Tire Safety -- too old?

[MikeT]

I found this link to be interesting on old tires sold as new -- ignore the beginning commercial -

tires

[MikeT]

I found this link to be interesting on old tires sold as new -- ignore the beginning commercial -

tires

[LindaH]

Since the link is from ABC, I'm assuming that the video is from the 20/20 program they ran earlier this year on tires.

Dealers having tires on their shelves that are 10 years old or older is the reason I always recommend telling the dealer you want fresh tires and then personally check the date code before they are installed.

[GaryKD]

I'm about to buy new toad tires. Anybody know how old is too old to buy? 6 months? Is there a source for this information?

[read & learn]

Gary try this
www.aa1car.com/library/tire_expire.htm

[GaryKD]

Thanks read & learn. The one statement "The group also says tire retailers should NOT sell tires that have been in storage for more than six years since the date of manufacture." is a bit much for me. Granted there is no standard, at this time. The 6 year statement is a recommendation only. Personally I would not buy "new" tires this old. When I place the order, I'll try for 6 months and see what happens.

Tire tread life has improved greatly. The general population has never had to look at a tire, except for tread depth. Replacing auto tires due to age instead of tread depth is a new concept for consumers. We RV'ers may be leading the way in educating auto owners (friends & relatives) to the danger of old tires.

[Route 66]

I wouldn't buy tires more than a year old and would prefer them to be no more than 6 months old.

[Glen41]

If a dealer has tires in his inventory that are more than 1 year old, then that is a sign of mismanagement. He needs to clean up his storage area. Those tires on the books are an expense that drags his whole business down. The tires that he salls day-to-day have to be sold at a higher price because they have to support the dead inventory.

[Johnny]

This is a scam to sell tires. As long as they're not cracked, checked, or rock-hard, no problem.

Reality check: NOBODY has a real age limit on tires. Not the DOT, not even the FAA. Yes, airlines are free to use a 20-year-old tire on a jetliner. The truck I drive at work has one drive tire with a date code from 2002.

[LindaH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GaryKD:
Anybody know how old is too old to buy? 6 months? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
IMO, 6 months would be the outside limit. Since dealers are able to order tires that are within a few weeks of production, why accept anything older? It's your money.

[full-timer]

Johnny,know what you are talking about. I'm driving on tires that just passed the 8 year 40,000 mile mark. This is an experiment of mine to see how long they go. I know,go ahead and flame me.

Joe

[historyljc]

Joe,
Whatever you are comfortable with. I used to run recaps on my cars, back when I was young, broke and still immortal. I must point out, the only blow-out I've had on my coach has been a tire less than three years old with 16,000 miles that had been kept properly inflated. Go figure. Tires, like life, have no real guarantee.

[Johnny]

I run caps now...Bandags on the drive axle of my bus, Treadwrights (formerly High-tech Retreading) on my wife's Jeep & my F-350. I will never run anything else.

[TEO]

I have a more conservative point of view on tire age. When I purchased my first motorhome, a Southwind in 1987, it came with a set of Michelins. Early on I had a problem with blowouts. I weighed the coach and was well under the gross weight, but the tire were very close to maximum capacity. I talked to Michelin and was able to upgrade to a higher capacity tire for little extra money. The blowout problem continued and it became a pattern for Michelin at that time.

The piece of mind in changing tires when I feel they have enough age is well worth the cost. Sitting on the side of a major highway with traffic flashing by is no joy. Nor is waiting for RV road service.

Paul