JBarca wrote:
CapriRacer wrote:
JBarca wrote:
......This tread crack is an issue in my case. Can you comment on this?....
Rubber cracking is a function of the material properties, the amount of movement, and the number of cycles. It think it would be obvious that the more movement, the more likely the rubber is going to crack - AND - that the rubber in a tire might not show cracks, but could develop them after a little flexing.
Put a different way, you can NOT sure sure a tire is OK if it doesn't have cracks.
On the material properties issue, different types of rubber have different cracking properties. Some get brittle at low temperature. Some are very resistant to cracking. The problem is that the types of rubbers used in tires tend to age and crack.
- and here's where it get complex: In some respects, cracking is to be expected. It's a matter of degree.
Plus, tire manufacturers have different approaches when it comes to crcaking. Some think that a tire that is old ought to look old (ie. cracked) Some will use crack resistant rubbers in the sidewall.
- side note: Because of the properties needed, crack resistant rubbers can NOT be used everywhere in a tire. Plus, the use of waxes (which form a barrier) and anti-oxidants (AO's) can slow down the cracking, but can not prevent it. But the use of waxes creates appearance issues (off color, non-black), and the use of AO's is expensive.
Hi CapriRacer,
Thank you for your response. Very helpful.
Our camping goes all year round. We are in a climate where we can get out in the winter months. Towing is generally above freezing. I do not tow in the snow and as for us to go winter camping, the days need to be clear, no snow on the ground and at least be above freezing during the day. Nights might hit 5 to 10 F but I'm not towing in those conditions.
I my case I have the saftey margin in the tire capacity due to the make up of the TT being made with this load sizing built in plus I am not loaded to full GVWR.
This now comes back to the age of the tire and why I was in the bunch that "requests fresh tires". On auto tires after 5 years odds are high that you may need new tires due to wear. Some may get 6 years or slightly more. On a TT odds are high in 5 years wear is not an issue.
The tire warranties I showed listed 5 years as the defect warranty. The question now is, if a tire develops cracks in the side wall or treads in less then 5 years is this considered a warranty defect? And will the manufacture stand behind it? May only get a prorated payout but it is better then nothing.
From my learning, right or wrong, when side wall or tread cracks are noticed this is something that soon needs to have action taken in a relative soon time period. Is this a correct thinking? Relative may not be immediate but not to be running them this way for years.
If the quality control or the spec of the tire formulation allows the swing in production large enough that the rubber can crack in a 5 year period or less this presents us RV'ers with a "time" date issue.
Which comes back to why I was in the group that looks for "fresh tires" at the time of sale. If I buy a 2 year old tire when installed, cracks come at year 5 from date of manufacture or less, I should take action when cracks are seen, then I can only get 3 years of useful life from the tire. I am out of warranty so there is no recourse from them leaving only the RV'er to replace them after 3 years of use. Am I looking at this wrong? Are threads cracks acceptable to run with for 2 to 3 years?
I am also in the group that is willing to pay more for a higher quality tire. The issue is being able to find one. If a trailer tire is only good for a 5 year period, then that is something we will need to accept and plan for. But I would hope that it is 5 years from the date of sale.
If I understood all this right, why would one not want to be in the group of wanting "fresh tires" at the time of install?
A learning for me is to ask the tire dealer if side wall or treads cracks are seen before the warranty period is this considered a defect? Right now I cannot go back to Denman and the Maxxis ones are long gone. But I will be prepared to ask the next time I buy new tires.
Then there is the internal breakdown of the tire questions. Cracks or not if the internals are starting to loose load capacity at the 5 year point, that is yet another reason to replace. Tireman9 did a good write up in his blog about the organic nature of tires. They are breaking down as time goes by just because of the materials they are made of. I wish the industry would come to grips with what is the age of that brand tire of when it needs to be replaced. Put it right in the documentation at the time of sale. For the average RV'er of trailers, thread wear and miles is not a good indicator as few of us ever wear out tire tread that have good axle alignment.
Thanks
John
Goodyear on their Marathons will start the clock at the time of sale if you have the receipt. No receipt and they go by the date of manufacture.
