How long is too long?

[reemoeMO]

I have tires (BF Goodrich Touring T/A) I purchased in the year 2000 that have around 70K miles. I rotate them every 10K or so and they still have good tread left.

I'm worried about the age of the rubber itself. Is there a rule of thumb as to when the rubber may become less than ideal (i.e., not safe)?

Thanks for any advice,
Ryan

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by reemoeMO:
I have tires (BF Goodrich Touring T/A) I purchased in the year 2000 that have around 70K miles. I rotate them every 10K or so and they still have good tread left.

I'm worried about the age of the rubber itself. Is there a rule of thumb as to when the rubber may become less than ideal (i.e., not safe)?

Thanks for any advice,
Ryan

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Assuming the look OK, no cracks etc...It's more a question of traction than anything else. As rubber ages it gets harder, harder tire rubber has less grip.

Try some max effort stops and really hard turns in a safe area. If they satisfy you, keep driving. They are still better tires than some el-cheapos are new.

Personally, I wouln't run tires that old on my Corvette but wouldn't hesitate to use them on my old daily driver.

 

[Tosh]

Ford recently updated their web site to include a note about aging:

"Age

Tires degrade over time, even when they are not being used. It is recommended that tires generally be replaced after 6 years of normal service. Heat caused by hot climates or frequent high loading conditions can accelerate the aging process.

You should replace the spare tire when you replace the other road tires due to the aging of the spare tire."

 

[m2200b]

I've read 5y and I use about 7y as my max on cars.

I've got a scooter that may have its 1987 tires with 1000 miles on still. I just got it and I'll get them off before it rains around here in November. I had another 1987 motorcycle a few years ago I ran a month or two with its first tires before I looking for new.

 

[jmacmaster]

You cannot go just by how they look. The rule of thumb most recommended is that after 4-5 years the tires should be replaced no matter what they look like and no matter how many miles are on them. My personal limit is normally 5 years. The worst degrader of tires is direct sunlight on them. The less sunlight on them while they are on the vehicle, the more you can extend that 4-5 year period. If you exchange summer and winter tires and store the tires in a cool dark place during the part of the year that they are not used, you can also extend that 4-5 year period. However, personally, I would never use a tire that's more than 7 years old.

 

[wantin150]

It seems that the numbers are all over the board, so to speak. Personally, I have heard 5, 6, and 10. I use tires which wear a little faster than most so I doubt I would see the age limit.

On a similiar note, tires used for performance purposes should be replaced at 3/32nd's tread depth left (SC Public Safety Guidelines). A tire is legally worn out at 2/32nd's. Tires lose a good bit of their hydroplane resistance with 6/32nd's remaining and tires used in snow should be replaced with 6/32nd's remaining. These are just numbers being repeated from various sources of course.

I'm sure your definition of "good tread" would vary greatly with mine. While you are inspecting the tires, make sure you pay attention to the INSIDE sidewall too. I found severe damage one day on one of my tires that way.

Play it safe.

 

[Dominic]

With 70,000 on them, it wouldnt be a bad idea to replace them. You've got your money's worth for sure out of them!

 

[pastmaster]

Reemoe,
Howdy! Do a search as this topic was discussed within the last year and lots of good ideas on it.

It depends on the car and it's use, of course. The weather, Winter is coming and lots of rain, snow and ice, how's the tread? Is your family, wife and kids the primary users? Etc. If you have doubts, then replace them with new tires.

 

[CapriRacer]

There has been a lot of opinions floating around about tire aging. Here's my take on it:

1) You can't tell the condition of a tire just by looking at it. I have seen many very old tires that look pretty good.

2) Temperature plays a very large role in the durability of a tire. So if you live in a place where it gets hot (like Phoenix), then you should remove your tires earlier than someone who lives in some place that isn't as hot - say Minneapolis. That's why there appear to be some conflicting information about how old a tire has to be before it is removed.

3) If tires are underinflated, it accelerates the aging process of the internal components - and the tire can act as though it is quite old - that is, separate

So tires that are 6 years old are suspect, especially if you live in a hot climate. BTW, Florida qualifies as a hot climate.