When are tires too old?

[Walter Joy]

Delmae currently wears two bias ply SNOW TIRES that were on the car before it was parked in 1993, an unknown radial found in my uncle's shed mounted on one of the original steel wheels, and a Dakota spare tire that had been stored in a shed for 20 years. Granted this is solely for moving around the wrong and occasional low speed drive down the road, but I have had it probably up to 30 mph and been beyond scared the snow tires were going to blow apart. New Cobra Radials are planned.

 

[patrick66]

I remember, about ten years ago, I bought a '70 Monaco at an auction for $250. Complete 383 4-dr, triple pickle car. The tires were truly ancient. Possibly from the early '80s! Trailered it home. I had rolled it on those tires maybe a hundred feet - on trailer, off trailer, into the shop. Stuck it in the shop and closed the door. Heard a loud "pop!". One of the fronts blew out, just sitting there! Five minutes later, the other front blew. I'd never encountered that before. Of course, these tires were barely recognizable as tires initially, as it was.

 

[Big_John]

I have to ask, why? And are you doing it with hand tools or do you have a machine?

It's because I'm cheap... and I often buy tires online... AND I'm freaking tired of the high pressure "upsells" that go along with the tire store experience. Apologies to @cbarge if his tire store isn't like that, but geez, the ones here sure are.

Yes, I do it by hand...

 

[King Hooter]

I must need tires then. It's been probably 12-13 years since I bought my factory lace spoke wheels for the 81. I needed to put fresh rubber on them at that time. Hell some of the little stick-y out-y things are still on the sidewalls.

 

[LocuMob]

I must need tires then. It's been probably 12-13 years since I bought my factory lace spoke wheels for the 81. I needed to put fresh rubber on them at that time. Hell some of the little stick-y out-y things are still on the sidewalls.

Gotta drive it more!

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

I do my research usually on Tirerack.com for prices and crunching the spec numbers. If I had someone try to up sell me, I'd probably tell 'um to have a nice day and walk out. What most tire stores don't even realize iz that Tire Rake will deliver them to my front door for the same price they will charge them. Somebody's gotta mount and balance the new ones and I shop for a tire shop that has good balancing equipment and knows how to use it. A lot of variation on that end of it too, Jer

 

[King Hooter]

Gotta drive it more!

I know I know. Some day I'll get around to having the front end tightened up. Cause she likes to wander around at speed on the highway

 

[LocuMob]

A front end rebuild is an awesome thing. (To whatever degree your car needs, that is.) I hope to see your car around in the near future.

 

[BigblueC]

I shop for a tire shop that has good balancing equipment and knows how to use it.

That's a whole other thing to figure out. Too many of these shop monkeys don't know to line up the paint marks and wind up putting a few pounds of weight on a tire to get it to balance, or they just never can get it right.

 

[rapidtrans]

A front end rebuild is an awesome thing. (To whatever degree your car needs, that is.) I hope to see your car around in the near future.

First thing I had done on the Monaco after purchase. Tremendous improvement in driving enjoyment of the old ride. Now with the new 15 tires it corners much flatter.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

You can test on your old tires by placing on the rear and heating them up. Do that a couple of times and they are OK for use.

Do not use bias tires for anything but museum display. That leftover bicycle technology has no place on a 4000# car going 70-80 mph.

 

[rapidtrans]

You can test on your old tires by placing on the rear and heating them up. Do that a couple of times and they are OK for use.

I call it exercising the tires. Gotta keep em in shape!

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

The extreme heat here in AZ makes old tires very dangerous. I've had quite a few parts car tires blow apart just sitting in the back yard on a 110 plus day. I'd hear a loud pop and go out and find a tire flat with a piece of tread flapping in the breeze. Only on steel belted radials, never on an old bias ply tire. For that reason I used bias ply tires on parts cars whenever I could.

Hi Chris,

thanks for your observation

I never had a bias ply blow up.
The oldest ones I drove are from 1971 (still have them).
Some of them 30 year when driving. No issues. None ever failed and I drive mostly bias ply.

Radials are a differnt story.
Had two blown tires. One was a 8 year old cooper the other a 12 year old BF Goodrich Radial TA.
I had three radials developing bulbs. Twice cooper cobras, one coker. All beween 10-15 years

Carsten

 

[69monaco]

Don,t do this with old bias tires.....

 

[rapidtrans]

Not with a Volvo anyway.
But a brand new ‘70 Challenger R/T with F70 Polyglass GTs is another story.
That was standard procedure leaving the H.S. parking lot! YeeHaw!

 

[LocuMob]

Last time I did a burnout with the Polara, it took a about a mile before the tire felt "right", but it came around and off I went!

 

[my1966chrysler]

the goodyear poylglas tires on my 70 cuda are 38 years old i still drive the car with them. no cracks or dryrot. i have the tires sit on carboard when the car sits

 

[rapidtrans]

Back in the ‘70 I picked-up couple white letter Polyglass GT take-offs. Had them recapped with snow treads so they match the fronts on my Charger. Never saw white letter snows before but made tons of sense to me. Northern Michigan gets a lot of snow but my cars still gotta look good!

 

[Rustyrodknocker]

Back in the ‘70 I picked-up couple white letter Polyglass GT take-offs. Had them recapped with snow treads so they match the fronts on my Charger. Never saw white letter snows before but made tons of sense to me. Northern Michigan gets a lot of snow but my cars still gotta look good!

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.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I'm a firm believer that rubber likes to be used. Put a tire and put it on a car, use it once a month for a few miles and it will probably last a very long time. Put the same tire on a car and once a year drive it a few miles it may not last as long. Not an exact science but the idea is there.


Alan