Tires Cracking - Any Suggestions

[NavyDavesCvl]

I just bought tires last year for my 65 Caravel. Put the trailer on blocks off its wheels last year. Checked them yesterday- Tires are all cracked. Doesn't look safe at all. The wierd part is that I have a 58 Scotty that sits in storage behind the Caravel resting on blocks but tires hitting ground and have no cracks what so ever. -those tires have been on since 2007. So why did the new ones crack already. Should I have them replaced?

[r carl]

I think most tires have a 4yr manf warranty for cracking.

[Kevin245]

Originally Posted by NavyDavesCvl

I just bought tires last year for my 65 Caravel. Put the trailer on blocks off its wheels last year. Checked them yesterday- Tires are all cracked. Doesn't look safe at all. The wierd part is that I have a 58 Scotty that sits in storage behind the Caravel resting on blocks but tires hitting ground and have no cracks what so ever. -those tires have been on since 2007. So why did the new ones crack already. Should I have them replaced?

The tires may have been older than 2009. I always check the date code when buying new tires. In the past I've unknowingly purchased tires that had been sitting on the self for a couple of years. On a frequently used vehicle this may not be a big deal but on a seldom used one it has lead to early tire replacement well before they wore enough to be replaced.

Kevin

Kevin

[thecatsandi]

Did you cover them? Exposure to the sun and age will crack them.
If they are cracked they should be replaced. As someone else said check the data code. They may have been old when installed.

[Bluto]

Yes, replace them before going on a trip. I agree with all the above posts too. Don't take a chance. I bought new tires once while traveling and by the time I got back home and checked them out, they were all cracked. The guy sold me his oldest stock.
Guess what, it was a place off I-90 in NY.
The tire mgf. company refuned my money 100% and made me a special deal on a new set.

[dansdad]

This happened to me. I was traveling on I-5 which is an open highway a few years ago, my tires LOOKED good so I went POW>>> one tire blew, it caused a hole in my finderwell...smoke in the trailer....WHAT A MESS.......I changed the blown tire ..got to my destination and changed 1 tire at a time until finished. After really looking..they all had small cracks. Never again. Dave

[Ganaraska]

Check the date code. Tires lose half their strength after 4 or 5 years. Even if they are sitting on the shelf. Cracked tires are an accident waiting to happen.

If they are that new they should give you free ones under warranty. They should not be cracking if they are that new.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, pretty much the same as the others have stated, but check the DOT code first. The last four numbers following DOT......... 1209. In this case the tires were made on the 12th week of the year 2009. This will tell you exactly how old they are. If they are truly, only a year old, give or take a few months, you should be able to return them for warranty. Don't hold your breath though, tire warranties are almost non existant. Either you get a warranty adjustment or just toss them in the trash and buy new tires. Now you know, if you didn't already, to check the DOT code on your next set. Other than a tire that has been sitting with a full load, and is completely flat, tires this new [if they really are] should not crack.

[NavyDavesCvl]

Well, after looking through the tire section here on the forum, and the great responses...I had a look at the tires again. This time with new knowledge of the date stamp on the side of the tire. Said 28th week of 2006. So, I took them off the trailer and headed to the shop I bought them at (off of I-90, at a successful trailer shop). Now the shop doesn't recognize that it was their fault for selling me dry-rotted tires. The lady at the front desk took down all my info, and called the manufacture directly. Apparently, it was the manufacturers' fault and now I must directly deal with them. I have definately learned my lesson on this one.

Thanks to all who responded.

Dave H.

[NavyDavesCvl]

What's the difference if running a 225/75/15 vs. a 205/75/15?

[Action]

The 225 tire will be wider. It will ride better because of this.

Two issues for that tire you need to consider -
1) Cost
2) Will it fit in the wheel well

The first is your preference. The second is a go - no go thing.

As to the warranty of the cracked tires, if you brought those tires to the tire dealer to have removed from a rim and installed on a different rim, would they do this? Or would they want to sell you new tires becasue of the cracks? If they would want to sell you new tires because of the cracks, then they don't care.
Either they don't care because the cracks in the old tires gives them an excuss to sell you new tires with out making a warrranty adjustment on the tires they sold you. Or they don't care enough to sell you newer tires initially because their stock of that tire type does not turn over such that the ones you bought were 3 years old at the time you bought them.

So you might approach the dealer with a question. the question goes something like this - Is there an expected life of tires? Like if the tread is good and they are X years old would they always be good? Then you might want to point out to them that the tires they sold you were somthing on the order of 3 years old at the time of sale. And you didn't get the expected service life from these tires.

And if they think the tires are still servicable you might want them to put that in writing and note they they will be responsibile for any damage the tires cause would be some thing they would be willing to step up for.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Action