Reading some posts on here about Tyres and the theory of tyres not lasting more than about 6 years. I have had an extra spare tyre and wheel under the bed for 5 years and its never been used. Would the life of this tyre have been prolonged had I kept it deflated ? Some tyre dealers surely have old stock sitting in the racks that they would sell and who really check the dates.
hako said
10:23 AM Dec 31, 2015
My uneducated opinion only but I'd figure the tyre would last longer inflated because when inflated the air sealing part of the tyre bead is forced against the rim of the tyre preventing it from drying out which then can cause leaks.
The 5 year figure is a recommendation from manufacturers and I've used tyres older than 5 years without problems, but I bet there are people who find tyres over 5 years old to be a risk.
Back in the 50's tyres would be left on the shelf a few years to harden the rubber....but then again they only lasted a fraction of the mileage you get out of modern tyres.
Good Luck.
Radar said
10:47 AM Dec 31, 2015
Interesting question about storage of tyres in the dark.
A little story, a friend brought a MG TC with no milage on it stored it in the family garage up on blocks unfortunately died shortly after, the grieving parents did not part the car until 1978 some 30 years latter, John cleaned the dust off changed the water and oil gave it complete service 10 years latter was still driving about on those orignal tyres. Now he did not go far from home and there is very little weight in the car, I would imagine possibly 2000ks he brought as a retirement investment only. Now to be honest I can not be certain if the car still has the orignal tyres on it or they have been replaced. The one thing I do know is because the car is orignal it holds servious great value.
As for tyre dealers holding old stock it would be rare these days but 1 or 2 years at the most for passenger tyres for light truck I would think not because of technology changes and the demand of better tyres for light truck eg smalls delivery vans, 4wds, small truck which are more common today then say 5 years ago. Most times when you go to a tyre retail they don't have them on the floor but with in a hour or so there on your car.
Earlier this year we needed new tyres I was about to do it in December but at the end of November the caravan was damage in a hail storm in the uncertainty of it being repaired or not we did nothing about the tyres, when we got it back I rang around to the local dealers and there was none to be had but could have them in Brisbane the next afternoon from Sydney. When we got them the manufacturers date 8 month 14 we had them fitted 2 month 15. So 6 month old.
Hope this helps.
Aus-Kiwi said
11:28 AM Dec 31, 2015
I think youll find the sun does more damage ? I have 25 year old car with original spare, never been used or taken out .. It looks brand new..
PeterD said
02:39 PM Dec 31, 2015
Radar wrote:
Interesting question about storage of tyres in the dark.
A little story, a friend brought a MG TC with no milage on it stored it in the family garage up on blocks unfortunately died shortly after, the grieving parents did not part the car until 1978 some 30 years latter, John cleaned the dust off changed the water and oil gave it complete service 10 years latter was still driving about on those orignal tyres.
This has nothing to do with storage in the dark. It is all about the vintage of the tyres. A modern tyre is constructed from compounds that "stick" to the road much better than they tyres on your friends TC. These new compounds are more volatile than the old compounds. The modern compound tyres also last a lot longer.
As hako said above Back in the 50's tyres would be left on the shelf a few years to harden the rubber....but then again they only lasted a fraction of the mileage you get out of modern tyres. This worked back then but I would no longer try it. I have only heard of the 5 - 7 year expiry time rule in the last 15 or so years. If it applied in the 50s to the 80s I'm sure I would have heard of it earlier, otherwise we would have been having more trouble with tyres on things like caravans and trailers that did not get much use. When looking at advice on tyres, look for the original date of publication. If it is old info or you can't determine its publication date then treat it as interesting history and not guidance for current conditions.
gemmybob said
08:55 PM Dec 31, 2015
The problem of the modern tyre life in storage is more to do with the rubber losing residual solvents to the air over time. These solvents leave the tyre at different rates and in different places over the tyre, thereby distorting and weakening the tyre. This is the reason older unused tyres are dangerous, if you examine the tyre you will find a manufacture date on the side wall, any tyre over 5 years is starting to become dangerous and should be used with extreme caution.
-- Edited by gemmybob on Thursday 31st of December 2015 08:56:30 PM
Pete49 said
10:52 PM Dec 31, 2015
I can honestly say that modern tyres have a use by date. I have a 420G Jaguar and some years ago I took it off the road due to other interests but had tyres on it with about 5000kms of use ( it was registered as a classic car in the auto club I was a member of) and it sat in the shed off the ground for about 12 years with an occasional turnover of the engine. The shed light was gloomy and dry floors. I then had more time to have fun so re-joined the club and got the Jag ready to use again usual stuff oil change grease up general tidy up but didn't worry about the tyres. Oh what fun that was. the 5kms to the club blew out a rear tyre and tread from another lifted. The spare (in the boot from new) lasted the slow drive home and blew out as I came to a stop in the shed. Now I change tyres at about the 6 year mark whether worn or not.
Just my 2c worth,
Pete
Izabarack said
07:34 AM Jan 1, 2016
Current and older compounds seem to age at quite different rates. Friend has a genuine Department of Defence stamped tyre made in the early 40s. The tyre comes out of its wrapper to go on the restored Indian about once a year, for competitions. Was a dodgy item back then, performance wise, and still is as he rode the bike to competitions. No cracks in the tyre or other signs of deterioration but I put that down to storage conditions when off the bike.
Current compounds used in tyres are completely different and I figure a 5 year life is a safe margin, as generally recommmended. Some brands of safety shoes have rubber soles that deteriorate into rubber "sand" with age. Without specific advice from tyre manufacturers to the contrary, I think sticking to a five year time from manufacturer is a sensible attitude.
Iza
PeterD said
12:33 PM Jan 1, 2016
Izabarack wrote:
Some brands of safety shoes have rubber soles that deteriorate into rubber "sand" with age.
Nort only safety shoes. A few times I have purchased shoes and sandals during a "second pair half price" sale. I have stored the second pair for later use. When they were first used the soles cracked across and then quickly disintegrated. They were not even 5 years ago.
hako said
01:37 PM Jan 1, 2016
OP's question was:
Would the life of this tyre have been prolonged had I kept it deflated ?
Good Luck.
Tomcat said
08:46 PM Jan 1, 2016
All good, I have seen enough valued info to not trust old tyres. I just thought that the constant tension applied to the tyre from infation would make it deteriorate more quickly. Interesting about the safety boots too as I mentioned it to a caravanning friend who said he had a pair of rubber soled sandals that fell to bits. Thanks people
Aus-Kiwi said
02:08 PM Jan 2, 2016
If flat yes it would as it cant be used. Not a good spare if flat though ?
Maybe last longer stored ? But by how much ? There is no way of telling ?
Tomcat said
03:10 PM Jan 2, 2016
Yes but we all have good pumps being travellers
Hey Jim said
07:50 AM Jan 3, 2016
Hi tomcat,
We travel from east to west a lot with our boat/ trailer.
We carry multiple spare tyres not fitted in addition to the two spares ready to go on in the event of a blow out for the trailer. The reason been, trying to get tyres out on the Nullabor Plain is just not on for us.
Never had a problem, as they do get changed over every few years.
Regards Jim
landy said
08:47 AM Jan 3, 2016
PeterD wrote:
Izabarack wrote:
Some brands of safety shoes have rubber soles that deteriorate into rubber "sand" with age.
Nort only safety shoes. A few times I have purchased shoes and sandals during a "second pair half price" sale. I have stored the second pair for later use. When they were first used the soles cracked across and then quickly disintegrated. They were not even 5 years ago.
Very few shoes today have a true rubber sole although there are still a few out there. mostly they are a urethane which has great wearing properties and is light but deteriorates badly with age. Landy
Reading some posts on here about Tyres and the theory of tyres not lasting more than about 6 years. I have had an extra spare tyre and wheel under the bed for 5 years and its never been used. Would the life of this tyre have been prolonged had I kept it deflated ? Some tyre dealers surely have old stock sitting in the racks that they would sell and who really check the dates.
The 5 year figure is a recommendation from manufacturers and I've used tyres older than 5 years without problems, but I bet there are people who find tyres over 5 years old to be a risk.
Back in the 50's tyres would be left on the shelf a few years to harden the rubber....but then again they only lasted a fraction of the mileage you get out of modern tyres.
Good Luck.
Interesting question about storage of tyres in the dark.
A little story, a friend brought a MG TC with no milage on it stored it in the family garage up on blocks unfortunately died shortly after, the grieving parents did not part the car until 1978 some 30 years latter, John cleaned the dust off changed the water and oil gave it complete service 10 years latter was still driving about on those orignal tyres. Now he did not go far from home and there is very little weight in the car, I would imagine possibly 2000ks he brought as a retirement investment only. Now to be honest I can not be certain if the car still has the orignal tyres on it or they have been replaced. The one thing I do know is because the car is orignal it holds servious great value.
As for tyre dealers holding old stock it would be rare these days but 1 or 2 years at the most for passenger tyres for light truck I would think not because of technology changes and the demand of better tyres for light truck eg smalls delivery vans, 4wds, small truck which are more common today then say 5 years ago. Most times when you go to a tyre retail they don't have them on the floor but with in a hour or so there on your car.
Earlier this year we needed new tyres I was about to do it in December but at the end of November the caravan was damage in a hail storm in the uncertainty of it being repaired or not we did nothing about the tyres, when we got it back I rang around to the local dealers and there was none to be had but could have them in Brisbane the next afternoon from Sydney. When we got them the manufacturers date 8 month 14 we had them fitted 2 month 15. So 6 month old.
Hope this helps.
This has nothing to do with storage in the dark. It is all about the vintage of the tyres. A modern tyre is constructed from compounds that "stick" to the road much better than they tyres on your friends TC. These new compounds are more volatile than the old compounds. The modern compound tyres also last a lot longer.
As hako said above This worked back then but I would no longer try it. I have only heard of the 5 - 7 year expiry time rule in the last 15 or so years. If it applied in the 50s to the 80s I'm sure I would have heard of it earlier, otherwise we would have been having more trouble with tyres on things like caravans and trailers that did not get much use. When looking at advice on tyres, look for the original date of publication. If it is old info or you can't determine its publication date then treat it as interesting history and not guidance for current conditions.
The problem of the modern tyre life in storage is more to do with the rubber losing residual solvents to the air over time. These solvents leave the tyre at different rates and in different places over the tyre, thereby distorting and weakening the tyre. This is the reason older unused tyres are dangerous, if you examine the tyre you will find a manufacture date on the side wall, any tyre over 5 years is starting to become dangerous and should be used with extreme caution.
-- Edited by gemmybob on Thursday 31st of December 2015 08:56:30 PM
I can honestly say that modern tyres have a use by date. I have a 420G Jaguar and some years ago I took it off the road due to other interests but had tyres on it with about 5000kms of use ( it was registered as a classic car in the auto club I was a member of) and it sat in the shed off the ground for about 12 years with an occasional turnover of the engine. The shed light was gloomy and dry floors. I then had more time to have fun so re-joined the club and got the Jag ready to use again usual stuff oil change grease up general tidy up but didn't worry about the tyres. Oh what fun that was. the 5kms to the club blew out a rear tyre and tread from another lifted. The spare (in the boot from new) lasted the slow drive home and blew out as I came to a stop in the shed. Now I change tyres at about the 6 year mark whether worn or not.
Just my 2c worth,
Pete
Current compounds used in tyres are completely different and I figure a 5 year life is a safe margin, as generally recommmended. Some brands of safety shoes have rubber soles that deteriorate into rubber "sand" with age. Without specific advice from tyre manufacturers to the contrary, I think sticking to a five year time from manufacturer is a sensible attitude.
Iza
Nort only safety shoes. A few times I have purchased shoes and sandals during a "second pair half price" sale. I have stored the second pair for later use. When they were first used the soles cracked across and then quickly disintegrated. They were not even 5 years ago.
OP's question was:
Would the life of this tyre have been prolonged had I kept it deflated ?
Good Luck.
All good, I have seen enough valued info to not trust old tyres. I just thought that the constant tension applied to the tyre from infation would make it deteriorate more quickly. Interesting about the safety boots too as I mentioned it to a caravanning friend who said he had a pair of rubber soled sandals that fell to bits. Thanks people
Maybe last longer stored ? But by how much ? There is no way of telling ?
Yes but we all have good pumps being travellers
Hi tomcat,
We travel from east to west a lot with our boat/ trailer.
We carry multiple spare tyres not fitted in addition to the two spares ready to go on in the event of a blow out for the trailer. The reason been, trying to get tyres out on the Nullabor Plain is just not on for us.
Never had a problem, as they do get changed over every few years.
Regards Jim
Very few shoes today have a true rubber sole although there are still a few out there. mostly they are a urethane which has great wearing properties and is light but deteriorates badly with age.
Landy