Cracked tire warning!

[old yellow 78]

The Uniroyal Tiger Paw GTS tires that came already mounted on my Road Wheels had some small cracks in them when I got them, but they seemed quite serviceable and they had a lot of tread left. Well, I should have kept a much closer check on them, or better yet just replaced them with new. I had not checked the date of manufacture either which was also a mistake.
Recently, within just a couple WEEKS, the tires completely deteriorated to this condition seen below! The small cracks between the treads split wide open and the steel belts began to bulge out. The belts on one back tire broke and warped the sides of the that tire too. This happened just about the same time that I put the new KYB shocks on, so I thought the ride was rough and choppy because of the shocks being too stiff. I did notice that the cracks had become somewhat worse when I put the shocks on, but I really didn't pay much attention. Big mistake. They got much worse FAST, and I am really lucky that they didn't blow out on me. I have learned a good lesson: No more cracked tires! The old rubber that is cracked is brittle and can split with no real warning other than a rough ride! So as a warning to anyone tempted to drive on cracked tires, I am posting this separately although the discussion had started in my previous post:
OHMs at the coil pickup in the distributor
When I finally looked at the date of manufacture, it said "04" meaning 2004 which is WAY too old! So, now I have put the old steel wheels with blackwalls and pie plate hubcaps back on OY for the time being until I can get the Road Wheels painted and put on a set of NEW tires! OY rides great now using the original tires I had on it, and I found out the choppy ride wasn't due to the new shocks at all, but to rotten tires that were ready to blow out at the next pothole! Whew!

All those little cracks between the treads suddenly split wide open:

The warped profile of the one rear tire shows the broken belts inside! YIKES! :

 

[XfbodyX]

Wow, good save and you got dam lucky.

HEY!

The Uniroyal Tiger Paw GTS tires that came already mounted on my Road Wheels had some small cracks in them when I got them, but they seemed quite serviceable and they had a lot of tread left.

As you know now, cracked tires mean junk tires. Never trust tires that even seem a bit off.

But you already know all this now and probably wont ever run a sketchy tire again.

Junk just like radial T/As

 

[AJ/FormS]

You might be able to solve that problem real cheap; I could bring my own tires.lol

 

[Charrlie_S]

You should always check the date on tires. The rubber deteriates even if they look good. It is recommended to not use tires that are more then 10 years old. Where I live (florida) with the temp and sun, I would not run tires more then 8 years old. I just bought a late model used car, from a dealer, and made them put new tires on the car, as he date code was 50th week of 2010.
PS: When you buy new tires check the date code before they are mounted, I have seen tire stores selling tires, as new, that were sitting in a warehouse for years.

 

[old yellow 78]

cracked tires mean junk tires

A very good phrase to remember! I know I won't forget it.

I could bring my own tires.lol

Lol! That's not going to happen.

The rubber deteriorates even if they look good. It is recommended to not use tires that are more then 10 years old. Where I live (florida) with the temp and sun, I would not run tires more then 8 years old.

Yep! Good advice. These tires came from Tulsa Oklahoma, off the wagon that I got my plaid seats from. They looked pretty good initially, but now I know better (see reply #1 above!), and realize that they were 15 years old. I guess sitting for too long and the hot Oklahoma sun did them in.

 

[volare 77]

My camper tires looked like that. I replaced them this year. They were 6 years old. My tires on my volare are 20 years old and look like new. Once it gets back on the road i will be changing them out.

 

[Charrlie_S]

My camper tires looked like that. I replaced them this year. They were 6 years old. My tires on my volare are 20 years old and look like new. Once it gets back on the road i will be changing them out.

Actually, the "OLD" tires seem to last longer. Think it has something to do with the rubber compound. My old drag slicks lasted for years and years (I did not wear them out), but the new ones only last 2 or 3 years, before the sidewalls start to crack.

 

[old yellow 78]

Drove OY down the road a bit today and took a few pics with its old original black steel wheels and factory hub caps. I had taken these off and stored them when I got the road wheels, but put them back on when I found out the "small checking" the Tiger Paws had between treads had suddenly become major canyons! This is a completely different look from the Road Wheels, and I like it too as well as the Road Wheels.

 

[Locomotion]

I had a brand new 16" trailer tire that was always stored indoors or in the trailer. I didn't have to use it for about 7 years. When I did put it on the trailer, it peeled the tread off like a banana after less than 1,000 miles! Luckily, it still held air and I drove on the steel belts for a couple of miles until I found a safe spot to pull off.

As for slick tread and sidewalls, they do make different compounds and the softer ones tend to wear quicker. Sidewalls can be made to last longer with higher air pressures (less wrinkle). But to minimize wear in the center, you should run a wider rim. That allows a flatter footprint with more air. (i.e.: 9" slicks on 10" rims)

 

[volare 77]

Do the older tires have a date code? I curious of what year my tires were made.

 

[Davesmopar]

Yes all tires have a date code on them at the end of the DOT number ....

From the first week in January of 2000 and up all car tires and light truck tires have a 4-Digit date code, 2317 equals 23rd week of 2017.....

If it is a 3 digit date code then the first two numbers are the week the last number is the last digit of the year only, from 1999 and older. So if you have a date code of 238, then that would be 23rd week of either 1998, 1988, 1978, Exedra Exedra

 

[MiradaMegacab]

Michelin’s didn’t last me too long...
Dry rotted up front and IDK what happened to the rears.......lol

 

[Davesmopar]

View attachment 37059 View attachment 37060 Michelin’s didn’t last me too long...
Dry rotted up front and IDK what happened to the rears.......lol

Believe It or Not Michelin Tires are the worst for dry rot cracking..... and a lot of BFG tires dry rot crack also

 

[Opticon77]

Those are all I buy. Of course I do it for wet/dry grip and ride... so I'll usually lean toward a "30k mile tire" and swap it out every 2 years.

 

[Davesmopar]

Those are all I buy. Of course I do it for wet/dry grip and ride... so I'll usually lean toward a "30k mile tire" and swap it out every 2 years.

What size tire what's the application for

 

[Opticon77]

From 205/55R15 to 295/30R19 on about 2 dozen cars by now. Usually BFG Gforce Sport and Michelin Pilot 3 seasons with separate dedicated winter wheel sets (Usually Michelin Xice though I've had some cheaper Yokohamas that worked well enough).

 

[Davesmopar]

From 205/55R15 to 295/30R19 on about 2 dozen cars by now. Usually BFG Gforce Sport and Michelin Pilot 3 seasons with separate dedicated winter wheel sets (Usually Michelin Xice though I've had some cheaper Yokohamas that worked well enough).

Well that narrowed it down a little bit. Lmfao

So you're doing all ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires and wearing them out before they have time to dry rot it sounds like......

 

[Aspen500]

Cracked tires............you should see some of the tires people bring in to the shop from farm equipment to get replaced. Cracked doesn't even BEGIN to describe them. Then sometime's they'll ask "can you just put a tube in it?" Ummmm, no.

 

[F body Deconstructor Jim]

6 years is the big tire store "won't touch it" date here.
Won't even check and rebalance tires they sold if they get old.

New rubber compounds seem to harden after a few years.
I've got some bias ply tires out back that still have tread hold air and look like could be a decent spare.

 

[XfbodyX]

On my parts runner I buy the cheapest tires I can get and for the miles I drive they are just worn out every third year so I replace them in the fall just before winter (da) but for like $200 out the door Im happy. Havent needed to replace tires on the newer dart yet but them will be alot more.

I just wonder how batteries survive in the hotter desert states.