Replacing tires due to age

[Pete & Linda]

I contacted Michelin and ask when they recommend changing tires due to age.

Thank you for your email. We welcome the opportunity to serve you.

While most tires will need replacement before they achieve 10 years, it is
recommended that any tires in service 10 years or more from the date of
manufacture, including spare tires, be replaced with new tires as a simple
precaution even if such tires appear serviceable and even if they have not
reached the legal wear limit.

Consumers are strongly encouraged to be aware not only of their tire's
visual condition and inflation pressure but also of any change in dynamic
performance such as increased air loss, noise or vibration, which could be
an indication that the tires need to be removed from service to prevent tire
failure.

It is our goal to ensure that your issue has been resolved or your question
answered to your satisfaction. If we can assist you further, please respond
to this email or call us at 1-800-847-3435 (toll free) between 8:00AM and
5:00PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday. .


Sincerely,


Michelin North America
Consumer Care Department

[TXiceman]

Personally I change the tires at 5 years. There are too many failures after 5 years and the potential for experiencing lots of damage are there.

Ken

[Batman_777]

A max of 5 to 7 years (no matter the appearance or mileage) is the cutoff for safety.

I think all tires have a date code on the sidewall. 3507 would be the 35th week in 2007

[Ernie Ekberg]

I just replaced 6 of mine and rotated 2 of the newer to the tag. peace of mind is priceless

[sknight]

I watched mine carefully and the level of cracking got bad enough that I replaced mine at seven years. In 20 years in the car business that seems to be the mark for most all tires.

[Jim Stewart]

If one could calculate the duration and strength of the ozone exposure for the life of their tires, calculate the average and maximum operating temperatures along with parked temperatures over the life of their tires, calculate the miles that the tires were driven overweight or under inflated and the UV-Index that they were always exposed to, then they could determine the actual life expectancy for age verses mileage.

Since one can't, guess and replace based on your own risk avoidance quotient!

[j griff]

I am one of those that choose to err on the side of caution. I am replacing my original Michelins next week. They have 30K and look good, except for a "river" effect on the right front - not a lot of sidewall checking. They were manufactured in April 2003 - hence almost 7 years old.
The six new Michelin 245/70R 19.5 XRV LRF tires, balanced and mounted come in at $2230, including all the Illinois and Federal tax.
Also have an appointment to have an alignment check done. Should be good to go after all that.

[Bill Adams]

Since we have 8 tires to deal with and they are 22.5 tires we are going to try to get as much time and mileage out of our tires as possible. With that said, that means that when the tread hits the tread wear sensors or when 7 years goes by, those tires are "out-of-here". I am not looking forward to replacing my tires, but we are going to be in OR this Summer and the savings of no sales tax will be just the motivation I need to get all new tread on tires that are just approaching my mandatory replacement requirements.

[tennsmith]

Back in October, I drove from Arizona to Alabama on 6 tires, 5 of which were within 2 months of being 10 years old. They were Michelins. Had I known they were that old, I would never had made the trip without changing them, but the seller lied to me about the age telling me they were all manufactured 2006 or later. I think I was lucky, very lucky not to have a blowout. I was travelling "empty" so to speak with only 30 gallons or so of water and a few storebought items to eat/drink.

The sidewalls of the tires looked VERY GOOD, but when one looked at the tread head-on, you could see cracks in the recessed part of the tread (not the part that ran on the road). Needless to say, since then I have changed out the 5 old tires for 5 new Michelins. I would not recommend running tires 10 years, but in my case, I inadvertantly got away with it.

[smlranger]

7 years will be the max for me. Anyone have any luck selling their old tires to hauling companies for use on their extra axles on dump trucks?

[Pete & Linda]

My tires are on a 2004 MH with 4,200 miles on it. I will check the date and go from there. I would think that if Michelin is quoting 10 years to the public this would be a conservative number. I will check with other brands and see what they have to say. They did say to keep an eye on them and if you see anything, cracks, ect. to change them out and I agree with that.

[FLYTYER]

The official Michelin RV Tire Guide on page 7 clearly explains how to care for your tires.

Basically keep the tires clean, covered when in storage or at a long term location, and on plywood. Any tire dressing product should be free of petroleum products, alcohol and silicone's. Lastly maintain correct inflation pressures according to weight and tire size.

I believe the Guide is available at 1-800-677-3322, option #2

[SuperGewl]

5 years from the date of manufacture is a good number to go by. That is uunless they go before then due to wear, damage, underinflation or whatever. Juat make sure you change out that non-used spare also, if you have one. Those of us with trailers or 5th wheels should be rotating the spare into service yearly when yo uhave your tires balanced and rotated along with the bearing repack.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The Michelin RV Guide also says that the tires must be dismounted and inspected on the inside every year after year five. I'm surprised the email didn't mention that.

Quote:

That is why, in addition to regular inspections and inflation pressure maintenance by consumers, it is recommended to have RV/Motorhome tires, including spare tires, inspected regularly by a qualified tire specialist, such as a tire dealer, who will assess the tire’s suitability for continued service. Tires that have been in use for 5 years or more should continue to be inspected by a specialist at least annually.

This is an excerpt from Page 1 of the Michelin RV Tire Guide