Tire Safety: How Old Are Your Tires? | FerrariChat
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Tire Safety: How Old Are Your Tires?

Discussion in 'Chicago' started by Dave Bendl, Mar 7, 2005.

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  1. Dave Bendl

    Dave Bendl Formula Junior

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    #1 Dave Bendl, Mar 7, 2005
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    Now that we are on the brink of Spring, and the new driving season is about to start. It might be a good time to take a look at the tires on your car. First, do you know their age ? If you don't, you might want to find out.

    I bought my 82' Boxer late last Summer. The car had less than 5k miles on the clock. The tire's looked good, lot's of tread left. Since BBI's were fitted with Michelin TRX's as OE, I sent an e-mail to the US Rep, Coker Tire in Chattanooga, Tn. with the serial numbers/date codes. Michelin TRX's can be quite tricky to decode the date codes. I was shocked to learn that the rear tires were manufactured in 1987. The fronts may have been original to the car.

    I ordered new TRX's, and had them shipped to Ed's Affordable Automotive. While dismounting the old tires, I found that they didn't look as good as I thought. The rubber was no longer "alive" and you could clearly see dry rot on the side walls. If Ralph Nader had been there he would have signed them "UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED".

    Please, for your safety, check your tires before the new season starts. I have seen what a blow out from a steel belted radial can do, and it's not pretty.

    While mounting the new tires, Skip Williamson noticed something. Embossed in the treads, are little Michelin Men (see attached pic) I don't know what they are about, but I'll make sure they disappear on my first test drive.
    Dave
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  2. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 tifosi12, Mar 8, 2005
    I agree and replaced tires on both cars despite plenty of thread left. The rubber just gets too hard after a while. Besides: New tire technology comes in handy anyway.
     
  3. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

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    #3 parkerfe, Mar 8, 2005
    I ordered new TRXs from Coker for my Boxer today.
     
  4. spike308

    spike308 F1 Rookie
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    #4 spike308, Mar 8, 2005
    OK... to expose my complete ignorance on the topic...
    how old is too old?
    Went thru the records on my car, looks like she got new shoes in 1994.
     
  5. Dave Bendl

    Dave Bendl Formula Junior

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    #5 Dave Bendl, Mar 8, 2005
    Good question Mike. 1994? They are now 11 years old. I'm no tire expert, but if they were mine I would probably opt for replacements. But that's my opinion. I have yet to find any publication that say's once a tire reachs an certain age to replace it. Mainly due to liability reasons I'm sure, but also a number of "that depends" reasons. "That depends" meaning the compounds used to make the tire, how the tires have been used, stored, rated etc...

    I would start by giving your tires a really good visual inspection. Regarding the tires on my Boxer, the outboard sidewalls and tread areas looked really good. Tire dressings can hide dry rot cracks. Check the tread area and the inboard sidewalls of the tires for cracking. While there, check the sidewalls for abrasion, blisters, cuts or other damage from road hazards. Check the tread area for any nails, screws, cuts or anything that shouldn't be there. If in doubt for any reason, have a pro look at them for a second opinion.

    FOC did a very good article in Pilota Magazine (12/04 issue) on tires. Written by Editor Tex & Tambi Otto, Tex wrote, "Owners of older Ferraris battle rubber deterioration and tread cracking. They are potential bombs waiting to rupture." This article got my attention to source new tires and I'm glad I did.
    Good luck,
    Dave
     
  6. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 tifosi12, Mar 9, 2005
    And Tex knows what he is talking about, he has a 250 GT.
     
  7. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

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    #7 bill365, Mar 9, 2005
    By the time tires get to be 4 to 5 years old, while they may not be "bombs", the have lost a lot of their life. They tend to harden and lose a bit of grip on acceleration, turns and braking, every year they age.

    I know that with F-car drivers, this is a stretch, but just to cover the bases.... If you intend to engage in "spirited" driving, get some new skins for your baby, before you find out how really strong a tree can be.
     
  8. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    #8 FerrariFrank1, Mar 9, 2005
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    Well,I don't know about Trees....but I can surely attest to Telephone Poles....

    I think I've told everyone about how I broke my Neck in 2 Places back in 1985,(I was 25) I was not driving "Spirited",and my Tires were good. But,it was late November. It was Raining hard. And,to avoid a Head on collision with a Big Oldsmobile 98,that suddenly drifted into my lane,head on. I had to take very quick,evasive action. There was a "soft shoulder" of mud and gravel. I drove off the road to avoid the imminent head on Collision. I hit the gas hard. But,this was a very High Performance Car,with a 4 Speed,( I down shifted to go faster) and 4:56 Rear End. And,when I returned to the wet road,started Spinning....and Spinning....and Spinning....Until I stopped.......... Sideways into a Telephone pole.(Ouch!!!!)

    The car was a 1975 Corvette. Red/Tan. 10 years old at that time,with 29K original Miles. It had a Nicely worked 383 Cu.In. Motor with all of the Goodies. A 4 Speed Tranny. And,a 4:56 Gear in the Rear for quick take offs. Twin Turbo Hood,and Hooker Headers into Black sidepipes.

    First,here are a few pix of it before the Crash....
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  9. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    #9 FerrariFrank1, Mar 9, 2005
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  10. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    #10 FerrariFrank1, Mar 9, 2005
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    Here is 1 Picture,standing on top of the car,looking straight down into the Cockpit. Note that the complete Passenger side-Door,Frame,Everything,is all the way into the Center Console.
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  11. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    #11 FerrariFrank1, Mar 9, 2005
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  12. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    #12 FerrariFrank1, Mar 9, 2005
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  13. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    #13 FerrariFrank1, Mar 9, 2005
    Sorry so many pix....But,I figure,I haven't posted any in many,many months so what the heck. But,my point is. (And Bill and Dave's,too,I'm sure) is that Tires are very Important. My unfortunate incident was due to slick Weather. But,if your Tires are worn,they will not grab like they are supposed to in the rain or Snow.(Or even Dry pavement,for that matter....)

    Plus,going fast on the Highway,in the Summer with old tires,is,exactly what Dave said...a Time Bomb...a Blowout...at high speed. Tires get very Hot...the Air inside expands...and if they have any weaknesses,anywhere,BOOOM!
     
  14. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #14 tifosi12, Mar 10, 2005
    Frank, I'm glad that pole hit the car on the right side, not the left one...

    The threads on my 308 were still good, but the tires felt as if they had not much grip: Acclerating out of a stop light and turning 90 left would always get me sideways in the middle of the intersection. And the 308 is not that powerful.

    So I got some new rubber and now the car sticks better to the road. Oddly enough it also feels different through the steering wheel, enough so that I had the steering wheel etc checked soon after the tire change. But the shop assured me the difference in feel came from the tires.

    Again, that wasn't really about thread or the length thereof but more about the hardened rubber and the advantages of new tire technology alltogether.
     
  15. Chelle

    Chelle Formula 3

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    #15 Chelle, Mar 10, 2005
    wow Frank - you said it was bad..... but wow.. glad you made it through that!
    Chelle
     
  16. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    #16 FerrariFrank1, Mar 10, 2005
    Thanks,Andreas. Me too!....:) And,Thank-You,too,Chelle!

    And,don't forget...that was my Second Bad Accident....My first one was when I was run over by a Bus,while I was on a Motorcycle....(OWWWWW!!!!!...:( ) No pix from that one.

    The funny thing was that my Step Dad towed the 'Vette to his Car Repair Shop that he had in Berwyn. I didn't see the Car for about a Month,as,I was in the Hospital. When I kept asking him about how bad the Car was. He said that there was some hope...he could straighten out the Frame,and get some replacement parts. Well,once I saw the Car,I knew that he was just passifying me when I was in the Hospital. No way that car could have gotten straightened out.....

    And...AND....to top it all off...At that time,I played Guitar in a Heavy Metal band,on the side. (Mostly for Fun...Free Beer...You know...;) ) I had really Long Hair,halfway down my Back. After I woke up from Surgery,I noticed a big,Pound Size Ziploc Bag....Full of Hair..................Needless to say......Yup,they sure did....:(
     

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