Tire DOT dates on your new RV

[Newms1]

Heads up to all RVers!
This fall after 5 road trips in our 2015 American coach
Revolution. Prior to a fall 1000 mile 10 day trip I had all the tires checked
For psi and safety. I was informed that my 4 1/2 year old tires
Are dry-rotting. I was surprised by this finding. I immediately
Scheduled the coach on for new tires .
To my surprise we found out that the DOT dates on the
tires we 7 years old? It appears the tires were stale when
our coach was built .
Coach Built in 2015
Tire dot 2012
Heads up to all that are purchasing a new RV.
Check the DOT dates on your tires!
Very expensive lesson we just learned
Newms1

[momdoc]

A good point. Ours were under a year when we purchased our rig. With tires on RVs most often you replace them because of age not mileage.

[Nudge]

Yep you have to read the date on the INSIDE of the tire (would be the side under the coach)
Something I learned ... here

[NXR]

Ours are dated Sept. 2018, the build date of the coach is April 2019 and we picked it up in July 2019.

Ray

[V3600]

Originally Posted by Nudge

Yep you have to read the date on the INSIDE of the tire (would be the side under the coach)
Something I learned ... here

Not true

[Monkey Run]

Originally Posted by V3600

Not true

My Michelins were dated on the outside, the new Goodyears are on the inside. Suspect it has to do with the manufacturer? When I changed the front tires the new replacements were six months old, that was by a local dealer with less volume than the shop that replaced the rears. Those tires were two weeks old.

[theroc]

The way I understand it --and I'm not a tire expert-- just about all manufacturers stamp the date code on only one side of the tire. Therefore, it has to do more with how it's mounted on the rim rather than the manufacturer's choice of "which side of the tire" to put the date code.

Unless it's strictly a directional tire, the installer can mount it with the date code visible from the front or facing inward. You'd sure think that the initial installer would have taken the time to mount the tire on the rim so that the date code is visible from the outside rather than facing in. Most probably don't pay attention at all to that when installing the tire. That's my guess as to why some are on the outside and some are facing inward --and that's all it is, a guess on my part.

[richard5933]

Many (most?) coaches are built on a chassis which is supplied by the chassis manufacturer and not built in house. It's not uncommon for that chassis to have been made 6-12 months prior to the production of the coach. The chassis is usually shipped with tires already installed. Those tires were probably sitting in a warehouse another 6-12 months waiting for the chassis to be built.

Add all that up, and it wouldn't seem all that strange to see tires on a brand-new coach with tires that are already 12-24 months old. In my experience, the higher-end coaches try and deliver coaches with newer tires, but that's not always the case.

Date codes are stamped on one side only. Unless the tire installer specifically is asked to put the code on the outside, there's a 50/50 chance you won't be able to see it from the outside.

[Nudge]

Originally Posted by V3600

Not true

Well Iffin’ I don’t find the date on the outside-I’m looking on the INSIDE. Yep I’m one of those who just didn’t know! You might be surprised how many people don’t even look~at all.
I learn something new everyday. Isn’t that great!

[PatriciaM]

The DOT on truck tires is only molded on one side.

If your tires are Goodyear, it appears they have a 5 year warranty from "Date of Purchase" for manufacturing, and a 7 year warranty for ozone cracking:

https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs...rranty_610.pdf
"The new tire coverage of this warranty ends when the treadwear indicators become visible or five (5) years from the date of purchase, whichever occurs first. The only exception is weather cracking, which carries a seven (7) year warranty from the date of purchase or when the treadwear indicators become visible, whichever occurs first. Without proof of purchase, date of manufacture will be used to determine eligibility."



If your tires are Michelin truck tires, on a new motorhome, the 7 year tire warranty starts with the original consumer's purchase/registration date.
Michelin Warranty:

https://www.michelinb2b.com/wps/b2bc...k_Warranty.pdf


"As the original purchaser of a MICHELIN® brand truck tire, you are covered by all the benefits and conditions (subject to the maintenance recommendations and safety warnings) contained in this booklet. To ensure your understanding of and compliance with the terms and conditions of this warranty, please read it carefully. It is essential that you also read and understand the Safety and Maintenance Recommendations for your tires.
WHAT IS COVERED AND FOR HOW LONG
Workmanship and Materials Except as limited below, MICHELIN® Truck Tires bearing the Michelin name and complete serial or identification numbers, used according to the instructions contained in this Operator’s Manual, are covered by this limited warranty against defects in workmanship and materials for original tread life or 7 years from the date of purchase, whichever occurs first. If no proof of purchase is available, coverage will be based on the date of manufacture as referenced in Definitions below. At that time, all warranties, express or implied, expire.

"Date of purchase is documented by new vehicle registration or tire sales invoice. If no proof of purchase is available, coverage will be based on the date of manufacture, as molded on the sidewall."

[NXR]

Originally Posted by richard5933

Many (most?) coaches are built on a chassis which is supplied by the chassis manufacturer and not built in house. It's not uncommon for that chassis to have been made 6-12 months prior to the production of the coach. The chassis is usually shipped with tires already installed. Those tires were probably sitting in a warehouse another 6-12 months waiting for the chassis to be built.

Add all that up, and it wouldn't seem all that strange to see tires on a brand-new coach with tires that are already 12-24 months old. In my experience, the higher-end coaches try and deliver coaches with newer tires, but that's not always the case.

Date codes are stamped on one side only. Unless the tire installer specifically is asked to put the code on the outside, there's a 50/50 chance you won't be able to see it from the outside.

I've read that many people with F53's have found their date codes are on the outside on the front tires but on the inside on the rear tires. Mine are that way also.

Per the attached Michelin doc with the "-OLD" suffix, which is from Nov. 2014 per its properties:

• Tires that have been in use for 5 years or more should continue to be inspected by a specialist at least annually.

Note the "in use" term.

• However, the older a tire, the greater the chance that it will need to be replaced due to the service-related evolution or other conditions found upon inspection or detected during use.

Note the "service-related" term.


Both would "seem" to indicate that the date of manufacture is not as big an issue as the date they were first used.


This is a pretty good page with a 7-minute video on pre-trip inspections: https://www.michelintruck.com/tires-...ip-inspection/


On that site under Reference Materials I found this PDF, which is the current version. It's too big to upload here: https://www.michelinb2b.com/wps/b2bc...s_Brochure.pdf

It's somewhat less prescriptive on the age thing. Some tidbits:

• The maximum allowable difference between tires across an axle is 5 psi.
  
  
• A tire is considered to be flat when it has operated at less than 80% of the recommended inflation pressure.
  
  
• WARNING: Re-inflation of any type of tire and wheel assembly that has been operated in a run-flat or underinflated condition (80% or less of recommended operating pressure) can result in serious injury or death. The tire may be damaged on the inside and can explode during inflation. The wheel may be worn, damaged, or dislodged and can explosively separate.
  
  
• Never bleed hot tires, or they will become underinflated.
  
  
• While there are advantages for aircraft and large off-the-road earthmover tires to use 100% nitrogen systems, it is generally difficult to quantify the advantages for over-the-road highway operations.
  
  
• MICHELIN® truck tires bearing the Michelin name and complete serial or identification numbers, used in consumer service such as on a recreational vehicle, are covered by a limited warranty against defects in workmanship and materials for the life of the original tread or 7 years from the date of purchase, whichever occurs first.
  
  
• Some recreational vehicle owners may choose to operate MICHELIN® tires after the tire warranty expires. For consumers who choose to operate tires beyond the tire’s warranted life, Michelin recommends frequent tire inspections, especially before long trips. Michelin recommends that any tires, including spare tires, should be replaced after 10 years of service, even if they have not reached the legal wear limit.
  
  In addition to frequent tire inspections and proper inflation pressure maintenance, Michelin recommends regular tire inspections by trained tire technicians. Consumers are strongly encouraged to be aware not only of their tire visual conditions and inflation pressures, but also of any changes in dynamic performances which could be an indication that the tires need to be removed from service. Indications include an increased level of noise or vibration, or an increased frequency in loss of inflation pressure (faster than 2 psi per month)."
  
  
• During tire inspections, check the sidewalls for signs of aging, referred to as weather checking or ozone cracking. Aging appears as tiny cracks in the rubber surface of the sidewall. If the cracks are less than 2/32” deep, the tire is acceptable to keep in operation; when the cracks extend deeper than 2/32”, the tire should be inspected by a Michelin tire dealer and possibly replaced.

Things I found interesting in the new doc:

• The statement about having the tires professionally inspected at five years and each year afterwards is no longer there. Nor are the "in use" and "service-related" statements present in the new doc.
  
  
• The warranty is seven years and that is the start of the professional inspection period. Except for that pesky "regular" term. What a loophole, eh?
  
  
• The sidewall cracks people see on Michelin XRV's seems to be a non-issue unless its 2/32", which is pretty darn deep.

FWIW,

Ray

[PatriciaM]

Originally Posted by NXR

[*]Some recreational vehicle owners may choose to operate MICHELIN® tires after the tire warranty expires. For consumers who choose to operate tires beyond the tire’s warranted life, Michelin recommends frequent tire inspections, especially before long trips. Michelin recommends that any tires, including spare tires, should be replaced after 10 years of service, even if they have not reached the legal wear limit.

In addition to frequent tire inspections and proper inflation pressure maintenance, Michelin recommends regular tire inspections by trained tire technicians. Consumers are strongly encouraged to be aware not only of their tire visual conditions and inflation pressures, but also of any changes in dynamic performances which could be an indication that the tires need to be removed from service. Indications include an increased level of noise or vibration, or an increased frequency in loss of inflation pressure (faster than 2 psi per month)."

[*]During tire inspections, check the sidewalls for signs of aging, referred to as weather checking or ozone cracking. Aging appears as tiny cracks in the rubber surface of the sidewall. If the cracks are less than 2/32” deep, the tire is acceptable to keep in operation; when the cracks extend deeper than 2/32”, the tire should be inspected by a Michelin tire dealer and possibly replaced.[/list]
Things I found interesting in the new doc:

• The statement about having the tires professionally inspected at five years and each year afterwards is no longer there. Nor are the "in use" and "service-related" statements present in the new doc.
  
  
• The warranty is seven years and that is the start of the professional inspection period. Except for that pesky "regular" term. What a loophole, eh?
  
  
• The sidewall cracks people see on Michelin XRV's seems to be a non-issue unless its 2/32", which is pretty darn deep.

FWIW,

Ray

The copy of the old RV Service Manual was re-written with a new team with the intent of making things clearer, not to add loopholes. "Regular inspections" wasn't defined and consumers are not expected to document such inspections. For that matter, "trained tire technicians" is not defined either.

On a lighter note, the definition of "dual kissing" no longer says, "While somewhat romantic in name only, this type of damage refers to what happens when two tires in dual configuration make contact with each other while in operation."

As for sidewall cracking, yes, it is normally cosmetic. If you can find the 2015 Michelin tire warranty, it used to say:
WHAT IS NOT COVERED
Tires/casings which become unserviceable due to:
– Road hazard injury (e.g., a cut, snag, bruise, impact damage or puncture);
– Incorrect mounting of the tire, tire/wheel imbalance, improper retread or improper repair;
– Misapplication, improper maintenance, racing, underinflation, overinflation or other abuse resulting in casing damage or fatigue;
– Accident, fire, chemical corrosion, contamination, tire alteration or vandalism; – Flat spotting caused by improper storage;
– The addition of liquid, solid or gaseous materials other than air, nitrogen or carbon dioxide;
– Uses other than long haul service for any extended warranty casing claims;
– Uneven or rapid wear caused by mechanical irregularity in the vehicle, such as wheel misalignment, resulting in damage to the under-tread, carcass or steel belts;
– Ozone or weather checking.

The upgraded warranty published in 2016 no longer excludes ozone or weather checking, so if it's a concern, contact Michelin Consumer Care or a tire dealer.

[NXR]

Thanks for that clarification and written as if you work for or worked for Michelin, which you probably cannot confirm and that's OK.

It's amazing to me how the simple phrase "Pay attention!" can prevent so many problems.

Ray

[Arizona]

Lucky you made it without a blowout. Our 01 had 99 tires on it. I bought box trailer new that had 5 year old tires on it. They had hundreds of all types of trailers on the lot and they all had old tires. The salesman kept saying they don’t start service life until they start being used.
Safe travels