Tire age issues?

[svxxx26]

I saw one of those network expose articles the other day on "tire aging". Basically, it was saying that tires over 6 years since manufacture are dangerous. I checked the set on my SVX and naturally it's right at 6 years.
Is there anything to this? Lots of reading about it on the net if you Google it, but I wanted some real world opinions. If you're like me, you may have several sets of tires and don't drive the SVX all that much - which translates to a lot of older tires.

[dromano]

I don't have an answer, I also have a tire issue. They are 3.5 years old, many cracks in the side wall, I think the cracks are due to the heat here in the desert. They are Sumitomo Srixon, I would not recommend them, need to get new tires at only 22,xxx miles

[dcarrb]

Rubber products embrittle and degrade with age, from belts to hoses to tires. My Dad finally replaced the factory-original Goodyears on Mom's early-90s Oldsmobile recently, at the urging of myself and others, though at only 40-something thousand miles they still had "good tread."

Are old tires really dangerous? Hardly a blip on the scale of worldly perils, I'd say. But any rubber product on your car begs replacement as the pages fall from the calendar.

From Consumer Reports:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...ar-safe-tires/

dcb

[SVX_MY_BABY]

Originally Posted by dromano

I don't have an answer, I also have a tire issue. They are 3.5 years old, many cracks in the side wall, I think the cracks are due to the heat here in the desert. They are Sumitomo Srixon, I would not recommend them, need to get new tires at only 22,xxx miles

Check the manufacture date on the side of the tires, they may be older. The manufacturer should give you a pro-rated warranty exchange for new ones. Side walls should not crack on newer tires. Happened to me long ago.

[Tuck]

Originally Posted by dcarrb

Are old tires really dangerous? Hardly a blip on the scale of worldly perils, I'd say. But any rubber product on your car begs replacement as the pages fall from the calendar.
dcb

No blip but a tread separation at speed will really get your attention in a hurry. It has happened twice, both from tires that spent way too much time in a hot warehouse.

[svxcess]

Here is a great video report done by ABC News on this exact issue. Well worth watching... it could save your life!

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

.

[SVX92-97]

John, Great video, and information. I never knew that. Now Im going to check all my tires. The Government should be ashamed of themselves. That is the dumbest way of providing an expiration date Ive ever seen.

[SVXyGirl]

Thank you for the video. I know the tires on my Claret need to be replaced. The sides are cracking. I should have new tires soon. I'm sure the tires on my Cadillac are close to 20 years old. That car doesn't go anywhere though.

EDIT: Just checked the tires on 3 of my SVXs. The Claret is 05, Tomato (95) is 05, and the Bordeaux is 06. The 94 doesn't count as those tires are bald and need to be replaced anyway.

[svxxx26]

Originally Posted by svxcess

Here is a great video report done by ABC News on this exact issue. Well worth watching... it could save your life!

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

.

John, that was the video that got me checking my tire codes. I suppose I'm wishing it wasn't true, tires aren't cheap!
On the oldest set of Yokohamas that haven't been used in quite some time, there is a white/grey powdery film all over the outside of the tires. Doesn't really inspire confidence.

[shelfy]

my blizzaks were manufactured in 1998!

[immortal_suby]

Michelin destroys tires that reach 5 years of age in their warehouses. They won't even sell them discounted to employees at that point. Tires are at a higher risk of failure with age. You might get lucky, you might not.

[immortal_suby]

Originally Posted by dromano

I don't have an answer, I also have a tire issue. They are 3.5 years old, many cracks in the side wall, I think the cracks are due to the heat here in the desert. They are Sumitomo Srixon, I would not recommend them, need to get new tires at only 22,xxx miles

The sidewall rubber in a tire is basically a UV and curb protector. As long as the innerliner and NC belts are intact a tire could actually run down the road with no sidewall.
Sidewall cracks look ugly, but generally aren't a concern as long as you know they weren't caused by underinflation which could have damaged something more important. Interestingly enough, the products we use to make the sidewalls shine (armor all, glass magic, etc.) actually remove alot of the UV protection from the sidewall rubber causing them to degrade and crack prematurely.

[benebob]

Yeah 5 years or so is about the limit for safe tire life. By that point they've been degraded enough that they don't grip as good, develop cracks etc. that you should replace them. I threw away my last set of A540s due to age. They still had 2/3 tread on 'em but it was obvious they needed to go as they handled like a set of Goodyear Touring Tires by that point.

I don't understand the 80-100k tread tire warranties as most tires are at least 6 months old or more before you install 'em. Unless you're driving 25k a year they're be out of date long before then. By law all dot tires need to have the week and year of manufacture printed on the sidewall. Can't remember what comes first but it looks kinda like this 0820 (20th week of 08)

[svxxx26]

Originally Posted by benebob

Can't remember what comes first but it looks kinda like this 0820 (20th week of 08)

Pretty close - the week of the year is first followed by the year. Or to explain:

1108 = Eleventh week of 2008

119 = Eleventh week of 1999

[dromano]

Very good info, thanks everyone!!!