[mgarblik]

Common sense needs to rule the day when it comes to tire replacement. Don't think it's necessary to scare the heck out of someone who runs a 9 or 10 year old tire on a collector car under certain conditions. Those conditions are, 1. proper tire pressure, 2. visual inspection of the rubber and the tread rubber deep into the root of the tread. If the rubber is cracking, time for new tires. If the tires are frequently exposed to high temps or lots of direct sunlight, they may need replacement at 5-6 years. Yes, they begin to degrade at that point, but collector cars frequently are not driven daily and don't get the sun and heat cycles. After 6 years, they need more frequent inspection and replacement is recommended at 10 years regardless of use, tread, and storage practices. It's hard to part with a set of tires that pass a visual inspection, run smoothly, and are perfectly balanced. The new replacements may be worse than what you are discarding although newer. Running tires for extended periods over 10 years old may be a bit risky.

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by JMB36TA

It's definitely a tire. The right rear has a bubble in it. Now the decision I have to make is to either get one BF Goodrich to match the other 3 and hold off on the Polyglas for a while, get 2 Polyglas that I want for the rear and leave 2 BF Goodrich in the front for 6 months and drive with mismatched tires, or break down and charge 4 new Polyglas. These things ain't cheap, with mounting and balancing I'm looking at over $1000 but it would drive me crazy to see 2 different tires on my car. I'm leaning towards one new BF Goodrich and using it as a spare when I get the Polyglas.

I rest my case.

Is this a correct, numbers matching restoration? One that you just drive every once in a while down to the local burger joint or cruise-in? And never on the highway? If so, then you could probably go past the 6 year mark, if you pay close attention to the tires.

If it ever goes out on the highway, at highway speeds, or if you do smokey burnouts, then either have a separate set of tires for shows & driving, or replace them at recommended intervals. Common sense.

If you drive the car, and it's not a numbers matching car, then why even bother with $1000 tires? A set of modern radials are not only less expensive, but ride, handle, brake better, safer, and last longer. For that matter, if you step up to a 17 or 18" wheel, the selection of tires is better, and less expensive. Shoot, you can get great tires for around $100ea.

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[JMB36TA]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

I rest my case.

Is this a correct, numbers matching restoration? One that you just drive every once in a while down to the local burger joint or cruise-in? And never on the highway? If so, then you could probably go past the 6 year mark, if you pay close attention to the tires.

If it ever goes out on the highway, at highway speeds, or if you do smokey burnouts, then either have a separate set of tires for shows & driving, or replace them at recommended intervals. Common sense.

If you drive the car, and it's not a numbers matching car, then why even bother with $1000 tires? A set of modern radials are not only less expensive, but ride, handle, brake better, safer, and last longer. For that matter, if you step up to a 17 or 18" wheel, the selection of tires is better, and less expensive. Shoot, you can get great tires for around $100ea.

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It's not numbers matching and I drive it but I want the correct look.

[Sirrotica]

The problem with newer rubber compounds is they don't stay bonded to the belts like older rubber did. Once the bond breaks down the rubber delaminates from the belts and pressure and centrifugal force pulls the rubber off the tire. I've seen old tires blow out when stored in a garage. Looking at the outside of the tire won't show you squat unless the deterioration already made a bubble or tear. I don't automatically throw tires away at 6 years, (have some 6 + year old tires on my daily driver) but after 8 years the probability of rubber separation goes up disproportionately rather fast. The 6+ year old tires on my 99 GP also DO NOT grip the road well at all. In turns they understeer badly when pushed hard, and the rear will start to slide if I enter a curve fairly hot. They're probably going to be replaced soon because I know they're going to suck in snow.

Race tires lasting more than a couple of seasons never happens, they lose traction abilities rather quickly and also the heating and cooling cycles. Sprint car tires can seal over in one race and loose the ability to grip the track during a yellow or red flag. I just don't think that the tire manufacturers can get consistent rubber batches day after day. NASCAR teams are always saying they got bad tires and they're brand new from the same plant and manufacturer.

One thing I don't understand is if a tire has never been mounted and sits in a warehouse that the tire manufacturers say that up to 4 years In a warehouse is perfectly fine. If oxidation is the problem these tires are exposed to oxygen the minute they're out of the mold...…….

One other thing is the older belted tires would never last as long as radials do, so many times the tire wore smooth long before the rubber broke down, just what I've observed over my lifetime. Bias tires were lucky to go 20,000 miles, radials last 1 1/2 times that if they have any type of care taken to them. So the casings have to last longer just by tread life being extended.

RV tires, such as trailer tires are one of the sorest points in tires, since they sit more than they are driven. I've thrown 4 tires away from my fifth wheel camper just because UV exposure breaks them down very fast. I did try to use the best one on a 5X8 utility trailer and it blew out on the 400 mile trip from home to Norwalk and back. Only had a 500 LB go kart in the trailer, those tires were made in USA and were just to far deteriorated to even be used at a small fraction of their rated capacity.

[JMB36TA]

I spent some time last night looking at tires. I don’t do any racing. I drive it a couple times a week so I want a good performance street tire. I was hoping that someone made a Polyglas tire with today’s technology but I guess not. There’s other tires out there besides Goodyear like Firestone and BFGoodrich, which is what I have now. I like the look and nostalgia of the Polyglas but cost is a big issue at this point. Firestone is about the same price and there’s a BFGoodrich radial t/a for about $100 less than both.


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[Navy Horn 16]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

[url]
This is a futile debate. As I said before, if YOU are comfortable with driving on old tires, that's entirely up to you.

I've really seen it all now. The same guy who tells a bunch of us that our transmissions are doomed to failure because of "metallurgy", now claims that tires have a near infinite service life.

Some jokes just write themselves.

Maybe he will do us a favor and do some high speed runs on those 35 year old tires before the next transmission discussion?

[Chief of the 60's]

Yep, bonafide clown ^

[dataway]

What about tractor tires ... I've got some in daily use that are easily over 20 years old.

[Navy Horn 16]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

One thing I don't understand is if a tire has never been mounted and sits in a warehouse that the tire manufacturers say that up to 4 years In a warehouse is perfectly fine. If oxidation is the problem these tires are exposed to oxygen the minute they're out of the mold...…….

When tires are mounted and on a vehicle they are filled with pressurized oxygen and then subject to countless heat cycles (from sun, and road heat). If you want to speed up diffusion of molecules, add pressure and heat. That's how it works with your tires, and that is why the fancy import places use nitrogen in their tires.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Navy Horn 16

many states have passed laws restricting the age of tires that can be legally sold in those states.

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

Oh please, post up those states and their laws. I am always looking to learn something new.

Still waiting.....

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by JMB36TA

I spent some time last night looking at tires. I don’t do any racing. I drive it a couple times a week so I want a good performance street tire. I was hoping that someone made a Polyglas tire with today’s technology but I guess not. There’s other tires out there besides Goodyear like Firestone and BFGoodrich, which is what I have now. I like the look and nostalgia of the Polyglas but cost is a big issue at this point. Firestone is about the same price and there’s a BFGoodrich radial t/a for about $100 less than both.


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They do. They've been making them for a couple years now....

https://youtu.be/IJ0eqR8mrkA

Not cheap, but if you want a radial with the correct appearance.......

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Navy Horn 16

When tires are mounted and on a vehicle they are filled with pressurized oxygen and then subject to countless heat cycles (from sun, and road heat). If you want to speed up diffusion of molecules, add pressure and heat. That's how it works with your tires, and that is why the fancy import places use nitrogen in their tires.

So much for that discussion because the 6 YO tires I have on the 99 GP are nitrogen filled, and they're degrading too, as I've already described. I doubt they'd last another year. I'm not buying the degradation is slowed by nitrogen, or sitting in a warehouse so much that it's going to add 4 years more to the tire life. It may be retarded a small bit by not being mounted, not 4 years worth.

The tire companies just want to sell their NOS off, Just like most humans can't see how something brand new can go bad, no matter how long it sits. Ozone is present no matter where a tire sits, it also degrades rubber parts so I still go from MFG date, regardless of how long it sat in a warehouse unmounted.

[tpssonic]

I was at a car show a couple of years ago walking by a beautiful parked '69 Dart with pristine-looking OEM tires Just as I got done admiring it - and in particular, the minty-looking tires- rubber nubs and all. I then turned away, walked about 10 feet and BAM!.Sounded like magnum load. The driver rear tire had exploded, wrinkling the once-pristine driver quarter that surrounded it. The tire was obviously dry-rotted and he had just purchased them before the show. I told the guy, and to the crowd of people that were now gathering around the car, the other three might not be too far away from repeating the same display of carnage. The crowd then tended to give the car a bit wider berth... I took my attention elsewhere. I am a firm believer of the effects of oxidation on rubber, being the recipient of a tire disintegration event on the highway from seemingly perfect condition with new-like tread (but very old) tire. It was not my car. I agree that some oversight is a bit much, but in some cases, it is not near enough.

[OG68]

California has a tire inflation and inspection law on the books. While it does not specify an age limit most tire shops will not service a tire over 7 years of age. The liability factor plays a major part in that decision. No shop wants to be responsible for any future failure.

[JMB36TA]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

They do. They've been making them for a couple years now....

https://youtu.be/IJ0eqR8mrkA

Not cheap, but if you want a radial with the correct appearance.......

I‘ve been seeing them in the $230 range but I don’t know if they’re radial. Kelsey tire keeps popping up. You know anything about them or where I can check out the radials?



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[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by dataway

What about tractor tires ... I've got some in daily use that are easily over 20 years old.

You're not taking it out on the highway and going 60+ mph are you? And if one of those blow, they won't take a 1/4 panel out.

Some fleet, service, and 'industrial' tires I would assume last longer than normal passenger tires, but, just to say, I've seen tons of tractors with flat tires.

Any state that has a safety inspection requirement goes by manufacturer's recommendations on tire service life/replacement. A state inspector will fail you for dry rotted tires, or any tire that looks 'questionable'. Safety inspectors can be held liable for stuff.

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[Grand73Am]

Originally Posted by JMB36TA

I‘ve been seeing them in the $230 range but I don’t know if they’re radial. Kelsey tire keeps popping up. You know anything about them or where I can check out the radials?

I didn't see where you said what year car you have. I'm guessing around 1970? So, I guess you want a repro of the tire that was used in 1970.

Firestone Wide Ovals at Coker Tire would be one choice. And in the video that FormulaJones put up, it's about Coker Tires' radial tires that look like Firestone Wide Ovals, so those are radials.

Kelsey tire is another manufacturer of vintage tires, and have been reproducing Goodyear tires. They have the Polyglas, but they don't make it as a radial. They've been making Polysteel radials, but Polysteels weren't used until later in the 70's. Here's a link to their website and their Polyglas tires. http://www.kelseytire.com/pages/preformancetires2.html

Personally, I'd just get some Radial TA's and save some money .

[dataway]

I have been known to do 20 mph on my tractor.

[Chief of the 60's]

I wonder when all the fear mongers are going to post up their photos of all those fenders and quarters they saw "tore up". I know every time there is something catastrophic that happens to an old car that someone claims they saw, they always snap a photo and post it. There is a huge difference between actual fact and hearsay.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by dataway

I have been known to do 20 mph on my tractor.

You should drive your tractor around here. If you did 20 another tractor would run right over you. Around here 40 - 50mph is nothing to these guys, especially this time of year. Hell, there are those huge things with the monster truck tires on them that run right along with traffic on the 55mph roads.