Tyre age

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MollyOwner
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Tyre age

Post by MollyOwner »

I have a set of tyres on my convertible that are 19 years old. They have covered just under a thousand miles and the car has been garaged for twenty years, moved every month to spread the weight on the tyres. Side walls look perfect and no signs of cracking. I’m loathe to change them unless necessary but safety must be my first priority.
Is anyone else running older age tyres?
Kind regards
Charlie 😀
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Tea
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Re: Tyre age

Post by Tea »

I had 12 year old tyres on the rear wheels until yesterday. Although they had more than enough tread and no visible damage, they were starting to get flat spots after just a couple of weeks of being in the garage. As far as I am aware, tyres should be changed regardless of perceived condition after 10 or so years.
mogbob
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Re: Tyre age

Post by mogbob »

Charlie
Change them now !! I suddenly woke up to the fact that mine were 11 years old and had done little mileage.
Advice on the useful life of a tyre varies depending what you read 6/8 years max.
I changed mine and put the hardly worn tyres on a set of slave wheels that I keep.
On my wife's modern, tyres not so old , sidewalls great , tread good to go / legal but you could see in the depth of the treads cracks were appearing. I changed them pronto.
Do you fancy a tyre blow out at speed ? How do you rate your chances , if you don't renew. Damage to the car ,other vehicles ,other people , yourself and passengers ?
The Insurance Assessor will read the date code on the tyres , plain to see , and then probably pay out on the third party aspect on your Insurance cover but I guess not your loss. God forbid ….if loss of life was involved
the Police would be taking more than a keen interest in the " roadworthiness " of your vehicle.

Sorry Charlie , I'm not a gambling man , but 19 year old tyres are a no brainer in my books.
Bob
palacebear
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Re: Tyre age

Post by palacebear »

My choice would be to change them. I wouldn't feel comfortable driving on rubber of that age.


Whilst legislation for buses and coaches may well be different, there was an incident in 2013 where a coach was involved in a fatal collision after a 20-year-old tyre blew out (makes me wonder how a vehicle presumably in regular use could still be wearing old rubber). Inquest into deaths found the failed tyre was 'probably' the cause of the collision.

A subsequent bill, outlawing the use of 'old' tyres on buses and coaches was presented to the House of Commons last year. It has stalled pending research into how age-related deterioration affects tyres.

IMHO if the bill ever makes it onto the statute book, it should apply to all categories of motor vehicle.
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geoberni
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Re: Tyre age

Post by geoberni »

Thought I'd post this link to where they explain about tyre ageing and also how to find out the age of your tyres.

https://www.protyre.co.uk/car-help-advi ... -of-a-tyre
Basil the 1955 series II

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MollyOwner
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Re: Tyre age

Post by MollyOwner »

Thank you all. Will be ordering tyres ASAP and probably get rims shot blasted and powder coated. Have just found a firm in Birmingham that will also remove the old tyres and then replace with my new ones for £35 per tyre.
You have all confirmed what I was thinking and will act pronto.
I like the idea of keeping the current ones for the car to stand on over winter. Good idea. Thank you
Charlie
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mogbob
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Re: Tyre age

Post by mogbob »

Charlie
Good decision.
If you do swop , current for slave wheels , over the winter lay up, store the " other set " flat , ideally in a dark , shady area away from ultra violet light to keep them in good condition.
£35 per wheel to change tyres over. My pal ( Manager in the Tyre Trade - man and boy) charged me no where near that figure. I'd get other quotes. If it includes the new tyre , I don't think you'll be getting " new " tryes.
Bob
MollyOwner
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Re: Tyre age

Post by MollyOwner »

Thank Bob. All noted and will do that.
The £35 was for shot blasting and powder coating but not providing tyres.
Have decided to get new wheels while I’m at it because at least one has a very slow leak, probably through a rusty rivet.
Out of interest what psi do you run at. There seems to be figures of between 24 and 30 mentioned on here.
Charlie
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palacebear
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Re: Tyre age

Post by palacebear »

Mine is fitted with Bridgestone 145R14 radial tyres. The car seldom carries any passengers and never carries any heavy loads. I run with 26psi front and rear. I think this is probably too high, but any lower pressure and the tyres look under-inflated.

If you're getting new tyres (radials) I'd suggest you be guided by the tyre manufacturer's recommendation regarding pressure.

Most Minors left the factory with cross-ply tyres not radials. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the pressures listed in handbook or manual will relate to cross-plies.
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ianmack
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Re: Tyre age

Post by ianmack »

The 1970 handbook gives pressures for both types of tyre. Saloons should have 22 psi if on crossplies and 24 front and 26 rear if on radials.

While we should be wary of elderly tyres I think a visual inspection for defects is probably more important than a dogmatic time expiry. I’ve never heard of replacing at six years before and bear in mind that most of this advice comes from people in the business of selling tyres. There’s also the environmental question of disposing of vast numbers of old tyres, which may be recycled but are all too often fly tipped.

If buying new tyres it is convenient if you can get a spare set of rims so they can be blasted and coated, which takes a few days, tyres fitted and then just swapped over. Rims seem to be plentiful and cheap.
Biggles1957
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Re: Tyre age

Post by Biggles1957 »

I can most definitely recommend Bridgestone 145's - IMHP best by far for a Minor :D
MollyOwner
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Re: Tyre age

Post by MollyOwner »

Thank you for all the advice and views. Going to place an online order for five new tyres but will keep with145 14 as the 155 14 just won’t fit in the spare wheel space without really forcing it.
Have also found a firm in Digbeth, Birmingham to renovate existing rims for £30 each.
Hoping that powder coating will seal one rusty rim that’s leaking very very slowly.
Happy summer motoring
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RobThomas
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Re: Tyre age

Post by RobThomas »

First EVER puncture today. 13 year old (165/80/14) Nankang that had done perhaps 300 miles managed to pick up a piece of fencing wire and flailed the daylights out of the paint on the inside of the rear wheelarch. Not a happy bunny.
Can't really blame the tyre age since it hasn't shown a single crack in it anywhere.
Cardiff, UK
les
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Re: Tyre age

Post by les »

I don't think my tyres are old enough to cause concern but I'm grateful for these posts because they've motivated me to chock up my pickup, and take the weight off the tyres. I've not used it for probably a year or more, and have been thinking of the tyres getting flat spots.

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