Are My Michelin Tires Dry-Rotting?
I had six new Michelin LT235-80R17 tires installed on my Dodge dually a year and a half ago and I now see what to me looks like early signs of dry-rotting Am I correct?
Forum Discussion
I wouldn't worry about it at this point, just keep an eye on it. This is cosmetic and does not necessarily indicate a problem. However, if the cracks deepen/enlarge, take them to a Michelin dealer to get them checked out.
The Michelin tires that came on my 2011 tow vehicle looked like yours after 18 months in the south Texas sun. They are now 3 1/2 years old, have 36,000 miles on them and look the same - the 'crazing' on the sidewalls has not worsened over time. If you look closely, the cracking is only on the very surface of the tires, not the ugly, deep and very dangerous "dry rot" cracking show in the photo on the link in TucsonJim's post above.
The Michelin tires that came on my 2011 tow vehicle looked like yours after 18 months in the south Texas sun. They are now 3 1/2 years old, have 36,000 miles on them and look the same - the 'crazing' on the sidewalls has not worsened over time. If you look closely, the cracking is only on the very surface of the tires, not the ugly, deep and very dangerous "dry rot" cracking show in the photo on the link in TucsonJim's post above.
