Yes...this is another tire question...

I think the only hard evidence is the molded in date. You don't know how or where it may have been stored.
Bill

And, reality is probably somewhere between. Remember, straight from the Michelin website tires should be professionally inspected at 5 years and absolutely replaced at 10 years.

I suspect if the first three years (from mold date) were spend an a shelf they would pass inspection for some time longer than a tire made the same week and stored in the sun mounted on a coach.

I'm the OP and the 'clock' I referred to was in regard to the beginning date for use in determining when a tire must be replaced. Responses appear unanimous, as I expected, that the date to use is the date molded onto the tire. And, I fully agree with that reasoning. I was only posing the question because of an earlier reply by a reader on another thread that the date he used was the date 'installed' not the date of manufacture. I did not agree with that but wanted to hear other opinions.

The question is which "clock". The warranty clock or how old the tire is?

Or - How long should I have these on my coach?

William B wrote:
It starts when the the tire is manufactured, and printed on the side.

X2

William B wrote:
It starts when the the tire is manufactured, and printed on the side.

I would agree with this. I say this because the manufacture date is a hard number/date that gives you a starting point. You'll never know when a tire has been installed on a MH OR how long the chassis has sat in a builders yard waiting to have the house put on it.

The manufactured date on a tire is a starting point for the beginning life of a tire.

-paul

goufgators wrote:
Recently, when reading a thread on tires (age of tire before replacing), I read a comment from one individual in which he stated the 'clock' starts from the time the tire is installed rather than the time of manufacture. In most cases, such formula would not give the owner much additional time unless the date of manufacture was a year or longer before installed. Just wondering if anyone else agrees (or disagrees) with the writer regarding the 'clock' starting at time of installation. / Larry

2 years ago I took mine to a regional tire place that dealt with jumbo truck tires to get the tires I had on the coach at the time spin balanced.

As I stood in the warehouse I happened to look down at a stack of 4 LARGE truck tires....sized for 24.5 rims. ( I mean real jumbos). What made me notice them was the huge cracks in the sidewalls of all I could see and these tires were brand new ( never had been installed)
That sure tells me the "decay" of rubber tires must start about the time they leave the mold...let alonE hit the road.!

Tvov wrote:
Was the person talking about the "clock starting" meaning the warranty? A tire warranty should start when the tire is installed.

That's probably it.

The only other interpretation I could get is that the clock MAY run slower before it is installed depending on how and where the tire is stored before installation.

Was the person talking about the "clock starting" meaning the warranty? A tire warranty should start when the tire is installed.

It starts when the the tire is manufactured, and printed on the side.