Thoughts on these cracks?
- Thread starter sxg6
- Start date
They look like they may have been run at a lower than needed air pressure. And drag going around corners. That would be my guess.,,
Good point, I never considered under inflation stressing the shoulders
I'd say they are harmless as well, but a friend of mine was just sold two tires because of similar cracking. Tire shops will tell you that they are old and ready to fail.
Normal aging and plan on replacing within 2 years. IMO the manufacturing date is important since all 4 appears to be wearing the same.
It's cosmetic.
It's harmless, it is from the blocks flexing back and forth in cornering and being heat cycled a few thousand times.
Owen Lucas
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I've seen so many Micheline tires, less than 5 years old with similar cracking. I don't see these issues with Continental.
I would expect chunks to break loose sooner than later the way they're cracked along the groves. They look like they've had a rough life.
Typical for Michelin tires in my experience. I had a set of Pilot supersports that started to crack on the outside shoulder like in your pictures within 2 years.
This was on a car being driven ~8K miles a year commuting only and parked outside.
This was on a car being driven ~8K miles a year commuting only and parked outside.
If they still grip in the wet, I'd run them for a bit more but have a look at them fairly often. I had some bfgoodrich tires summer tires that cracked,(not quite as much as yours) on the rear inner shoulders as the car had lots rear toe in and negative camber which I think heated them up a bit even with normal tire pressures. I flipped them on the rims and then they chunked a bit when used for autocross but were still gripping pretty well. Only the grip compound chucked off in my case, the structural rubber was still fine.
I wonder why I haven't commented on this earlier. Oh, well!
The cracks on the surface of the tread aren't the concern, but the ones at the bottom of the grooves are. They look bad enough that i would remove. Those cracks are an indicator of the condition of the rubber next to the belt edges - the most critical part of the tire.
The cracks on the surface of the tread aren't the concern, but the ones at the bottom of the grooves are. They look bad enough that i would remove. Those cracks are an indicator of the condition of the rubber next to the belt edges - the most critical part of the tire.
Shel_B
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I didn't notice the cracks at the bottom of the grooves until you mentioned them and I enlarged the image. I agree that the tires should be replaced. Were they on my car, I'd be looking for replacements now, and wouldn't be taking any long, out-of-town, highway-speed trips with them. Locally driven around town might be OK, but only while looking for replacement rubber.
I wonder how many people are viewing the images on their phones and can't see the cracks in the bottom of the grooves