Check Your Spare Tires Regularly....

[Patriot_1776]

This is worth reading.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6980573

Team 4 Reports: Tire Danger
KNBC-TVLOS ANGELES - A vehicle's tires may look like they're in great shape. But looks can be deceptive. And that deception can be deadly.

Jeff Castro lost his wife, Krista. She was driving when the tread of her back tire came apart.

She lost control and swerved through several lanes of traffic, into the path of an oncoming pickup truck.

Her tire was a full-sized spare, manufactured in 1991, making it over 10 years old. But Jeff Castro said it really hadn't been used and that he put on the spare just two days before the fatal crash, and it looked brand new, like it just came off the shelves. That is what concerns safety advocate Sean Kane. "Tire aging occurs primarily internally," said Kane. "The tire may appear to be in perfectly good condition. Yet the internal adhesives have deteriorated to the point where it could fall apart." When the adhesives deteriorate, the tread can peel off the tire like an onion, reported NBC4's Michele Ruiz. Kane said tire age is dangerous because the problem is hidden beneath your tread, and you can't see it. Kane said don't rely solely on tread, because a good tread does not necessarily mean a safe tire. That includes newly purchased tires made years before and stored in warehouses. Kane's research company has documented more than 50 crashes that he claims are due to tire age. Dan Zielinski with the Rubber Manufacturers Association, or the RMA, is a spokesman for tire makers.

"We don't have data to show what, if any, problem does truly exist," Zielinski said. He dismissed Kane's data as merely anecdotal and said mileage and inflation pressure are more critical factors when it comes to tire safety. "Most American drivers do not properly maintain their tires," Zielinski said.

Team 4 Reports obtained a document in which the British Rubber Manufacturers' Association strongly recommends that unused tires should not be put into service if they are over 6 years old, and that all tires should be replaced 10 years from the date of their manufacture.

Many tire companies are also global companies. Many of the members of the American RMA are also members of the British RMA. Team 4 Reports wanted to know why British drivers would be warned, but not American drivers.

"There is no scientific data," said Zielinski. "It would be irresponsible to tell consumers that there is a certain time where their tire's not serviceable."

Because of a pending lawsuit, Bridgestone-Firestone would not comment about Castro's death. To find out how old a tire is, find the DOT number on the tire. The last set of numbers represents the week and year of manufacture.

For example, if the last four digits are 4804 it means the tire was manufactured in the 48th week of the year 2004. If the last digits are three numbers, for example 385, then it means the tire was made in the 38th week of 1995.


-Patriot

[magooch]

Replace tires after 10 years, even if they look good?  Bull pucky--tire manufacturers would love that.  There is no reason in the world why tires should have a limited shelf life.

Maybe I'm wrong, because I've never really read the manufacturers road hazard guarantee, but this is the first time I've ever heard of a specific time limit for tires.

[Curtis]

Anyone who pulls a travel trailer is probably already familiar with limited tire life because of time and not wear.  I have yet to wear out a set but I have replaced many.  Granted, these trailer tires are exposed to UV (very destructive to tires) and weather and ground contact which most spare tires do not see, but I have seen five year old trailer tires (radial) that looked perfect but came apart in hot weather.

On any vehicle I have owned, the spare either never was used or was used only to get to the tire store and then it went back in the spare position.  I don't know if that is something that I learned from my Dad without knowing it or if I just never felt comfortable running that old spare for any distance.

Then there are folks who will run the little donut spares on the FRONT at 75 mph on the highway.   :eek:  :eek:  :eek:   Don't even get me started!!!

Curtis

[Shorty]

'Was a time, when people were more frugal, tires were rotated, including the spare.  Now-a-days, people just replace each tire as it fails.  
But, I'm not thrownig stones.  I'll bet all of the tires on my every-day beater are over six years old (except for the one Chinese cheapo), and the spare is on a bent rim!  :oops:  :wink: