Help with this Falkin cracking at shoulder ?

[Cressida]

I rotated the tires and have two Falkin Pro G5 CSV (225/65/17) that are scheduled to be replaced later in the summer (because they are six years old and tread depth is just below 4/32nd area.) Since I am making a long drive on I-40 to California at the end of the month I'd planned to get that additional 3,000 miles out of them. However, I just found one of the tires has some cracking developing on the inside edge as shown in pictures. The outside edge has no cracks; nor any such cracks on the other tire. I do have these tires on the rear now.

Is this in that critical area, and enough concern of a pending tread separation, that I should move up the replacement before a long interstate trip ?

 

[CapriRacer]

I don't like the location, so I recommend replacing them now and keeping a close watch on the others.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I'd planned to get that additional 3,000 miles out of them.

Save yourself the trouble and change before the trip. 3000 miles on a 50K tire is 6%. Don't ruin your trip for 6% of the cost of a new set of tires.

 

[Jango]

It's not cracking, it's Flakin.

 

[walterjay]

I wouldn’t take those tires on a trip

 

[Cressida]

Thanks for the help. I will get these replaced before the end of this week.

 

[CapriRacer]

Ok, a bit more information about why I don't like what I see in the location of those cracks.

When radial tires are made, the tread slab ends just about where the cracks are. There also some minor cracking in line with those major cracks. That makes me think that the top belt is lifting off the bottom belt and taking the tread slab with it. That's the typical failure mode for steel belted radial tires. With this type of failure, the end result is the top belt partially detaches and the tread slab whips around the fender before it completely comes off.

Lots of damage and the potential to lose control. Very dangerous.