Wayne,Az

Any tire experts out there?? My question is=Do tires get hard and ride rough after 5-7 years?? Only about 20k on them and look like new..But the ride has become very ?stiff ?..1994 sport,4x4 auto trans,,Thanks for any opinions..

Dumajones

Not a tire expert,, but from what I know,,Yes, it is not unusual for tires to become more stiff, less pliable with age. Especially if they just sit forever and not used very often.


Cheech might post up..he seems to know tires..

Martlor13

yes.. they are rubber and harden up after time

RockinRonnie

Not a expert bye no means! But my dad worked in tire manufacturing and to answer your question yes tires will harden over time. more so in hotter areas. Tires age dangerously because of a chemical process commonly referred to as oxidation, which simply means that as the tire components are exposed to oxygen, the oxygen particles cause the flexible components of a tire to harden and become brittle. Over time, the tire will simply fall apart under normal stress, just like an old rubber band. Because this process occurs naturally, it does not matter if a tire is being used, stored as a spare, or simply waiting on a store shelf for an unsuspecting consumer. Tread life becomes less of a factor in the service life of a tire, oxidation becomes a more serious concern— particularly in hotter climates, like Arizona,Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana which are routinely the hottest states in the United States. Tire aging is a “hidden hazard” because most consumers don’t know that tires expire in six years ( Auto manufacturing recommended Stated in your owners man. ) Date code is a 11 digit code that is imprinted on the side of the tire. Federal rules mandate that the tire’s D.O.T. code be clearly branded or etched on the side of each tire. For most tires, the D.O.T. number is typically 11 digits. If the tire has only 10 digits, the tire was manufactured before the year 2000. The D.O.T. code will look like DOT At/L2 UMWA 05/11 The AT is the plant code tire was made LT is tire size group UMWA is Manufacturing code and 05/11 is build date May 2011 Tires become more dangerous as they age. A large body of scientific evidence supports that most tires should be replaced six years from the date they are manufactured. This six-year expiration date begins from the day the tire was manufactured at the plant—not the date it was sold to a consumer or the date that it was installed on a vehicle.

Wayne,Az

I just took a closer look,,they were made in 2010..We will be tire shopping this week..thanks to all for replies..

craigjacob1

I had a set of maxxis tires that I only put about 5k on in 10 years. the sidewalls pretty much turned to dust.

Sloerolla

"Not an expert "?? Shoooot...

Jeepwalker

My boss bought a 69 Chevelle. The tires on it were in the range of around 22 years old. He'd been meaning to get in and get them replaced. One day coming to work he had one explode. I saw it and it was shreaded. Fortunately it was in the rear and he didn't lose control. Obviously those were WAY overdue, but just shows ya they can definitely let go.

That said, I've driven on lots of tires which were 10 years or more old and been fine.

dave1123

Tires are not the only thing that you have to watch out for on older vehicles. A friend of my dad's found a cherry 57 Chevy in a barn. (Yeah, I know. Sounds like a fairy tale, right?) He got it started and drove it home after a little prep work. On the way home at 55 mph, the driver's side front wheel bearing seized and burnt off the spindle, resulting in the loss of the whole tire and hub! Not a good day! He then had to have it flatbedded home. It ripped up the front fender so that had to be replaced as well.