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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / February 2007

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Old tires unsafe?

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Martik - 03 Feb 2007 01:05 GMT
I have 9.5 year old Yokohama 195 HR60/15 Avid H4's with approx 40% front 60%
rear tread left. There is a significant shimmy at approx 30-50 mph which is
not noticable until the tires have been driven for 2-3 miles. Dealer refuses
to balance them as he says they are too old and dried out and could separate
at any time and the shimmy is caused by shifting belts. Does this make sense
or is he just trying to sell me new tires?
HLS@nospam.nix - 03 Feb 2007 01:18 GMT
> I have 9.5 year old Yokohama 195 HR60/15 Avid H4's with approx 40% front 60%
> rear tread left. There is a significant shimmy at approx 30-50 mph which is
> not noticable until the tires have been driven for 2-3 miles. Dealer refuses
> to balance them as he says they are too old and dried out and could separate
> at any time and the shimmy is caused by shifting belts. Does this make sense
> or is he just trying to sell me new tires?

IMO, he could be tellin you the straight truth..   Ten year old tires have
suffered some
deterioration.

He does not want the liability.  Do you? Is it worth your life, or your
wifes',
or your child's???

I dont play games with tires or brakes.
Martik - 03 Feb 2007 01:38 GMT
>> I have 9.5 year old Yokohama 195 HR60/15 Avid H4's with approx 40% front
> 60%
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> I dont play games with tires or brakes.

Thanks all, I'll replace them. I thought treadwear was the only issue but I
was wrong:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/17/earlyshow/living/ConsumerWatch/main656
167.shtml

HLS@nospam.nix - 03 Feb 2007 14:29 GMT
> Thanks all, I'll replace them. I thought treadwear was the only issue but I
> was wrong:

They can develop sidewall cracks, Martin, with time.  Some people call it
dry rot.

I think you could store tires safely for 10 years IF you sealed them in
plastic bags filled with
nitrogen, and kept them cool and away from light.

Otherwise, they are likely to be risky.
Nate Nagel - 03 Feb 2007 17:32 GMT
>>Thanks all, I'll replace them. I thought treadwear was the only issue but
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Otherwise, they are likely to be risky.

I have actually heard of people *racing* on old tires that have been
dusted with talc, wrapped, and stored in a cool place.  IIRC it was a
certain model of tire specifically developed for salt-flats racing and
no longer produced?  So it can be done, BUT it would make me rather nervous.

nate

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Nate Nagel - 03 Feb 2007 01:22 GMT
> I have 9.5 year old Yokohama 195 HR60/15 Avid H4's with approx 40% front 60%
> rear tread left. There is a significant shimmy at approx 30-50 mph which is
> not noticable until the tires have been driven for 2-3 miles. Dealer refuses
> to balance them as he says they are too old and dried out and could separate
> at any time and the shimmy is caused by shifting belts. Does this make sense
> or is he just trying to sell me new tires?

If your tires are 9.5 years old, and you are having any issues at all
with them, I'd replace them.  I think most tire mfgrs. actually
recommend replacement about the 6 year mark or so regardless of mileage.
 If nothing else the rubber is probably getting fairly hard.

nate

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« Paul » - 03 Feb 2007 14:33 GMT
> I have 9.5 year old Yokohama 195 HR60/15 Avid H4's with approx 40% front 60%
> rear tread left. There is a significant shimmy at approx 30-50 mph which is
> not noticable until the tires have been driven for 2-3 miles. Dealer refuses
> to balance them as he says they are too old and dried out and could separate
> at any time and the shimmy is caused by shifting belts. Does this make sense
> or is he just trying to sell me new tires?

Oxygen reacts with the tire making it brittle.
Brittle tires separate and fail catastrophically.
IMO, 9.5 yr old tires should be thrown out.
Scott Dorsey - 03 Feb 2007 15:33 GMT
>I have 9.5 year old Yokohama 195 HR60/15 Avid H4's with approx 40% front 60%
>rear tread left. There is a significant shimmy at approx 30-50 mph which is
>not noticable until the tires have been driven for 2-3 miles. Dealer refuses
>to balance them as he says they are too old and dried out and could separate
>at any time and the shimmy is caused by shifting belts. Does this make sense
>or is he just trying to sell me new tires?

It makes sense, but without seeing the tires nobody can know for sure.

If the belts are shifting, you can balance the tires, but they won't stay
balanced.  And they're also apt to tear themselves up on the highway too.

If it were me, I'd replace them if there is any sign at all of any dry rot
or even cracking, but then I am paranoid.
--scott
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"C'est un Nagra.  C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

 
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