Recommendations for Tyre replacement intervals

[Sue Franklin]

Help Gurus - have had this from a member.  Would appreciate your no doubt conflicting advice before I reply.

"Do you have a view about how long we should keep the same tyres on our cars, please?

On my Vitesse I have 4 175/70 R13 tyres and these were fitted in 2009 when the car had done about 30500 miles. The mileage at the moment is 33128 - a mere 2500 + miles done since that time.

Years ago when we had these cars , tyres wore out  because of use after about 12, 000 miles or so but I am sure that with very few miles done each year, tyre properties deteriorate  and after nearly 15 years, tyres may not even be safe - even with good tread on them which I have.

Can I please have your views - I am never seen any article on this subject in a Courier magazine."

My thoughts are that the tyres are well overdue a change despite the low mileage driven.  14 year old tyres are bound to have degraded even if kept in a dark garage?

Thanks!

Sue

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Sue Franklin
Lousy maths!

[Stratton Jimmer]

The RAC has this to say: 

There’s a useful rule of thumb to bear in mind.

Tyre experts Michelin recommend that, after five years or more on your vehicle tyres should be inspected at least once a year by a professional. Then, if they’re still on your car ten years after they were manufactured then they should be replaced anyway, as a precaution.

[dougbgt6]

Tyre manufacturers say replace after 7 years but, to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies  "They would say that wouldn't they?" 

I think 7 years is a guide line, sunlight does for them and a lot of us are keeping them in the garage 1/3rd of the year or more. I'm starting to get anxious as mine are 7 next year.

Which company is the biggest manufacturer of rubber tyres in the World?

Doug

[mishmosh]

1 hour ago, dougbgt6 said:

Tyre manufacturers say replace after 7 years but, to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies  "They would say that wouldn't they?" 

I think 7 years is a guide line, sunlight does for them and a lot of us are keeping them in the garage 1/3rd of the year or more. I'm starting to get anxious as mine are 7 next year.

Which company is the biggest manufacturer of rubber tyres in the World?

Doug

I worked with Mandy in 86. Her programme credit stated “ after a little spot of bother in 1963 , Mandy moved to Israel “ 

[sulzerman]

I changed my 10 year old Continentals on my spitfire last summer. They still had good tread and didn't really want to change them. However the tyre fitter commented they had gone quite hard and weren't supple anymore and probably wouldn't have been good in the wet under severe braking. 

Gives a bit of peace of mind knowing your tyres are good, particularly as we were doing a 19 day tour to France.

Edited October 26, 2023 by sulzerman

[Pete Lewis]

we had a local with a 2ltr Vitesse with 20 yr old tyres  it would spin the wheels in top gear at 40mph  

worrying and dangerous    they did get replaced 

but apart from being black and round they were hard and more of a skate that a tyre 

the amount of tread is the minor part of how a tyre grips the compound goes like a hard nylon 

very nasty but looks  good        dont do it    tyres are all you have between tarmac and the ditch  or the morgue

keep safe   be sensible 

Pete

 

[JohnD]

I've just had a google around to see what advice is out there.    The AA and RAC say, rightly, that tyres age due to sunlight, and the oxygen in the air, apart from misuse, running deflated for instance, and that old tyres should be replaced.  But they offer no advice on how old is too old.    Dunlop UK do the same, but their South African and Australian branches are more direct - "Five years".  Sunnier climates?   Michelin says ten years.   The tyre dealers Black Circles say, "Tyres are considered to be “new” and fit for retail up to 5 years from the date of production. This is an industry standard based on the German BRV. When in use, it is recommended that tyres are replaced when they reach 6 - 10 years old, (6 years in the case of caravans or trailers)"   I'd add to the last "classic cars" unless you run a daily driver.

So you pays yer money and takes yer choice, but 14 years, let alone Pete's friend's 20 year olds, no way!

John

[Paul H]

I know for caravans the advice is 5 years 

Paul 

[dougbgt6]

17 hours ago, dougbgt6 said:

Which company is the biggest manufacturer of rubber tyres in the World?

As nobody has bitten

Bing tells me it's Bridgestone, but that's car tyres. The biggest manufacturer of rubber tyres is.....

LEGO

I'll get my coat.

[Pete Lewis]

Lego tyres wont fit my 2000 will they  ???   hi volume often make a low price  

Pete

[daverclasper]

On 23/10/2023 at 11:13, dougbgt6 said:

The biggest manufacturer of rubber tyres is.....

LEGO

Nice one Doug

[Mark B]

In my experience I think you will be lucky to buy tyres nowadays that last more than a few years before hairline cracks start to appear between the treads. Sitting on the same spot, lack of use,  out in the elements kill today's tyres in my opinion. Be good to actually wear a set of tyres out before they degrade. Next set I buy will be road/ track day tyres soft compound for that reason.

[PeteH]

When I bought my `09 Motorhome in 2018, the Spare was under the bed, Never been fitted, kept in the dark, the tyre date was `08 (build year). So by now it would be some 16+ years old. Still never been fitted, because I took it out and put it in the loft of the garage, a 25Kg saving in payload. My take is that I have full 24/7/52 coverage/recovery from RAC, and NO WAY am I ever going to try changing a tyre on a 3.8ton M-H, at My age. I do carry one of the Presurised "get you off the motorway, but ruin the tyre" gizmo`s. for use if desperate. The current tyres are 2017 date marked and will likely be changed soon. The one`s currently on "kit of parts! are so hard, but they are dated pre WW2 I think!!. But OK to push it about the yard.  When "laying up" it was/is recomended to put the pressure up by 10psi, helps stop the tyre developing flat spots, allegedly?

Pete

[mpbarrett]

I changed the tyres on my Herald after 6 years (rainmaster tyres) they were hard and started to crack.
The difference in grip with the new tyre was amazing, did the 10CR last years so wanted good tyres on the car.

mike

[Morgana]

The Herald manual has a nice diagram showing how to swap the tyres around so they all get used, including the spare, 'at least every 3,000 miles'. That way wear is evened out. Perhaps less problematic with modern tyre compounds, but not exactly a hardship. Mine's my only car so I'm concerned about tread wear from use more than age-related decay of the tyres as they'll be replaced before then. When I got the car the tyres were awful and a mismatch of years, but all over a decade old. If you're not driving regularly they do still need replacing, and certainly if I weren't certain of the condition I'd get someone to check them after five years.

Luckily, our tyres are cheap compared to the low-profile things in fashion now. My partner has winter and summer tyres for the MGB and the best ones were still very reasonably priced. For the only part of the car in contact with the road, and being on alert for dealing with modern idiots who think their car aids are driving for them, I think anything else is a false economy.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Morgana

[thescrapman]

I have 3 sets of early 80’s Pirelli P6s and they are going to last me forever, even wheel spinning constantly, no signs of wear. never going to need to buy anymore in my lifetime. Which may not be long if I use them on the road. But great fun to cover my inadequacies going round the cones. I am sure I look the dogs danglies doing 4-wheel drifts on full opposite lock.

🙂

I do not manage to wear out tyres on my Triumphs anymore, they tend to get swapped after about 10years, or fitted to someone else’s car.

My old Discovery has about 8 year old tyres on it, and I think they are about 2 years past when they should have been changed. Hardly worn, but lots of cracking between the treads, and seem to have gone very hard. Getting new ones soon.

 

 

 

[Wagger]

Maybe not in my lifetime, but 'Run flats' have come a long way since the first ones. (Excluding Denovo). There are some really 'Comfy' ones around now and this will improve with time. I have them on my main car and use aftermarket pressure sensors that monitor temperature as well as pressure.

There are many suspension mods to our classics that could cope with these if regulations ever allow their fitment to our little cars.

[Stratton Jimmer]

The GT6 suffered a failed tyre which was 8 years old. The sidewall failed with no trace of a puncture wound to be found. It was a cheap Chinese "Mohawk" tyre.

[JohnD]

You may like to review this issue from the YouTube channel "Just Rolled In".   Last item: 

 

[Dougal Cawley]

The best tyres these days for a GT6, Herald, Spitfire 1500 etc these days is the 155R13 Pirelli Cinturato CA67 that has just been re made.

This tyre has been made again for the first time in years.   It has the right carcass structure for your cars, and modern improved compounds. the carcass presents the footprint to the road in a way that makes classic cars handle better than modern tyres. and the compounds increase the grip. specially in the wet.

Edited November 29, 2023 by KevinR
Direct advertising link removed

[JohnD]

Dougal,

You have posted just twice here, both times praising a particular manufacturer's tyres to the skies, apparently from some detailed knowledge of the industry.

Please tell us your connection to tyre  manufacture or supply, so that we may know your expertise?

John

[dougbgt6]

John,

Mr Crawley profile says he runs Longstone tyres and has a "deep association" with Triumphs. 

Doug

[JohnD]

Of course! How could I be so cynical?

John

[Pete Lewis]

at last nights pub meet it was divulged that on checking his  Stags boot out to tidy up too many spares found the spare wheel 

it was 29 years old .......it will get replaced 

so dont ignore the life expiry of your spare , yes it will get you home but these need some consideration

and age respect(of the tyre!!)    if used in emergency 

Pete

Edited November 28, 2023 by Pete Lewis

[Wagger]

My lodger and a neighbour have been running on their 'Space saver' spare for weeks now. I pointed out their folly and that the '80' was KPH, and was thanked by the lodger. Neighbour ony uses it for school runs, she said. Both of these cars are over five years old, so the pare must be dodgy.

When shopping, I have seen many more, running almost flat. Too many rely on warning lights, or ignore them.