv8]

I know, I was blown away. I can't believe they are still in buisness. Will never go there and will tell anyone who asks where not to go.. The tyre rep calculated the tyre wear then and there. I had to pay $40 per tyre for the usage (2.5mm), he said he'd cover the rest, excpet for fitment which i was meant to pay 100% for, but when they tried to slog me $280 fitment i then gave it to him and he covered 50%.

Also on the tyre with the massive gash, he said it was a impact fracture, but I said look up close, the entire sidewall has tiny little slits running the whole way around, where it gaveway is the big slit.

[thewheeldeal com au]

Also on the tyre with the massive gash, he said it was a impact fracture, but I said look up close, the entire sidewall has tiny little slits running the whole way around, where it gaveway is the big slit.

Without seeing the tyre before the blow-out it is hard to identify the cause of this.. if, as you say, your wife drove home on it flat then this would easily have caused the splits. If they were there before the blow-out then that's a different story....

It's hard to see from the pics but it looks like the other tyre with the bubble has no splits along it so I would presume this one didn't until after the fact. I'm sure if you found the splits prior to the blow-out then you would have had it checked out sooner. It's a bit of a chicken - egg scenario there.