Another post about old tires

[stangguy]

Ok, A couple years ago I bought a base model (3.8 v6) Mustang. Nice car, and the tires on it have good tread, and no weather checks on the outside. When I took off the wheels last year to repaint them, I noticed, If I really looked close, there was some very fine checks on the inner sidewall. I also noted that the date code was 09. Now these tires seem great, not at all like they have gotten hard, because, even though I am NOT a hard driver, to me they seem to grip the road like glue. As of yet, I have not been able to break them loose in a turn, at speeds that I am comfortable with. Of course, I do not road race it . Now wet, or anything else, I don't know or care, as this car doesn't go out of the garage in wet, let alone snow or ice. Oh, they are Goodyear assurance I believe. Now I suppose that the tires sat in a warehouse for years before the previous owner bought them, I have no idea. BUT, I am not planning to replace them any time soon.

 

[atikovi]

I'd do the same but expect replies saying you're endangering yourself and everybody else on the road.

 

[measureman]

13 year old tires? No thanks.
The tires are the only thing between you and the road.
atikovi is correct you will get a lot of posts like mine.
Why post it if you are not going to replace the tires?

 

[DuckRyder]

I could have sworn we just talked about how bad this thing rode and new tires and wheels but OK.

 

[measureman]

I could have sworn we just talked about how bad this thing rode and new tires and wheels but OK.

Yup same poster.

 

[atikovi]

The tires are the only thing between you and the road.

Springs, struts, shocks, ball joints, steering racks, tie rods, etc. Plenty of things between you and the road.

 

[TCL]

Your life, your call.

Look good from here!

Remember....there's nothing better than new!

 

[Wolf359]

Your life, your call.

Look good from here!

Remember....there's nothing better than new!

Right, the tire might not give any warning and you just get sudden failure in terms of blowouts and tread separation. Standard recommendation from tire manufacturers is anywhere from 6 to 10 years so yeah 13 years is really pushing it. Only tire I'd let go for that long would be the spare tire in the trunk, doesn't get exposed to the environment and you'd probably only drive on it for a few miles/days not for months/years.

 

[BrandonV]

In Arizona the sun & heat are killer on tires. I treat them very similar to car batteries... best to replace on an accelerated schedule before you're stuck on the side of the road.

 

[MotorFan]

New tires aren't THAT expensive, no way would I allow any of my family members to drive on such aged tires, decent tires are the cheapest insurance you can ever buy, life is too short already! I won't buy the bottom feeder ChiCom stuff, but any mid priced name brand should be perfectly fine. (brands we've purchased in recent years: Michelin , Continental , Kumho, Cooper) and all have been/were perfectly fine)

 

[Tomioka]

I drive a company truck with these tires dated 6th week of 2004:
Brought it up to Mechanic: Plenty tread with no cuts, nicks or exposed belts, run em.

 

[Wolf359]

Ok, A couple years ago I bought a base model (3.8 v6) Mustang. Nice car, and the tires on it have good tread, and no weather checks on the outside. When I took off the wheels last year to repaint them, I noticed, If I really looked close, there was some very fine checks on the inner sidewall. I also noted that the date code was 09. Now these tires seem great, not at all like they have gotten hard, because, even though I am NOT a hard driver, to me they seem to grip the road like glue. As of yet, I have not been able to break them loose in a turn, at speeds that I am comfortable with. Of course, I do not road race it . Now wet, or anything else, I don't know or care, as this car doesn't go out of the garage in wet, let alone snow or ice. Oh, they are Goodyear assurance I believe. Now I suppose that the tires sat in a warehouse for years before the previous owner bought them, I have no idea. BUT, I am not planning to replace them any time soon.

Here are the basic flaws in your analysis. "These tires seem great". Really a subjective statement, doesn't tell you if the tread will separate or generate a blowout as your seems analysis doesn't really mean anything. Also not getting hard wouldn't necessarily indicate whether the tire will suddenly fail or have a blowout. You're also assuming that the tires somehow sat in a warehouse somehow yet have no proof for it. You also mention some fine checks on the inner sidewall but you have no idea what's going on inside the tire between plies. You can try and justify your cheapness or callow disregard for the truth, but nothing you've said so far offers any justification for keeping them. They are considered unsafe by the tire manufacturers and their recommendations are to replace them after 6-10 years. Of course you somehow know better and disregard their recommendations. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink or the more current corollary would be data data everywhere, but not a thought to think.

 

[BrandonV]

I drive a company truck with these tires dated 6th week of 2004:
Brought it up to Mechanic: Plenty tread with no cuts, nicks or exposed belts, run em.

Yikes. One would expect a company to be concerned about liability & negligence claims running tires that old.

 

[Tomioka]

Yikes. One would expect a company to be concerned about liability & negligence claims running tires that old.

Unfortunately, tire age does not get covered in pre-trip tire inspections. Nor does DOT checkpoint inspections check for tire age.
Safety is one of my concerns and since I use this truck for long distance-go out in the boonies runs getting stranded is my biggest concern.

 

[CapriRacer]

Just an FYI: Some tire manufacturers use a crack resistant rubber in their sidewall, so they will look good longer. So "No Cracking" does not equal "Good".

Oh, and here's my take on the subject:

Barry's Tire Tech: Tire Aging and Weather Cracking (New June, 2022)

 

[Astro14]

You complained about these tires recently : https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/rough-riding-tires.357730/

Now, you’ve told us they’re quite old, and you’re bragging about keeping them because they look good, despite advice to the contrary, and despite the poor ride.

Quite the flip flop.

Enjoy the lousy ride. Enjoy knowing they’re suspect.

 

[atikovi]

They are considered unsafe by the tire manufacturers and their recommendations are to replace them after 6-10 years. Of course you somehow know better and disregard their recommendations.

Of course the tire manufacturers have no skin in the game. (sarcasm) They want to sell more tires just based on their age, not their condition. Kind of like telling a 60 year old that he can't run in a marathon just because he is 60 years old.

 

[measureman]

Springs, struts, shocks, ball joints, steering racks, tie rods, etc. Plenty of things between you and the road.

The only thing between the car and the road is the tires.

 

[atikovi]

The only thing between the car and the road is the tires.

HAHA. But the last time I checked, tires are part of a car, so that statement in moot.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

It's not just your life on the line. You're potential accident could involve people in surrounding vehicles, pedestrians, highway workers etc. They got the idea for those driver's ed red highway videos from somewhere.