ring burned into right-rear tirewall on 4runner?

i recently purchased a 2002 4Runner Limited and noticed while washing it the other day there's a "ring" burned into the outside-facing, right rear tirewall...

i have Dunlop tires and tracked down the current warranty provider, Goodyear, about the problem.

haven't received a response yet, but a USENET search revealed at least one other person has seen this problem and posted about it:

**********

From: Aubrey and Carol ( snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net) Subject: Question regarding Tires This is the only article in this thread View: Original Format Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel Date: 2000/05/27

I have a tire question for you.

1) We have a 99 Winnie Adventurer 35 ft on the 20500 lb chassis. Weighed the rigged on two different occasions and the weight stays about the same. i.e. 6220 lb front and 10700lb rear. Well within limits!

2) Wheel alignment checked when new last year, RV now has 17000 miles. Tire pressures are 80 psi front and rear. (Hope this correct)

3) anyway problem I see is this, the right rear outside Tire has a black ring around the sidewall, looks like I scrapped the tire against something. This I never have done. All other tires have no marks.

4) Tires are Goodyear 245 / 70 R 19.5. Tread 4 ply and Sidewall 1 Ply. Load range "F". Date manufacture Jan 99. Max Load single 4080lb Dual 3875 lb. This is the info on the tire.

5) Nothing in wheel well that can rub against tire.

Please help. I am now worried tire could burst with bad results.

Thanks in advance

Aubrey and Carol

**********

unfortunately, they never got an answer back in 2000...

so far, the 4Runner rides smooth with no pull and only a little drift now and then on the highway.

more of a curiosity factor, what could cause this "ring" to form on the outside of the tire?

it's a good 1.5 inches down from the tread on the sidewall, right through the raised ribbed texture where "DUNLOP" is printed...

my guesses:

1) tire was driven into something like a concrete curb and wear resulted (but the ring is "burned" in quite perfectly, as if made by machine)

2) tire was burned during a inflation/mounting process at the shop?

3) the ring is a manufacture defect.

4) ring was a spare and heat/pressure impressed the ring onto the sidewall while stored? (this can't be right, because the spare still has the little rubber nipples on the tread - it's never been used or rotated.)

hope i get some responses!