Cracks in tyres

[malc d]

Had a close look at my rear Vanco tyres recently and although the tread still has a depth of 4 to 5 mm I noticed a considerable number of long hairline cracks in the grooves, some a bit wider than 'hairline'.

So it's not just the tread that needs looking at.

 

The tyres are about 7 or 8 years old and have covered 34000 miles so I've had them replaced.

 

The fitters told me that the cracks are quite common on tyres that tend to stand around, and are not in regular use.

It's caused by the rubber hardening and losing it's flexibility

( Mine travel every 3 weeks or so ).

[lennyhb]

Cracks in the side walls that are dangerous and cause blowouts, at that age you should have changed them a couple of years ago.

 

 

[malc d]

lennyhb - 2010-08-06 5:09 PM

 

Cracks in the side walls that are dangerous and cause blowouts, at that age you should have changed them a couple of years ago.

 

 

 

There weren't any cracks in the side walls so I'm not sure why you felt it necessary to give me that "advice".

 

 

 

 

[lennyhb]

Generally recommended to change tyres after 5 years a max of 7 years from date of manufacture not how long they have been on the vehicle. I found out the hard way a few years ago with a blowout on a caravan on a Belgium motorway.

 

 

[BGD]

Hi Malc -

 

A good reminder for people.

 

It ain't the driving that knackers tyres, it's simply their ageing process.

 

As soon as a tyre comes out of the forming mould, the rubber compounds begin to harden, with exposure to air.

 

 

 

All the pros that I've ever spoken to suggest:

 

Always checking the real age of any "new" tyre that a garage is offering to sell you/fit to your vehicle.

Every tyre sold in the Eu has a little "lozenge" shaped sign (about 1 inch long) on the sidewall containing a 4 digit code.

The code shows the calendar week number and year that the tyre was manufactured....eg "2309" means that tyre was moulded in week 23 of year 2009.

If the real age of that "new" tyre that is being offered is over maybe 6 months, my suggestion would be to reject it. The tyre will age almost just as fast sitting on a warehouse rack as when on a vehicle.

 

Examine the lozenge date stamp on all of your own vehicle tyres (don't forget the spare) and change your tyres after max 5 years, regardless of the amount of tread left.

 

 

 

[malc d]

A point I would add about these cracks is that they can only be seen by getting down on your hands and knees to examine the tyres.

From a standing position, or just running your fingers along the tread you wouldn't know about them.

 

..and no one mentioned them at the MoT in April .

 

 

(No doubt someone will come along and say they don't matter, but I feel much better now I've changed them !)

 

 

 

 

 

;-)

[Mel B]

As an aside to this, whilst we've been looking at cars, we saw a second hand Microcar Virgo (don't ask!) so I got hubby to check the 'age' of the tyres on it - they were the originals and had been on for 8 years! They were seriously cracking - and this was on a lightweight car - so that would have meant 5 new tyres ... The mechanic didn't have a clue about the tyre manufacture date being on them so at least he learnt something! 8-)

[Ranger]

Don't forget our friend the SUN is no friend of our tyres. Our touring van which is used very little, is parked behind the motor home in the shade on the north side of our house, where the sun never shines on it's tyres. Those tyres are now ten years old and still like new. Our daughter had the van out last week, and on site found one tyre down a bit. Valve had gone, rubber perished. Took the wheel off and and found an A.T.S. open on a Sunday, they fitted a new valve and declared the tyre still fit for use. A bit of luck as 14" re-enforced tyres are quite expensive.