[PontiacMatt72]

Haven’t driven the car for a few months, but don’t recall feeling any vibration or other issues. Noticed the car had rolled back about 6” or so, as the lift arms didn’t quite line up on the frame where I had left it previously (lifted to drain radiator/coolant) figured dad may have moved it to get his snowblower out. Tried to roll the car forward back to where it was. Kept wanting to roll back. Figured maybe it was a flat spot in the tires.

Pulled a wheel off last night in preparation for a Vintage Air System install, and found a huge bulge in the tread. Don’t know the exact mileage these tires have, but can confidently say it’s well below 10k miles. Possibly less than 5k. Tires are about 7-8 years old, stored in a climate controlled garage.

Check those tires! Guess this is a broken or separated belt? (See pics below)

[chuckies76ta]

Ya you can see the bulge. Time for a new set. Consensus is replace tires every 5 or 6 years. I've had my back ones on the car since 2010.. Getting new ones this summer. Can't believe it's been this long.

[Steve C.]

SPORTSMAN S/T

https://www.mickeythompsontires.com/.../sportsman-s-t


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[A.W.Dille]

I had bought some about 4 months old and less than 1000 miles on them a few years ago for my GTO. Coming home from a car show two of them did the same thing. Barely made the five mile drive to get home. Next day one blew out while sitting. Didn't take long for me to replace them. Both were on the rear and I never tried to do burnouts with them. Belts separating.

[Sirrotica]

When the Firestone debacle happened with a massive amount of cord separations and ford blamed Firestone for the rollovers of their SUVs. It was found that the steel used in the cords was stored outside. The steel got rust on it from outside exposure, and the rubber during the molding process didn't bond to the steel.

Something similar may have happened with the T/A radials, just supposition on my part.

When BFG originally started making the T/A radial they took care to make them a high quality tire. I had a set back in the early 70s that were great tires. It seemed to me though that they rested on their laurels, and that tire line was a money maker for BFG. It seemed that like many tire companies profit was put over product. Production was moved from the US. I believe the corporation was bought out, so I don't know who the parent company is now, or where they have the plant.

I do know that the manufacture process has changed, citing the brown raised lettering problem they now have.

I quit buying BFG tires because of the slide in quality, and now purchase Continental tires for all my hobby cars, and DD cars. Continental so far hasn't in my experience let their quality go down the drain, so far.

I hate raised white lettering anyway, so Continental is just fine for my cars. I never saw a need for free advertisement for a tire company's product on my cars that looks like white walls at speed......

[Scarebird]

If only we can get Firestone to make their Indy 500's again - look just as good as the BFG's and a hell of a lot better tire. Cooper Cobras and M/T's seem to be the choice for 14 and 15's.

[locomotivebreath]

They looked lame when they said ‘ Indy 500 ‘ .

[DOC]

Zero issues with the M/T sportsman on multiple cars. Plus they were cheaper than BFG last time I purchased.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by PontiacMatt72

Don’t know the exact mileage these tires have, but can confidently say it’s well below 10k miles. Possibly less than 5k. Tires are about 7-8 years old, stored in a climate controlled garage.

Been there, done that, did that...

Doesn't matter how many miles or weather stored inside or not. Age can do that.

Back in '05 I had bulge like that while driving on the interstate, thought the rear end was coming out of the GTO.

Had a "brand new" matching spare tire and put that on. Within the next 500 miles of driving the other three developed a smaller bulge, but I could feel it while driving.

Replaced all 4 tires and have never gone past 6 years since then.

My toy cars are all stored inside unless being driven.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Lots of opinions on tire age, here in past discussions.
7-8 years is too old to drive on. Hold the car off the ground, yes, that is OK, but beware old tires can blow. just sitting still!!!

Most truck tire recappers will not cap a tire older than 4 years. Theres a date on every tire made.

Tire safety is part of my job.

Tires in the 1-4 years old are usually good and safe. 5-6 years is iffy, and older can be dangerous.

I don't think where you store them matters a whole, although keeping them out of the sun and heat is supposed to be the best environment... Ig you had a way to store them in a non oxygen environment, supposedly helps (as in nitrogen...)

[Schurkey]

Get used to tire bulges. Tire/rubber companies have let quality drop like a paralyzed falcon. They can't even make decent wiper blades any more. All of it's been offshored to third-world countries.

I've seen/heard of more tire belt problems in the last twenty years than in the forty before that, by a large margin.

When the Firestone 500 had problems, Congress pulled Firestone executives into Congressional Hearings. Now, it's business-as-usual.

[JLMounce]

I don’t store my car in the winter, it gets used in the cold as long as the roads are dry and free of salt.

The set of tires on the car have plenty of tread life, but at 6.5 years old they no longer have any grip in temperatures below 50 degrees. They are dangerous at temps below 30.

These are modern BFG Sport Comp II’s. Just goes to show she is as big of a safety factor as wear. I’ll wrap the car in new rubber towards spring and let her sit this winter.

[Steve C.]

If anyone is interested in removing the white letter look. There is a product that actually works, unlike other on line methods touted. It will not harm tires or come off in time. It's called Tire Black that comes in a spray can to cover the white letters. It is used by Firestone dealers. But they don't sell it at retail; it's for their own use. Find a friendly store manager that will be kind enough to let you borrow a can.

It works fantastic and will not wear.

.

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by locomotivebreath

They looked lame when they said ‘ Indy 500 ‘ .

How is that?

[1968GTO421]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

Get used to tire bulges. Tire/rubber companies have let quality drop like a paralyzed falcon. They can't even make decent wiper blades any more. All of it's been offshored to third-world countries.

I've seen/heard of more tire belt problems in the last twenty years than in the forty before that, by a large margin.

When the Firestone 500 had problems, Congress pulled Firestone executives into Congressional Hearings. Now, it's business-as-usual.

My nephew works for Michelin and guess what he works there manufacturing tires from start to finish right here in the good old USA. Good to know. Can't speak for others.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

I've seen/heard of more tire belt problems in the last twenty years than in the forty before that, by a large margin.

The four Uniroyal redline radials that I had on my GTO were manufactured in the late 80's. I bought them new in 1995 and had about 18,000 miles on them when age took it's toll and all 4 were junk.

if you go back to the bias play days using your scenario above (going back up to 60 years), you do realize that tire replacement usually happened after 2 - 4 years.

I remember the set of bias plies I purchased new in 1975 lasting only 14,000 miles before needing replacement, before switching to Pirelli CN36 radials in 1976. I think I got about 13 - 14 months out of those bias ply tires. I remember feeling like Superman with those Pirelli radials - going around S curves at double the speed with no tire squeal like those old tires.

[67Fbird]

Michelin OWNS the BFG tire company!! Big family ego thing to have been able to buy them out!!! They were also smart enough to NOT SCREW UP everything that made BFG....BFG. Lets face it BFG is in EVERY form of racing...so ...leave it alone. Not that Michelin is a "non-racing" tire company...by NO MEANS, but they are in different segments.

FWIW alot of tire places will NOT EVEN repair tires that are over 5 yrs old!!! My "classic" BFG drag radials (purchased at Super Shops ..)are almost 24 yrs old and better last another 6 months so I can debug my TA...lol

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by The Champ

if you go back to the bias play days using your scenario above (going back up to 60 years), you do realize that tire replacement usually happened after 2 - 4 years.

I remember the set of bias plies I purchased new in 1975 lasting only 14,000 miles before needing replacement, before switching to Pirelli CN36 radials in 1976. I think I got about 13 - 14 months out of those bias ply tires. I remember feeling like Superman with those Pirelli radials - going around S curves at double the speed with no tire squeal like those old tires.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Those tires wore out, they didn't DISINTIGRATE because they were MADE IMPROPERLY in a shiithole country.

[74Grandville]

Originally Posted by Steve C.

SPORTSMAN S/T

https://www.mickeythompsontires.com/.../sportsman-s-t


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I bought these the last time around and i'm very happy with them.

[grivera]

I bought my Cooper Cobras in 2012 so time for an upgrade...The MT Sportsman tires appear to have the same tread pattern...