15 year old tyres

JackieBurke

Is there any law that prohibits using old tyres?

colm_mcm

RSA says tyres over 10 years old 'should' be changed

Not sure about if its actually illegal to have them but you'd have to question their condition if they're from 1998.


http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Your-Vehicle/About-your-Vehicle/Example-of-non-Dup/Your-Vehicles-Tyres-/Tyre-Upkeep/

Marcin_diy

The only law is your conscience I guess.

You can check as well with your insurance company if they have anything against 15 years old tyres on the road....

JackieBurke

The guy down the tyre place said it was only an advisory for the NCT.

johnayo

No law. Once they are in road legal condition.

johnayo

JackieBurke wrote: »

The guy down the tyre place said it was only an advisory for the NCT.

He is correct.

dingus12

they're bound to be cracked and hard as a rock at this stage.

Guy:Incognito

The law of self preservation?

JackieBurke

I personally do not believe they are 15 years old. They are certainly not cracked and have almost a full thread on them. 2008 possibly.

Donnelly117

The week and year of manufacture is written on all tyres since 2000 I think. The link below shows where
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11

JackieBurke

Looks like 2008 to me so.

biko

So just 4 year old? If they look fine without cracks or anything there shouldn't be an issue.

naughtysmurf

I recently sold a six year old car with the original unused spare in the boot, it was in perfect condition
It's the exposure to the elements that degrades them over time, if they have been in a dark dry place, they will be fine

megafan

Over six years... Fail/advisory.... Page 62/63 on... National Car Test (NCT) Manual 2012 - NCTS If you Google this should get pdf file (sorry can't send link!):o

BostonB

A lot of cars spares would fail the NCT.

megafan

BostonB wrote: »

A lot of cars spares would fail the NCT.

At the moment Fail/Advisory.... But give it time?:mad:

Gael23

Tyres deteriorate over time so I would be replacing them even if there isn't a lot of miles on them

keithsfleet

My 95 still has its original space saver in the boot.
Tire is prefect and looks like it's never been used as is the wheel, no scratches around the studs holes.
It is flat though.

peter barrins

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Cee-Jay-Cee

What is the full make and model of the tyre (including any numbers following the model ie Bridgestone Potenza RE050A) ?

Specific models usually only have a 5 or 6 year run at most after which they're superseded by a newer model which will have a different name/number.

megafan

peter barrins wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

NCT have fail/advisory for tyres over 6years check out (have to Google this I'm afarid pdf file!) National Car Test (NCT) Manual 2012

peter barrins

This post has been deleted.

BostonB

Regardless of how tires "look" or how much tread is left, they can have gone off.

http://www.bridgestone.com.au/tyres/passenger/care/age.aspx

Tyre Ageing Mechanism
There are three main mechanisms of tyre ageing. The first involves rubber becoming more brittle. Sulphur is used to link rubber molecules together during vulcanisation with the application of heat and pressure, giving the rubber its useful elastic properties and strength. As the tyre absorbs energy in the form of light, heat or movement the tyre continues to vulcanise. This ongoing vulcanisation causes the rubber to become stiffer and more brittle.
The second mechanism of tyre ageing is oxidation involving oxygen and ozone from the air compromising the strength and elasticity of the rubber and the integrity of the rubber to steel bond. Basically heat and oxygen cause cross linking between polymer chains (causing the rubber to harden) and scission of polymer chains (leading to reduced elasticity).
Thirdly, breakdown of the rubber to steel-belt bond will occur due to water permeating through a tyre and bonding with the brass plate coating on steel belts. This causes the steel to rubber bond to weaken leading to reduced tyre strength and reduced heat resistance. If compressed air used for inflation is not completely dry, tyre strength will be affected over time. Even unused tyres will become more brittle, weaker and less elastic with exposure to water, air, heat and sunlight.

Buffman

megafan wrote: »

NCT have fail/advisory for tyres over 6years check out (have to Google this I'm afarid pdf file!) National Car Test (NCT) Manual 2012

It's actually PASS/ADVISORY on the test sheet.

megafan

Buffman wrote: »

It's actually PASS/ADVISORY on the test sheet.

I stand corrected!:o & PeterB no harm erring on side of caution!

tuborg_man

I had a michelen trx as a spare tyre when i first bought my bmw, 1994 was written in tiny writing on it, now resides in my shed as a heavy paperweight

Esel

JackieBurke wrote: »

Is there any law that prohibits using old tyres?

I dunno. Darwin's Law, maybe?

Markcheese

3 years ago I bought a 00 skoda fabia still on it's original tyres , which looked perfect... Very soon they started to fail , one by one. It was a bit like driving on a square tyre.... I'd never thought of tyres having a life span before that..