All seasons cracked but winter tires not. Am I trying to get blood out of a turnip?

[LowMilesLesabre]

So, the uniroyal tiger paw all season touring tires that I put on the LeSabre in the fall of 2017 are now showing cracking between the tread lugs. The Cooper discoverer winter tires on the Honda have just finished their fifth winter and have no cracking whatsoever (not that I can see from the exterior of the tire anyway). These Uniroyals have an incredible amount of tread depth still available and they’ve been a good tire but is this the norm now with modern tire rubber compounds that they crack before the tread gives out? I think they were rated for something like 70,000 miles or so and I have about 40,000 on them.

Although I am thinking of moving both vehicles this coming fall to all weather category tires, I’m wondering if I should bother running the Cooper winters for a sixth season. Still lots of tread left and no cracking. If I don’t, I’m thinking that my fall time move to all weather tires for each vehicle could be useful or else I’m looking at purchasing four sets of tires in the next 12 months. (that is, an all season and winter set for each vehicle)

 

[Imp4]

What is the date code on the Uniroyals?

 

[MParr]

Okay, they are at least five years old. The date code on The sidewall will give us an exact age. Uniroyal is a third tier tire made by Michelin. Michelin are noted for some cracking, depending on the tread wear ratings.

 

[B1974]

I think winter tires are softer rubber then summer tires and will crack less with age if stored properly. Less UV rays hitting the winter tires due to less sunshine and less heat to dry them out in winter. Most wear on winter tries happens in spring and fall when driving on dry cement roads.

I would keep driving on those cracked tires but keep and eye on them. I've seen far worse on the road.

 

[CapriRacer]

Those are a bit worrying, but you have at least a year left to go before they would be bad enough to remove.

 

[LowMilesLesabre]

What is the date code on the Uniroyals?

Here is the date code. They were manufactured the first week of April 2017 and I purchased them around the middle of August 2017.

 

[circuitsmith]

With no cracking on the sidewalls and in Canada I wouldn't worry up to 9 y.o.

 

[LowMilesLesabre]

UPDATE: I recently had a four wheel alignment done and went back to look at the Uniroyals that I posted about a few months back and either these hairline cracks were in the sections between the treads already or maybe they have formed since then but I suspect they were there all along but I did not catch them. When I last posted, I had only paid attention to the cracks between the treads that I could see on the outer edges of the tires. Here are some photos I took. I’m planning on replacing these in the next few months as I am moving toward an all weather tire. Do you think these would be OK for an additional 500 to 1000 miles which is the maximum that I will be running the LeSabre in the next six weeks before the new tires are put on? Maybe I am overthinking it but I tend to be risk-averse to the Nth degree, but would prefer to wait until the promotions come out for winter tire season which should start up sometime in early October up here where we are in Ontario. Take a look at these new photos I’ve taken and let me know what you think. I have no idea if the alignment being off caused this to be more likely to occur or made it worse or maybe it absolutely has nothing to do with anything but simply 5 year old lower tier brand tires with cracking rubber at the five year mark.

 

[WylieCoyote]

First set of tires I've had that did this. Manuf. June 2020, installed Dec 2020. Taking a trip from Dallas to Galveston in a week and a half, thinking I don't want to make that trip on these tires. Thoughts? Bridgestones on the Canyon.

 

[Jetronic]

UPDATE: I recently had a four wheel alignment done and went back to look at the Uniroyals that I posted about a few months back and either these hairline cracks were in the sections between the treads already or maybe they have formed since then but I suspect they were there all along but I did not catch them. When I last posted, I had only paid attention to the cracks between the treads that I could see on the outer edges of the tires. Here are some photos I took. I’m planning on replacing these in the next few months as I am moving toward an all weather tire. Do you think these would be OK for an additional 500 to 1000 miles which is the maximum that I will be running the LeSabre in the next six weeks before the new tires are put on? Maybe I am overthinking it but I tend to be risk-averse to the Nth degree, but would prefer to wait until the promotions come out for winter tire season which should start up sometime in early October up here where we are in Ontario. Take a look at these new photos I’ve taken and let me know what you think. I have no idea if the alignment being off caused this to be more likely to occur or made it worse or maybe it absolutely has nothing to do with anything but simply 5 year old lower tier brand tires with cracking rubber at the five year mark.

I've seen that a lot with non-winter tyres that have been run in winter. I do believe it's caused by low temperature hardening of the compound, which tears instead of flexing. Seen it as soon as 1 winter after installing on some tyres.

I think they can be run as long as temperatures stay well above freezing, but suspect it will get worse quickly when cold. As the tyres wear, there's less rubber to flex anyway so the issue gets worse

 

[Jetronic]

First set of tires I've had that did this. Manuf. June 2020, installed Dec 2020. Taking a trip from Dallas to Galveston in a week and a half, thinking I don't want to make that trip on these tires. Thoughts? Bridgestones on the Canyon.

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it's early but doesn't concern me much. I would run them if I'm 100% happy with them otherwise.

 

[LowMilesLesabre]

I've seen that a lot with non-winter tyres that have been run in winter. I do believe it's caused by low temperature hardening of the compound, which tears instead of flexing. Seen it as soon as 1 winter after installing on some tyres.

I think they can be run as long as temperatures stay well above freezing, but suspect it will get worse quickly when cold. As the tyres wear, there's less rubber to flex anyway so the issue gets worse

Thanks for the insight. Yes, these will be getting replaced long before freezing or subfreezing temperatures come our way. I just wanted to get another six weeks out of them and there’s just one 400 mile round trip planned before October. And I’ll have some local driving going on as well so will probably be well below the 1000 mile worst-case estimate.

 

[benjy]

besides age + brand SUN exposure is prolly WORSE. i put an OE 20 + year old "doughnut" on my 2001 audi TT + it was surely the first time out of the trunk, but it looked like NEW + i am concerned about its age!!