WARNING - Dont Use Old Tyres

**101RRS** · 6th October 2023, 06:20 PM

For a few years I have had a set of new tyres stored in a dark room.

Recently I purchased a Jag "Club Car" which I had the intention to just use on local club events. I have covered a few thousand kms with no issues on these old tyres - I figured the tyres would have been good enough to use as they had been stored in completely darkened conditions.

Unfortunately, my plan to just the use the car locally came a cropper with a family crisis when at the same time my RRS was off the road and I had to use the Jag.

Last Sunday while travelling interstate I heard a rear wheel flapping and on pulling over I found the tread like this.

PXL_20231003_072729485.jpg

The tyre did not deflate but as you can see the tread and outer layer of steel bands were badly damaged - but the tyre still at 36psi. Initially I thought I had hit some debris but on reflection the damage was called by failure of the tyre - while speed was normally less than 100kph, outside temp was high due to the heat event.

On looking at getting a replacement I decided to replace all four tyres which was done today. This pic is of the same tyre taken today - see the extra damage over the above pic. During this time the tyre has just been sitting in the boot doing nothing.
PXL_20231006_032103452.jpg

So please learn from my mistake - do not use old tyres no matter how good they look condition wise and no matter what use you intend to use them for - these tyres had never been on a car previously.

Garry

**TonyC** · 6th October 2023, 06:55 PM

How old are they Garry?
They should have a date code on them.

Tony

**101RRS** · 6th October 2023, 09:21 PM

Not sure but I think 20 years - what fooled me was that they were new and stored for the whole time in the dark. For sure 20 years on a vehicle out in the sun, but I thought these would be OK given storage and and intended use.

A salient lesson on what can happen, that owners of many historic vehicles should take note of - particularly where old style new tyres are hard to find and period correct tyres are often used.

**POD** · 6th October 2023, 09:23 PM

Would be interested to know the brand and the codes?
Congratulations on the jag also.

**Tombie** · 7th October 2023, 09:35 AM

Ozone is the killer… and natural hardening over time.

I never trust a tyre that’s over 7 years old.

Thankfully you came away with little damage.

**Arapiles** · 7th October 2023, 04:11 PM

Yep .... our car in Japan had two sets of tyres and rims, the winter ones being Blizzaks which are brilliant in snow and on ice. The Blizzaks were near new when we brought them back with us and are stored in my shed in the dark. They look pristine but they'd now be 17 years old and I won't use them or sell them because they're way past their use-by date, and I'd be concerned about what happened to your tyres happening. Reminds me that I need to clean out my shed ....

**Phil 850** · 7th October 2023, 08:47 PM

I read an article some time back, that the tyres on your car will last longer than the spare (time wise, not wear).
As the tyres on the car are warmed during driving and they are constantly be flexed, the plasticisers in the rubber are forced to move around and keep the tyre flexible.
The spare on the other hand does not flex and the plasticisers slowly evaporate and the tyre becomes hard. When put on the road, even though it looks brand new, it is then prone to failure.
Now, once upon a time, when you got your car serviced, they rotated the tyres including the spare deliberately so that all of the tyres shared the mileage and you got the maximum life out of ALL of the tyres.
Can’t do that with a space saver or if you don’t have a spare like some modern cars.

Phil