Dry rot?
 

Whats up guys, have some MTRs on my jeep that are about 5 years old and started to notice small cracks between tread. Not very educated in dry rot, but I'm thinking thats what I have going on. I don't drive it much as it is not my DD, but am wanting to take it out more often so I am trying to make it more user friendly. Anyway, is this something that needs to be addressed ASAP? Let me know what your thoughts are? Took it out last week and didnt have any issues, but was definitely worried. Id love to upgrade to some 35s but we will see what the wife says about that... would also probably need to regear with my 4.10s :dunno:https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...4e7725aa69.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...b37929375c.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...0b729cf53f.jpg


Thanks!

i would still drive on that. but i grew up really broke and had to drive stuff till it "really needed" to be replaced. i don't think those do but that is dry cracks and probably could be replaced

You’re good. If it were the side wall that might be different.

Agreed.

Those should be fine- long as you aren't losing air pressure, it is just a "surface" defect.

Thanks guys! Makes me feel better, I didn't want to show up to a tire store and have them convince me I needed new tires when there is plenty of tread left on the ones I have. Appreciate it!

that's very normal. if it were cracking deeper, then i wouldn't run them.

My grandfather used to call that "Sun Checking", in that the outer layer that is exposed to the sun is showing the effects. When you start seeing gaps that may run around the diameter of the tire in the tread, or larger cracks in the sidewall, they should be relegated to off road only use.

Just curious, what are the DOT date codes on the tires? (You may have had them for five years, but they may be older). I usually would not use tires that are over 10 years old on the road.

I got 30 year old tires with no cracks, still drive on them on a weekend car, I got ten year old tires with lots of cracks. they is a dependance of cracking on rubber type evidently.

My 14 year old off road tires had no cracks, but had horrible traction over dry boulders. new tires gave me lots of traction that the 14 year old tires lacked.

Rubber will dry out and crack over time and DOT does recommend tires that are more than 5 years old be replaced for safety reasons, but they're talking about high speed road usage. As long as they are not large cracks in the tread area or long cracks in the sidewall, you should be fine.