are these cracks a problem?

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pandus13

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Hi BITOGers, Are these cracks the signs of a problem? Cooper CS5, 185/60R15, used by me for about 2 years, in the midwest. Fronts are 6.5/32, Backs are 8/32. The reason I ask is I don't want to give/craigslist a set that may be unsafe... (Winter shoes going on next week) Thank you Front Left/Driver Front Right/Passenger Back Left/Driver Back Right/Passenger
 
First two I'm good with, last two with the whole tread block cracking is getting a bit sketchy though. Unless you have some sort of professional knowledge of tires, I don't see how you could be held liable for selling them. The guy who installs them should make the call if they are usable or not. Include those pictures in your ad so no one gets surprised. Its a shame they are cracking so much, as they look perfect otherwise. P.S. send the pics to Cooper and see what they say, you might get a new set of tires cheap!
 
I think they're fine. Cracks in the sidewall and the ones in between the tread blocks are the worrisome ones. I have some Nokians that I installed last July that are starting to show a tiny amount of wear in the same spot of those cracks that you show. Cornering on a FWD will do that which is why the first two pics look like that. Plus I think you've said that you don't rotate the tires.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Its a shame they are cracking so much, as they look perfect otherwise.
Had the same exact thing happen with some nice Bridgestones
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
P.S. send the pics to Cooper and see what they say, you might get a new set of tires cheap!
Might be worth it if still have all the documents when purchasing them
 
If I were closer, I'd tell you they're terrible and I'll take them off your hands... (Civic's needing tires...) Kind of off topic: Have you noticed excessive road noise out of these? My Goodyear Ultragrip Winters are much quieter than my CS4s on the Civics. Firestone Winterforces on the CR-V are about the same as CS5s.
 
Just curious, how many miles on those tires? Where they rotated regularly (if so, what pattern?)? I wonder if the bigger tread block cracks in the last two could have been avoided with more cross rotation?
 
They look fine to me If they were Michelins... ok I’ll behave myself and won’t say anymore grin2
 
I don't know anything about tires other than they are black and round and you keep them properly inflated. Ask an expert, we have one on the board. PM CapriRacer I'm sure he would be happy to share his expertise.
 
Pretty much "normal" cracking anymore, although I would love to know why some do, and some don't? You're good to go, as long as a lot cord material isn't visible, which is never good to see.
 
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Your first pics look like the tires have come into contact with the curb a few times? Scuffs? The others are new to me as I don't ever recall seeing that before? Not going to say one way or the other that I'd use them, but that would also depend on how far I planned to travel with them? Around town, I'd have no issue, but if I was planning on a long trip or a few, well, that would be a different story as I wouldn't, like you, know what to think?
 
First, since you are planning on selling the tires, and want to do that with a clear conscience, my answer is going to be different than if you were keeping the tires. That's because I think they are OK, but you should keep an eye on them. I suggest you advertise them showing the photos you showed us. I'd also suggest you post the date codes on them. The date code is part of a 10 to 13 digit number that appears after the letters DOT - and the date code is the last 4 digits in a week/week/year/year format - as in 0713 means the 7th week of 2013. The date code only has to appear on one side of the tires, so if you find a string of numbers after the letters DOT and it is only 6 to 9 digits long, you need to look on the other side for the complete code. My guess is that your tires are in the 2014 range.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
They look fine to me If they were Michelins... ok I’ll behave myself and won’t say anymore grin2
Yesterday I walked past a Chevy 1500 with the most chewed up Michelin tires I have ever seen ~ that hard rubber does not like our crushed rock roads … (BIL and neighbor went through that) …
 
CapriRacer, could you kindly explain the mechanisms of how/why the hair line cracks appear on the tread rubber compound ? Is it solely due to harder compound being in use for purposes of achieving longer tread life ? blush
 
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Originally Posted By: zeng
CapriRacer, could you kindly explain the mechanisms of how/why the hair line cracks appear on the tread rubber compound ? Is it solely due to harder compound being in use for purposes of achieving longer tread life ? blush
Cracks in rubber are the result of the combination of the material properties of the rubber, the amount of stress applied to that rubber, and the length of time that stress is applied. Please be aware that material properties can change over time - particularly if attacked by oxygen. There are antioxidants (AO's) added to rubber to slow down the attack, but there is only so much that can be added.) Harder rubber compounds are more prone to cracking, but those compounds tend to be used where cracking isn't much of an issue. In this case, it appears the cracking is in the cap tread compound, but where the compound isn't worn away (as opposed to the part that contacts the road surface, which is wearing away faster than the rubber can crack.) It's all a balancing act. Choosing the appropriate rubber compound to achieve the desired properties - and cracking is just one of those. And be careful of the hard vs soft rubber idea. There is a three way technological triangle involving treadwear, traction, and rolling resistance. In order to improve one property, one or both of the others has to be sacrificed (sort of, as there are technological improvements made that can change this relationship, but those result in smallish improvements and the 3 way relationship still applies.) So good wearing tread compounds tend to be harder, and both good traction or good RR tread compounds are soft. (and just to state the obvious, a hard compound isn't necessarily a good wearing one. It's that the things that achieve better wear, result in a harder compound.)
 
Thank you all for the good thoughts. Capriracer, SatinSilver, Thank you Partial update: -all 4 tires manufactured 31/14 (week 31 of 2014 / First half of August 2014) -actually no curb rush events (you can see sidewalls are not scraped ) -inflate at around 36 front, 34 back (+- winter drop) most of the life -Not a race car -but most of the highways i drove on are concrete -has been loaded with tools/supplies/ceramics more then couple times, and survived pot-holed Chicago Southside. Cooper update: all Coopers I had have been noisy (CS4 on my elantra, Zeon RS3-A on my mazda5, CS5 on my yaris). Grippy , no wheel spin, no back-let-go, but noisy from the beginning. Good first season in snow/slush/rain/dry. No go on ice!
 
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