Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Replacing Tires due to Age?

That doesn't look good to me... I'd have 'em swapped for new ones.. Is the vehicle parked outside most of the time? If so, any way to get it inside most of the time?

Re: trailer tires, it's wise to replace those every five years on trailers that carry some real weight; especially camper tires.. FWIW.

I had a set of General Grabber STX tires from Wal-Mart that were worn out in 40K miles despite being rotated and balanced every 6k miles. General would give me a prorated discount if I would buy another set of them, but who would want them?

Tire talk ; did you know you can't buy the same tire as what comes on your vehicle when new ? You can buy the same exact tire ''you think'' is the same but it isn't .
First set on my new [ back then ] f-150 lasted 80K miles - 5 years use , second set [exact tire I thought ] last 60K ? Cousin who was a GM employee told me the factory tires have higher spec materials than what appears to be the exact tire you purchase at the tire store .

I'm going to get all new tires and spare now that I think it over . I travel to my hunting lease - speeds 65mph steep shoulder and 75' to the bottom 2 lane - oncoming traffic with no run off room . So head on collision or flip it 2-3-4 times .
I hope oncoming traffic drivers have fresh tires .

Good read , made it through about 30min. of the first fast & furious movie at a friends house - too hokie for me .
But very sad indeed - two young fellows trying to have a bit of fun - then gone . May they rest in peace .

The Author likely figured out why the crash happened - old tires .
Friend of mine had a few 911 twin turbo cars back in the late 90's - 2002 , Porsche recommended new tires every 5,ooo miles or 2 years .

I never heard that, they could have made an exception for me.

I have a daily driver beater truck that I wanted a set of snow tires for, its a 2002 model truck. I had 4 steel wheels from a 1987 truck of the same make and model that I use to own, Discount Tire put the snow tires on them and never said anything. I run all season radials on the 2002 factory wheels in the summer.

A few years back I bought an 11 year old Nissan pickup. I pulled the spare, it still had the little rubber stobs on it. I read the date code and it was 11 years old. The original spare, never had been used.
I took it to my tire shop here in the NC mountains and told the guy I didn't want an 11 year old spare, and I wanted a new tire on there.
And he told me there was nothing wrong with that tire.

And I told him, "So you have no problem with an 11 year old tire. Well, I didn't ask your opinion. I want a new tire on that rim."
And he told me there was nothing wrong with that tire.

And I told him, "I am going to another tire store and get a new tire put on that spare. And you will never see me again. Good bye."
And I left and they never saw me again, and I was giving them a lot of business.

I removed the spare on my Tacoma last week , The wheel is rusted but the Tire looks brand spanking new and has 30+ lbs of pressure in it. I have never filled it and unless someone is breaking into my garage at night and filling that tire then it has the original tire pressure. I am going to bet the dealer has been filling it and not telling us . Its a 2006 tacoma. Tire and Wheel are going to the junkyard in the next few weeks.

About 6 months ago we bought a new dryer but they could not deliver it on monday my day off. My truck has a bed cover so I hooked up the horse trailer checked air on all tires and while airing up one the stem failed. All 4 tires were badly dry rotted p ut the spare on and picked up the dryer and delivered it to the house.
Made appt and had new tires installed the next morning. Thank god we had no emergency where we needed to move the horses , could have been ugly. Original tires and we bought that trailer in 2012.

Here is an informative article from edmunds.com


Do Car Tires Have a Shelf Life?
Ronald Montoya
by
October 24th, 2018
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For years, people have relied on tread depth to determine when to replace a tire. If the tread passes the "penny test," they assume the tire still has life, regardless of how old it is, which can be a fatal mistake. Old tires are dangerous, regardless of tread depth. While there's no federally sanctioned safety guidance on when a tire is too old to be safe, many carmakers recommend replacement at six years from the date of manufacture.

Old tires have been the culprit in fatal accidents. Here are just two examples:

In 2008, the owner of a 1998 Ford Explorer in Georgia needed a new tire for his SUV and bought a used one. When he was driving two weeks later, the tread suddenly separated from the tire. The Explorer went out of control and hit a motorcycle, killing its rider. An analysis of the used tire revealed that it was nearly 10 years old.

In a more recent and high-profile example, the investigation into the cause of the 2013 accident that killed the actor Paul Walker revealed that the Porsche Carrera GT in which he was riding had 9-year-old tires. The California Highway Patrol noted that the tires' age might have compromised their drivability and handling characteristics, according to the Los Angeles Times.


These incidents illustrate the potential danger of buying used tires and the perils of driving on aging tires — including those that have never spent a day on the road. The rubber compounds in a tire deteriorate with time, regardless of the condition of the tread.

For some people, old tires might never be an issue. If you drive a typical number of miles, somewhere around 12,000-15,000 miles annually, a tire's tread will wear out in three to four years, long before the rubber compound does. But if you drive much less than that, or have a car that you only drive on weekends, aging tires could be an issue.

Similarly, if you are buying a used car, there's a chance it may be riding on old tires. The age warning also applies to spare tires and seemingly new tires that have never been used but were produced years ago.

What Happens to a Tire as It Ages?
Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies Inc., compares an aging tire to an old rubber band. "If you take a rubber band that's been sitting around a long time and stretch it, you will start to see cracks in the rubber," said Kane, whose organization is involved in research, analysis and advocacy on safety matters for the public and clients including attorneys, engineering firms, supplier companies, media and government.

Cracks in a tire's rubber begin to develop over time, appearing on the surface and inside the tire as well. This cracking can eventually cause the steel belts in the tread to separate from the rest of the tire. Improper maintenance and heat accelerate the process.

Kane and his organization have identified over 250 incidents in which tires older than six years have experienced tread and belt separations — most resulting in loss-of-control and rollover crashes. These incidents were the cause of 233 fatalities and 300 injuries in 2012.

Every tire that's on the road long enough will succumb to age. Tires that are rated for higher mileage have antiozonant chemical compounds built into the rubber that will slow the aging process, but nothing stops the effects of time on rubber.

How Long Does a Tire Last?
Carmakers, tiremakers and rubber manufacturers differ in their opinions about the lifespan of a tire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has no specific guidelines on tire aging and defers to the recommendations of carmakers and tire manufacturers.

Many automakers, including Ford, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz, tell owners to replace tires six years after their production date, regardless of tread life. Tire manufacturers such as Continental and Michelin say a tire can last up to 10 years provided you get annual tire inspections after the fifth year.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association said there is no way to put a date on when a tire "expires" because such factors as heat, storage, underinflation and conditions of use can dramatically reduce the life of a tire. Here's more on each of these factors:

Heat: NHTSA research has found that tires age more quickly in warmer climates. NHTSA also found that environmental conditions, such as exposure to sunlight and coastal climates, can hasten the aging process. People who live in coastal states and other areas with warm weather should keep this in mind when deciding whether they should retire a tire.

Storage: This applies to spare tires and tires that are sitting in a garage or shop. A tire that has not been mounted and is just sitting in a tire shop or your garage will age more slowly than one that has been put into service on a car. But it ages nonetheless.

Spares: They usually don't see the light of day, but they're still degrading with time. If the tire has been inflated and mounted on a wheel, it is considered to be "in service," even if it's never been used. And if a truck's spare is mounted underneath the vehicle, it's exposed to heat, dirt and weather — all reasons to plan on replacement.

I've had two sets of michelin ltx's do this. Plenty of trend but surface cracking. Rode great but couldn't get myself to go with them again.

In 1983 I bought a 1973 cougar convertable,white, brown leather int.351 clev.,factory ac,the works.I bought from a girl that got it for a high school graduation present.now that she was married with kids she didn't t need it.car had been sitting a while,I had my mechanic check it out
Drain all the fluids,flush radiator,etc.he told me it needed new tires,I looked at them and thought he was nuts.he said they were old.yeah,next time I said.2 days later booming with the top down
Drivers side front tire blows and by the grace of God,I slid onto the only grassy ,open spot on that
Parkway.I put on the spare and limped home.I learned a life long lesson.

I agree that tires need to be changed out every 5 or 6 years at the most but what I see are people who don't even know how to test the air pressure in their tires. They don't own a pressure gauge and wouldn't know how to use it if they had too. I have seen the results of folks who don't check the pressure or don't do it on a timely basis. The tires may have cracks in the treads and could be usable but that takes years sometimes for it to happen. But, a tire can get a nail in it, have a deteriorated stem or even have a bad valve long before the first crack shows. up. If you live on a gravel road expect at least one flat a year because of nails or wire on the road that end up in the tires.

I check mine every month in the cold months and every two months in the summer with the pressure gauge. I also look at them at least once a week to make sure one is not low in between. It's just my feeling that the tire will fail long before it's worn out our aged out because they are not monitored and the pressure is neglected. My son is good about checking his and his wife's car but I can't seem to get my daughter to do it herself so I check hers several times a year. I have even given her a pressure gauge several times for Christmas. I don't know what the heck she does with them.

Bottom line, I'm less concerned about cracks in the rubber than I am in the tire pressure and the wear patterns.

kwg

Excellent post.. Kudos.



Before any truck I own is a year old, that spare comes OFF that idiotic carrier (same for the camper spare) and I place it in the truck's bed.. That way I can keep my eyes on it and monitor pressure tons easier.. Maybe not for everyone, obviously, but I don't use the bed for anything much more than the spot to keep the camper's 5th wheel hitch mounted.. If I need to haul something, I hook up to one of my other trailers.. FWIW.

I just went through this. My father bought a 2003 Jeep Rubicon, it pretty much sat in a warehouse with occasional drives around town. Bottom line, it still had the original Wranglers on with only eight thousand miles on them, they still looked showroom like the rest of the Jeep.

Tire shop said they would refuse to rotate them for liability reasons, said they look good to look at but theyll rot from the inside out.
They are light truck tires, and the Jeep is pretty light, they still urged I was rolling the dice on the highway.
I decided to heed the advice others too gave me, and replaced them.

I helped a friend change the tire on his PU a few years back. Helluva time getting it off. It had been on there for 14 years.

Had to have replaced a couple lug bolts we broke off in the process, once we got an unflat tire on the thing.

Probably just the cold tho- it was about 20 below.....

I heard about a guy whose play here would be fix a flat; money you save can be used to invest in a 7mm Mashy reamer for that $4k custom Mauser...

Yep Samm0, I'm so old, I get the guys to do it, at work !

Heck, I'm so old, I only drink aged tequila, not that silver "junk" !

I all ways figured a tire was shot when it won't hold air any more. Got a new work truck back in late Oct of 2013 it has 67,000 miles on it now still running on the original Hankooks up frt, not down to the safety bars yet either. Going to get to 80 k on them and then retire and the boss can put new ones on it then if'n he wants to. MB

I got some 12 yr old trailer tires I been thinking about switching out. Good tread no cracking on them.

Just put a set of Michelin’s on the wife’s car. Two things I never neglect... tires and brakes. The OEM’s were Michelin’s with 69k. Still had Tred but visible dry tot and were 6+ years old.