Discussion
Hi,
After a 9-year sabbatical on a SORN, my car's now back on the road. The tyres on it have less than a few hundred miles on them - you can still see the flashing and they look like new. I'm not sure of the exact age of the tyres, but I know it's over 10 years... They're Bridgestone RE71.
One positive thing is that the tyres have had very little UV exposure. UV is really damaging to rubber, and they've been in a dark garage for 99.99% of their lives (I've seen the difference UV makes in my daily job - it ages rubber tenfold).
Would you consider the tyres safe, or is using them a game of Russian Roulette?
The plan is to change the wheels + tyres, but re-commissioning the car has cost thousands and I don't fancy spending another four-figure sum straight away. I'd rather try and avoid fitting interim tyres, i.e. getting a new set for the current rims until I change them.
No one in their right mind takes chances with safety. Having said that, it seems a shame to throw away good tyres. If older tyres really are dangerous, how is it legal for firms to sell part-worn tyres? The tyre manufacturers say tyres should be changed every few yrs, but they have agenda, wouldn't you say?
Thanks in advance.
After a 9-year sabbatical on a SORN, my car's now back on the road. The tyres on it have less than a few hundred miles on them - you can still see the flashing and they look like new. I'm not sure of the exact age of the tyres, but I know it's over 10 years... They're Bridgestone RE71.
One positive thing is that the tyres have had very little UV exposure. UV is really damaging to rubber, and they've been in a dark garage for 99.99% of their lives (I've seen the difference UV makes in my daily job - it ages rubber tenfold).
Would you consider the tyres safe, or is using them a game of Russian Roulette?
The plan is to change the wheels + tyres, but re-commissioning the car has cost thousands and I don't fancy spending another four-figure sum straight away. I'd rather try and avoid fitting interim tyres, i.e. getting a new set for the current rims until I change them.
No one in their right mind takes chances with safety. Having said that, it seems a shame to throw away good tyres. If older tyres really are dangerous, how is it legal for firms to sell part-worn tyres? The tyre manufacturers say tyres should be changed every few yrs, but they have agenda, wouldn't you say?
Thanks in advance.
Edited by flat16 on Sunday 2nd August 17:18
My first thoughts are what car are they on and how will it be driven?
Was the car resting on the tyres for sometime? In which case they may have become "square" and impossible to balance. If, as you say, they have been stored correctly, then I would recommend getting them checked by a specialist[s] and consider changing them before any "enthusiastic" use.
Alan
Was the car resting on the tyres for sometime? In which case they may have become "square" and impossible to balance. If, as you say, they have been stored correctly, then I would recommend getting them checked by a specialist[s] and consider changing them before any "enthusiastic" use.
Alan
After discussing this very subject with a tyre manufacturer some time back I feel you would be taking a substantial risk if you used them since (you seem to be more clued up than me on this though) my information is that no matter what, the rubber degrades and the risk of a blow out under stress is greatly increased. I suffered the loss of two tyres because of this on my race trailer which hasn't done many miles but the tyres were 10 years old. If it's a Moggie 1000 OK, but if fast machinery I'd play safe. Just my take on the matter.
I'd be 50:50 on this.
If they were not on the car in that time and therefore as said above not gone square.....and were stored correctly, then I'd be inclined to say they'd be OK to use in the short term while fettling the car after the layup, but with a view to changing as soon as practicable.
However, I'm also in agreement with what lowdrag says, expecially if the car is a more performance oreintated classic.
If they were not on the car in that time and therefore as said above not gone square.....and were stored correctly, then I'd be inclined to say they'd be OK to use in the short term while fettling the car after the layup, but with a view to changing as soon as practicable.
However, I'm also in agreement with what lowdrag says, expecially if the car is a more performance oreintated classic.
I believe tyres only have a shelf life of 4 years! the tyres had been fitted before the 9 yrs period so they could easely be up to 13 yrs old!
change them! they are the only thing that are in contact with the ground
to keep them could cost you (your or worse somene elses life)!!!!!!!!!!
change them! they are the only thing that are in contact with the ground
to keep them could cost you (your or worse somene elses life)!!!!!!!!!!
I have to agree for piece of mind I would change them. As an example a mate bought a 1981 LP400S Countach with very low miles back in 1998. The car wore its original Pirelli P7's. When you examined the side walls carefully you could see that the rubber had started to perish but he was reluctant to change because of originality. Yes I nagged him into changing them. Soon after the car went down to Mike Pullen and the original main oil line had never been changed and that was badly perished as well. Lucky boy as it could have been very expensive on both accounts. As an aside my local tyre guy will not stock the michelin pilot cup sports because they only have a one year shelf life 
Definitely change them , there was an instance not so long ago of a sixties sportscar that overturned due to old rubber , the owner was killed outright , basically its just not worth taking the chance , there are plenty of options with reproduction tyre types these days if you want an original looking tyre. Try Vintage tyres , they are based down at Beaulieu
http://www.vintagetyres.com/
http://www.vintagetyres.com/
Edited by RedexR on Monday 3rd August 22:13
I am 100% on this - change them. Do not pass go, do not resist giving your tyre delay (several) £200. They are unsafe.
I bought an older car and, to be honest, did not consider this aspect (nor, thinking about it now, did the dealer!) and had one let go on the M6 at speed. Luckily the car behaved as I slowed it, I think in part due to the monstrous side walls! But it could have been a lot worse.
The tyres were older than yours, but in researching it I was told that 5yrs is as old as you want to go, no matter what the mileage. I will never drive a car with tyres older than that now (the most critical part of the car IMO).
Tyres have the age of manufacture on the sidewall somewhere. Tyres made after 2000 have a 4 digit code I believe that gives the week (01-52) and year of manufacture. Tyres before this have a 3 digit code and are already way too old!
I bought an older car and, to be honest, did not consider this aspect (nor, thinking about it now, did the dealer!) and had one let go on the M6 at speed. Luckily the car behaved as I slowed it, I think in part due to the monstrous side walls! But it could have been a lot worse.
The tyres were older than yours, but in researching it I was told that 5yrs is as old as you want to go, no matter what the mileage. I will never drive a car with tyres older than that now (the most critical part of the car IMO).
Tyres have the age of manufacture on the sidewall somewhere. Tyres made after 2000 have a 4 digit code I believe that gives the week (01-52) and year of manufacture. Tyres before this have a 3 digit code and are already way too old!
This really is something that should be incorporated into the MOT test isn't it ? apart from a tread depth check and visible condition (perishing and sidewall cuts) there is nothing that I am aware of that would stop you using tyres that are well past their reccomended 6 year shelf life is there ?
Thanks to all of you for the sobering information. The car is now confined to local, low-speed shopping trips until it has new tyres.
What I find so odd is the way that part-worn tyre sales are legal... Unless you're a petrol-head, how are you going to know if someone's selling you ancient tyres?
What I find so odd is the way that part-worn tyre sales are legal... Unless you're a petrol-head, how are you going to know if someone's selling you ancient tyres?
Nick_F said:
You're not. And while part-worn tyres may be cheap, if you can't afford decent tyres then you can't afford to drive.
Indeed.flat16 - I wouldn't even use it on shopping trips. Take it to a tyre depot and get it sorted (or better still, get a mobile fitter to you).
High speed blow outs might only risk your life. A tyre letting go around shopping areas, even at low speed, potentially risks more people.
And if you're insurance company looked into it...
Yep chuck them.
I had a pair of Bridgestones just like them on the back of a restored TR7, when I first put it back on the road.
9 years old, with only a couple of hundred Km on them, then stored in a sunless store, off the car.
I loved them. New P4000s on the front, with them on the back. With the hard rubber giving less grip, they were great fun.
Then I found myself on a new very smooth, stone mastic highway, in very wet conditions.
On a straight flat road, cruising, on little throttle, at 100Km/H the tail started to come round, very gently, & just kept comming. Nothing I did had any effect. I ended up backwards, about 300 yards down the road.
I then drove on, vert gently, & even at 60Km/H, it tried to do it again. No other cars were in trouble, so I don't think it was oil.
When I told the tyre bloke, the next day, as he fitted new tyres, he told me that the new road had caused a few crashes, in the wet, & some blamed old tyres. I don't know, but I personally slashed the side walls of mine.
I had a pair of Bridgestones just like them on the back of a restored TR7, when I first put it back on the road.
9 years old, with only a couple of hundred Km on them, then stored in a sunless store, off the car.
I loved them. New P4000s on the front, with them on the back. With the hard rubber giving less grip, they were great fun.
Then I found myself on a new very smooth, stone mastic highway, in very wet conditions.
On a straight flat road, cruising, on little throttle, at 100Km/H the tail started to come round, very gently, & just kept comming. Nothing I did had any effect. I ended up backwards, about 300 yards down the road.
I then drove on, vert gently, & even at 60Km/H, it tried to do it again. No other cars were in trouble, so I don't think it was oil.
When I told the tyre bloke, the next day, as he fitted new tyres, he told me that the new road had caused a few crashes, in the wet, & some blamed old tyres. I don't know, but I personally slashed the side walls of mine.
Ooooer. 
The fat tyres on my hot rod made it onto the road brand new back in 1985, for a few hundred miles, but then the car was stuck up on axle stands in a garage and left for 25 years.
The tyres look immaculate, but I thiiiiiiink I'll change them before I start feeding 300hp of big block Ford through them.
The fat tyres on my hot rod made it onto the road brand new back in 1985, for a few hundred miles, but then the car was stuck up on axle stands in a garage and left for 25 years.
The tyres look immaculate, but I thiiiiiiink I'll change them before I start feeding 300hp of big block Ford through them.
When rubber goes hard like that there is nothing to do except throw the tyres away, and that applies to any tyres they reckon over about 5 or 6 years old. I've just picked up new Blockley's for the D type because the old Dunlops hadn't aged (they hadn't had the time to) but had hardened after track use when they got very hot and would have had little residual grip. That's another danger with using tyres hard - plenty of tread left, not very old but the rubber has lost its elasticity.
lowdrag said:
When rubber goes hard like that there is nothing to do except throw the tyres away, and that applies to any tyres they reckon over about 5 or 6 years old. I've just picked up new Blockley's for the D type because the old Dunlops hadn't aged (they hadn't had the time to) but had hardened after track use when they got very hot and would have had little residual grip. That's another danger with using tyres hard - plenty of tread left, not very old but the rubber has lost its elasticity.
Were you tracking newish road tyres with lots of tread which makes overheating almost un-avoidable or were they a track orientated tyre that had not been previously heat cycled? - Have you tried Chemical Softeners? I'm not sure they are allowed in competition but they may well help salvage your Dunlops for general use.Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff