<VV> Tire deterioration

[NicolCS@aol.com]

Here's what I've read: The Feds are thinking about stamping an expiration 
date of about 5 years on tires.  You can imagine the ruckus this would cause, but 
here's the theory:  The curing stage of manufacture vulcanizes all the pieces 
of a tire together.  The heat of vulcanization isn't the end of curing and 
tires continue to cure over time, with or without use.  The rubber gets harder 
and harder and bonds between the components weaken.  So, in their infinite 
wisdom they think that an expiration date is the answer. You might think the tire 
makers are all for this, but they're not.  As tires sit in their warehouse, 
the value decreases as they age. Would you want a tire that only has four (or 
three) years left? No! You would want the freshest ones. The warehouse thing is 
a nightmare for them. Though tire sales might increase, so would scrappage and 
gradual loss of inventory value.  Imagine the pricing - it would be as nutty 
as airline tickets!  "Sale Michelin XYZs regular $115; 2-year date only 
$43.99!" Plus, they would have to increase factory capacity yadda, yadda, yadda.
While this whole concept might make sense for 6-ton motorhomes where the 
tires are loaded to the max, bake in the sun 11.5 months at a time, and are driven 
by old guys wearing bifocals and pacemakers, I sure don't see it as a big 
problem in regular car use.
Craig (shopping for bifocals and a pacemaker) Nicol