Automobile Tire Replacement

[RLSharp]

Our local paper had the following article on replacing automobile tires based on their age just as recommended for RVs. Note that the last sentence incorrectly identifies how the date of manufacture is determined. As we all know, a tire produced in the 1990's decade would have three numbers and a triangle symbol. The first two digits would indicate the week of the year that the tire was produced and the last digit would be the last digit of the year of manufacture. Starting in the year 2000 the DOT number would be four digits with the first two digits indicating the week of the year and the last? two digits indicating the year.

Quote
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Ford Motor Co. has become the first U.S. automaker to warn customers that they should replace older tires, even if their treads are not worn out.

How is Ford warning people?
It has posted a tire warning on its Web site, www.ford.com, and it will be printed in owner's manuals beginning with 2006 model year vehicles.

Why is Ford doing this?
Ford officials said the move comes in response to a growing body of research that suggests tires deteriorate as they age and can experience failures, even if they look robust. My bolding.It is recommended that tires generally be replaced after six years of normal service. My bolding.

So there haven't been warnings before?
Similar warnings have appeared in Europe, but this is the first time one of Detroit's Big Three has cautioned U.S. customers.

What else is being done?
Activist Sean Kane has petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for an easy-to-read tire age label. Kane, the president of SRS Inc., a Massachusetts auto safety research firm, has documented 73 crashes related to older tires that have resulted in 50 deaths since 1999.
Kane also said the safety agency should issue a consumer advisory based on the latest research.
Also, New York state lawmakers are considering a bill to require tire makers to put "born-on" dates on tires sold in the state.

How do you determine the age of tires?
? Find the U.S. Department of Transportation tire ID number on the inner sidewall. It begins with the letters "DOT."
? The two numbers or letters after DOT identify the plant where the vehicle was made.
? The final four numbers show the week and year it was built. For example, 3197 means the 31st week of 1997.

Compiled from a Detroit News article.
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End Quote

Now we have to check our automobile tire dates as well as our RV tire dates.

Richard

 

[Ron]

I had no reason to think automobile tires life would be any different than RV tire life.  Every since I became aware of the 5 to 7 year since date of manufacture for RV tires I just automatically applied the same criteria to our toad tires.

 

[John From Detroit]

Makes sense to me too RON,,, If anything I'd expect that RV tires, being truck tires, might actually be of higher quality and last longer

Oh, I can tell you what Mitchelin says about parking for extended periods......  AND covering tires for sunlight protection

Mitchlin, (The owner's manual for my tires no less, wow, even tires have owner's manuals) says that the tires contain oils and emoulants which protect the tire against the elements INCLUDING THE SUN, and that these items are brought to the surface, where they can work, when the tire flexes, as it normally does when driving

So, if you park it for oh, say, six months (My figure, not theirs) unload (again my word) the tires and cover them up

Else, DRIVING on them is the best way to maximize their life