<VV> Old tires, Revisited (No Corvair)

[Bruce Schug]

Gary - I agree that this failure could have been caused by a road  
hazard, but I doubt it was. Why do you think it wasn't caused by age?  
I agree that the short side walls of these 35-series tires may have  
contributed to their demise, especially if their inflation pressure  
wasn't monitored carefully, although, with modern tire pressure  
sensors, that is less likely to be a contributing factor.  Anyone who  
drives on nine-year old tires is asking for an accident. There are  
many recommendations for how long tires are safe. Here's the  
recommendation from Tire Rack:

"Our experience has been that when properly stored and cared for, most  
street tires have a useful life in service of between six to ten  
years. And while part of that time is spent as the tire travels from  
the manufacturing plant to the manufacturer's distribution center, to  
the retailer and to you, the remainder is the time it spends on your  
vehicle."

If you haven't read this before from the Tire Rack's web site, you  
should. Also see parts 2 and 3. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=138



On Feb 10, 2013, at 7:45 AM, Gary Swiatowy wrote:

> From: "Ron" <ronh at owt.com>
> Subject: <VV> Old tires, Revisited (No Corvair)
>
> The recent discussion regarding the use of older tires became real  
> for me
> yesterday when I didn't expect it at all as I was just making a  
> quick trip
> to the store to buy some cat food.
> Not in a Corvair, my Chrysler has only 11,000 miles on it and the  
> tires are
> Michelin Pilot 255/35ZR19's speed rated at 186 mph.  Should be  
> pretty safe,
> right?  As I slowed down from 60 mph to exit the highway, the ride  
> became
> very rough but I continued to get off the highway and exited  
> slowly.  After
> driving 20 mph to a safe parking place, I found the right rear had  
> split the
>
> sidewall on over a third of the circumference and could be said to be
> shattered.  Glad I wasn't going 150, but then I never have.
> Only 11,000 miles, but, nine years, that's the fatal flaw!  They  
> were well
> cared for and the car had been parked under shelter at all times but
> apparently that's all they are good for.  And those Michelin tires  
> go for
> $355 each!
> Many days I feel safer in my Corvairs and yesterday was one of them  
> and my
> wagon has new tires that only cost $60 each.
> RonH - now relying on a reliable Rampside for backup while new tires  
> are
> ordered.
> ------------------------------
>
> Your tire problem most likely was not due to age.
> You could have just as easily hit a road hazard that made the tire  
> "air
> out".
> Continuing from speed to a safe place to stop could just as easily  
> caused
> the rim to cut the sidewall.
>
> Seen many tires over the years ruined because someone continued on  
> just
> enough to get off a road or to a safe place to change a tire.
>
> Gary Swiatowy
>

Bruce

Bruce W. Schug
Membership Chair,
CORSA South Carolina
CORSA member since 1980
'67 Monza, "67AC140"
bwschug at att.net