When are tires too old?

[Rustyrodknocker]

The tires on my Fury may be too old. I know they have been on it over 20 years. I bought it two years ago and stored it. We went and got it a couple of weeks ago and it had 1 flat. Which we thought was pretty good. We aired it up enough to get on the trailer.
Last weekend I had the air hose out blowing the pine needles out of the engine bay. So I had the idea I could put some more air in the tires. Knowing I should just leave it. They were all holding. But I had to put in a few more pounds. Sure enough one was flat last night and now it will not hold. It has a slow bead leak. Rusty wheels I'm sure.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

For the kids in the room, a recap is when you take in your old tires and they glue new tread on them and its almost like having new tires but you have your same tires!
I have not seen recaps on a passenger car tire in years. Probably early 90's anyway.
Next time Im in that tire shop Im going to ask for some recaps.

I used to get them for a old chevy celebrity wagon I beat around for years. I can still get LT pick up truck tires capped with big truck tread, wears like iron. You have to be mindful of the 28/32 tread depth if you put a load on the pick up, it will wiggle around with that tall tread for the first 15-20k.

 

[rapidtrans]

I believe big rig tires are commonly recapped still. Radial tires probably wouldn’t accept recapping do the more flexible sidewalls.
Those snows I had never went over 55mph. I’d be leery to run them at freeway speeds very long.
This same tire guy saw-cut the tires on my old Willys Jeep PU. That thing could go through all the snow ma nature could throw at it.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

l. Radial tires probably wouldn’t accept recapping do the more flexible sidewalls

They take caps fine. Only reason a radial cap fails is because they capped a bad casing. Punctures that lead to belt failures is the reason you see tires exploded all over the highway in springtime. Either they capped a bad casing, (rusty wires that did not pop when it was ground) or as with most springtime failures the tire was punctured and the salt water from winter rusted the wires in the belts. The cap has no idea there is 100 psi inside the tire.
Bias caps are a whole different game. Heat is their enemy. It either overheats from low air or overload or over speed. If it does have a puncture the water will siphon into hole and get between the nine thousand layers of panty hose, or leisure suits that is supposed to keep it's shape. When the tire cools is freezes and separates the belts and they just kind of fall apart.
Regular virgin tires are made the same way tread rubber is different than casing rubber. Difference being the casing is cured when it is capped. Virgin tire this is all done before curing.

 

[cbarge]

Next time Im in that tire shop Im going to ask for some recaps.

Whatever generation is working at the counter may break out a sports or news recap!!!

 

[Barry S]

When I was in high school in the early 70s my Dad bought a 61 Buick Electra. It had been a field car so he put the cheapest retreads available on it to get it on the road, the tread had to be no more than 4" wide. Well, I had a blast in that car and at one point took it over 100mph on those retreads. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but looking back I'm amazed the tires held up. Someone up there must have been watching over me.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Whatever generation is working at the counter may break out a sports or news recap!!!

Or at the very least a blank stare.

 

[Mid70's Chrysler Fanatic]

Whatever generation is working at the counter may break out a sports or news recap!!!

Or ask you, "What's a Plymouth?"