I've had to learn again, through misfortune, that tires don't age gracefully. My 92 thunderbird has only been driven 20,000 miles in the last 10 years. Recently my wife and I purchased a newer car for her daily use so the Thunderbird went back in to more use as I'm getting older and the LX features all work in the Thunderbird. How I have become spoiled. I seem to need power windows and door locks and I do enjoy the overdrive automatic transmission.
The misfortune was the right rear tire parted with it's tread at 55 mph. Oh yes the tires are indeed 9 years old. No visible weather cracking or other visible flaws. One thing to appreciate is the tire never blew. It actually held air for close to 24 hours. The car did not waver a bit. All I heard was noise. No sway, no bump. If I was a deaf man I never would have known. Fine Ford technology. Independent rear suspension may have played a part in it's stability.
I know very well the potential of old tires on cars at highway speeds. I just forgot how old those tires are.
So it's off to the store for four new ones and thanking my lucky starts that the only damage is to the now missing inner fender liner and a bit of bent sheet metal and a missing chunk of the back bumper cover.
So, think about how old your classic car tires are before you head out on the highway to the next show. Visually the tire had no flaws. It was aired up to the proper pressure as all my tires are weekly. This tire also had had no repairs for nails etc.
I have no idea how old the tires are on my Olds? I have looked, but have not found the DOT codes, which would reveal that answer. I would be sick if a tire went south and caused damage to my car.
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Dave Yaros Forum Admin 1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Conv 1992 Cadillac Allanté
If there is no date code then the tires are real old. I don't remember when it starts but tires have to be date coded on both sides soon I think.
At least my car is only 19. Ha Ha. Not all that much harm but if I farmed out the repairs it would be expensive. Including paint If I replaced the plastic bits it would be close to $600 if I did the work.
The fact is, you make a good point about to all appearances tires looking good suddenly disintegrating. It is a point well taken.
While I do not drive my cars that much, when I do, a lot of the miles are on trips, and at highway speeds. A couple of summers ago we took the Olds on vacation and racked up a lot of miles on her.
People who claim to be in the know say driving on tires 7 or more years old is not a wise idea. Others say 9-10, but no more.
All I know is I have had the one car for 6 years now, and the tires were on it when I bought it?
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Dave Yaros Forum Admin 1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Conv 1992 Cadillac Allanté
The sad fact is that there is no test. All we have are our eyes and the ability to know the age. My Tbird was garaged every day of our almost 13 years of ownership. It never sat out in the sun for the UV rays to eat away at the tires.
I guess I may have to defer to the six year unwritten rule. Apparently I used mine 3 years too long. It was less than six months ago I drove 200 miles round trip at between 70 and 80 mph.
you are right steve, They don`t age well , driven or not. Just sitting ,especially in the same place --ie rotation, they tend to crack. I had thought of taking them off my vehicle whilst it sits garaged but what if there is a fire??? How does one move the vehicle ?? mike
