a general tire issue

[Tom in NM]

I don't usually forward "alerts" that I get, but this is an exception.

The following link will take you to an ABC News Report on an issue with old and aging tires, they may look new, but have been sitting around on the shelf for years and could possibly fail. In general, some authorities have recommended a tire life no longer than 6 years from the date of manufacture. It is an old August 2008 report, but, something we should watch for on our Spyders and other vehicles. The report is dramatic in nature, but the basic points seem well taken and fit with what I do know about tires.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4826897

In checking my Spyder, my tires were manufactured in 2008, confirming what I assumed. My Jeep tires were manufactured in the 29th week of 2005, they were 2 years old when I got them.

In another thread we were discussing Tire Pressure ( http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=150077#post150077 ) and I commented that I though tires were "everyday complex things". Things we see and use everyday, but are very complex and have issues we are not even aware of. Manufacturing techniques, materials, and better inventory controls may have addressed the problems discussed in this report, but . . . .

Just one more thing to consider as you live on the planet Earth in this new millennia.

Tom

 

[Smylinacha]

Actually w/ my Charger there was a class action lawsuit that got settle w/ the tires. I can get money towards new ones because they wore out faster than they were supposed to. And strange the other day I got in the car and my tire pressure light was on. Was the first cold day. They looked fine but then HDX put some air in them and the light went away.

I gotta go fill out the paperwork for the money - thx for reminding me!

 

[BRPjunkie]

Everything seems to have expiration dates. Many experts say to replace your helmet every five years since the protective qualities degrade over time. :dontknow:

 

[Neez]

Thank you, Tom, I was unaware of this issue. Nobody will ever sell me an old tire again. I think about all those squiggly skid marks and tire carcasses I see on the road and wonder how many were caused by aging rubber!

 

[NancysToy]

Oh, no! I think the original tires on my 1960 Honda Benly are out of date. What will I do now? :joke:

Seriously, this is a good reason to buy from a volume dealer, and not for price alone.

As to helmets, 3-5 years has been a standard in the industry for decades. It is not so much that they will deteriorate, but that it is unknown whether or not they will, especially given different climate and storage conditions. Nobody has ever tested old helmets to see if they actually changed.