Tyres - how old is too old??

[cumbriankeith]

The spare on my van is a brand new Kleber and looks in perfect condition, not cracked or perished and never been left in the sunlight. But the date code shows it was made in 2000. There seems to be some range of opinion on the net over how long tyres last - some say 5 or 6 years, Michelin say 10 is ok. Any other views??
I'm willing to stump up some cash if necessary but it seems a real waste to scrap it unless I really should.

[R0B]

all i can say is.i wouldn't be using it on my van.

[kevtherev]

but it seems a real waste to scrap it unless I really should.

you really should.
rubber is organic and all things organic degrade, The resins that are used in the construction and mixing processes have by now outstayed there usefullness.
The rubber and the synthetics have now become brittle as these bonding resins harden. in wet weather the grip would be compromised.
Then we could talk about stregnth if you want?

I used to make van tyres for Goodyear, they had a shelf life of 6 years.

[cumbriankeith]

OK - thanks for those answers. Your reasoning is fairly compelling Kev!
Look out wallet - you're about to get a pounding....

[Red Westie]

Whilst I cannot disagree with anything that has previously been said, SURELY common sense should prevail in such cases.
If said tyre looks/feels completely as new it is fine for use. The degrading process you so elequently describe always (in my 32 years of experience) shows visable deterioation before reaching an unsafe state. Now that's coming from me! Mr Safe personified.....I am in no way trying to undermined members who I know are very experienced and knoweledgable people on this forum. All I can say is I have never seen a failed tyre who's cause of failure could be put down to age alone, unless of course it was showing age related 'visable' perrishing/cracking etc. I know I am in the minority here but thats how I see it sorry.
Martin

[The_blue]

All the tyres on my van are old.. realy old...

3 don't even have a date on the wall! The other says 97

MOT man said they were fine the last 3 years

[Oldiebut goodie]

I used to make van tyres for Goodyear, they had a shelf life of 6 years.

I have just checked a Dunlop website that states that the UK has a regulation that the maximum shelf life is 6 years as you say but I have yet to find anything to give one a guide as to actual life. One could hypothetically purchase a tyre towards the end of it's shelf life and not know how long it is expected to perform to the design standard. Worst case scenario, tyre being purchased in the last month of it's shelf life - are we to scrap it after one month? There does not appear to be much information available though I shall keep looking. Are we consumers being denied essential information?

[kevtherev]

When Goodyear launched the G800 radial tyre with that copper fronting the campaign, years ago, G800 were lasting for 40,000 miles or so, great, you would think.
But Radial tyre technology was in it's infancy so it was tested to death, on a rolling road.
The tyre was run at it's max speed rating and beyond, frozen, heated, ran untill the carcass was showing, it never popped. When fitted to a car (Mk1 cortina) it was run for months, with the tyre transforming the handling . A for runner to the modern tyres of today.
However all this happend in 18 months. Then the tyres were released to the public.
Most cars in those days never saw 50,000 on the clock. so these tyres were on from the start..and on for years.

The very nature of radial tyres requires a lot of sidewall movement to keep the contact patch on the road.
Cracks appeared in the sidewall after 4 years, due to the large amounts of natural rubber needed to make them so flexible.
then the tread started to get harder (giving it it's amazing mileage) which affected grip.
The tyre actualy never failed and I agree with red westie on that...it was the tyres ability to go round corners in the wet that deteriorated.

Since then Goodyear only make tyres that last 20,000 so as to retain the properties that you have paid for untill it's removal due to wear.

F1 Race tyres have a shelf life of 6 weeks.

Oldie you may well be able to buy a tyre that has been on the shelf for six years.Then it is removed from the shelf.
If fitted after six years, the tyre would be nearing the end of it's life due to wear after 20,000 miles or 3 years of average use.. being a van tyre they get more than average I would think.

So my absolute limit would be 9 years.

[dugcati]

hmm better change mine as they are more than 9 years old the van was stood for 5 years and that was nearly 2 years ago and the dude mus of had them on it when he bought it!

[CycloneMike]

Its worth a look at http://www.tyresafe.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you look in the down loads section there are some good and simple documents that explain about tyres and confirm what has been said here.

[Oldiebut goodie]

That seems to be backed up by 1 item I have found on another forum (give or take a year):
Quote.
"As an Engineering manager from Bridgestone here in Europe I can say that 10 years is the accepted life of tyres. Over time the rubber hardens due to the ongoing vulcanization process each time the weather is warm. This will lead to much worse performance in grip, especially in the wet. If left in the sun or near to a source UV then ozone cracking on the surface will occur. These cracks less than 1mm deep are not a big problem for tyre performance but should be watched to ensure they are not coming from another source (overheating through underinflation for example)."

It is strange that there appears to be no easily available info. on this crucial point - there ought to be a product information sheet detailing the facts that is given to the purchasers of tyres so that the public are made more aware - after all it is a crucial safety aspect of the vehicle. All I have ever seen is a message on the invoice to check my nuts!

[AngeloEvs]

My rear went pop, the flailing tyre tread damaged the bodywork and I had to weld in new rear panels. Rob gave me a link that explained dot codes and how to read them.............gobsmacked! date code was 1994 on both rear tyres! Close inspection revealed the warning signs but MOT didn't spot them and neither had I as the tyres looked fine. When you buy a campervan that has lower than average mileage then check the date code of the tyres, they may well be a hazard with plenty of tread!

[Oldiebut goodie]

Its worth a look at http://www.tyresafe.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you look in the down loads section there are some good and simple documents that explain about tyres and confirm what has been said here.

Just had a quick glance at the motorhome download -
Quote:
"Because tyres deteriorate with age, the leisure vehicle
organisations recommend that, irrespective of the remaining
tread pattern depth, tyres should be replaced preferably
when they reach 5 years old but to never use tyres which
are more than 7 years old."

It doesn't say the important thing - age from manufacture or age on vehicle. It reads as though they should be replaced before the end of their shelf life! But the overall life may have now crept up to 13 years (up to 6 shelf + 7 on vehicle)
The plot thickens!

[ojsmith]

just been in this situation.... i have a low mileage camper, with all nice happy tyres, or so i thought. found out through a routine service that one was dangerously split on the side wall, despite having a decent tread depth. turns out it was an original tyre, so 21 years old... i swapped it straight away, and even though it cost 82 quidders... i feel better knowing that i have 4 safe tyres...

olly

[Nicola&Tony]

Just been outside and had a look at our tyres, I can only find one date code on four tyres.

Does anybody know if date codes have been on tyres for a long time, or when they were introduced?

Tony