Aging 22.5 tires - how old is too old?

Tires are a frequent topic because failure can be both expensive and dangerous.

I have appreciated all the discussion on RV.net about tires. Our coach has TPMS, tire covers and I run five to seven PSI above the required pressure.

However, with the cost and risk of a blowout, I decided 7 1/2 years was my limit.

To some extent, this is an insurance question -- how much risk are you willing to take? For us, even with all of the best practices, that insurance answer was just over seven years. When the Goodyear tires were removed, they looked fine on the inside. But I still would make the same decision to buy the Michelin XZA2 tires.

Each person will need to answer that insurance question for himself or herself. However, if I did not drive the coach for those seven years myself, the tires would be changed. The risk that another driver abused the tires would be too great.

May you always have a great trip with good tires enroute.

Crespro

When I had the tire decision to make I looked at it from a couple of different perspectives. First, how long am I going to keep the motorhome? In my case three to five years. My tires were in perfect condition since I owned them from new, I knew there history, but they were eight years old. I knew that they would need replacement during my ownership so I decided to ride on new tires rather then replace them later. Second, I have not seen any discussions on amortization of long term purchases such as tire. In my case six new toyo tires cost $3000. If I replaced them at eight years it cost me $375 per year at a ten year interval my cost goes to down to $ 300 per year. Your choice!

I don't think you can put an age limit on a tire. I have mine inspected every year in March or April, and keep the tire pressure in check. I also do a visual inspection before I hit the road every morning, and just a quick look when I walk around when I stop during the day. Even having done all of that, I can still have a blow out. Mine are 7 years old now, and this last inspection the truck shop told me all was good and I should get a few more years out of them, however, I am changing all 6 out next year to satisfy my comfort level with their age.

We will never get agreement on X number of years here.

But in addition to inspecting I would change the steer tires 2 years before the rear tires. I know the rear tires can cause a lot of damage, but the steers could kill you.

jpwiggo wrote:
I read an article created by:
Guy Walenga, director of engineering, tire products and technologies at Bridgestone Americas

In it he tells how tires "properly maintained, inflated, repaired and retreaded commercial truck tires may safely and reliably be in service for 10 years or more"

I am wondering if there is other data you may have. I know most 'sales' answers are going to be 6-7years then change. Not interested in what a company's sales answer is, more looking for what is the correct answer.

Guy Walenga is talking about "properly maintained, inflated, repaired and retreaded commercial truck tire" being used in commercial truck service - meaning that they get ran every day. I can not compare my motorhome's tires use to that because they don't get ran every day. Tires used in truck service will last longer that truck tires used in motorhome type service because the additives in the rubber compounds are constantly being forced to the surface of the tires. Motorhome tires sit to much which allows them to dry out. Now if you put 500 miles a dat on your motorhome tires, you might be able to make them last lots longer, but when you only put 500 miles on them every other month - well, they will time out before you wear them out. I run my motorhome about 5000 miles a year. 7 years is 35,000 miles. A commercial truck runs over 150,000 miles in a year on the same tires!!!

There is no definitive answer to your question. Tire manufacturers can give you a tire life expectancy under perfect conditions but not in the real world. How many times have you hit a really serious pothole or scuffed a curb. How many times was a tire under inflated or carrying a little to much weight for the inflation.

We may think we are great about tire issues but on any given day a situation can arise that might impact tire life. The perfect time to replace a tire is just before it fails. Unfortunately that's not a viable replacement schedule.

The above 2 paragraphs from a previous poster is spot on! Definitely have tires check once they hit 5 or whenever your particular manufacturer recommends it. But after that be aware that "anything can happen any time".

Our 5 year old Michelin's, finally got recognized as a bad set blew at age 5! We replaced the whole set and they have been good for now almost 5 more years so...we indeed will need inspect them often.

7 YEARS 1 MONTH 3 DAYS 22 MINUTES (ACTUALLY 7 YEARS.)

jpwiggo wrote, "I have 7year old Goodyears on my DP and they look new, stored indoors and with less than 40K on them. Going to run them for a few more years."

Are ya feeling LUCKY...:h:h...Put your family's life and others around you on the line to save a few bucks..:S:S...now THAT makes sense....

You could have a blow out with 10 miles or 10,000 miles...one month or 5 years...the point is you never know...that said, law of averages says the older the tire, the more opportunity for a blow out. While they may look new and lots of tread, a single pothole struck at the right angle, could damage a tire and set you up for a very unhappy ending...It's your choice..me? I'll listen to the tire engineers. If it costs me a couple bucks, so be it...just sayin....Dennis

I truly can't give you a number like all the RV.Net tire experts have! There are so many factors involved that go into a life of a tire! I tried to pin down a Michelin Tire Engineer one time to give me a specific number and he couldn't. But he did mention if you give your tires Quality Care (see Michelins website), how you drive, and the type of tire you own can make a difference in longevity. I just changed out my tires a few months ago after 10 years of use 235/80/22.5)! I followed Michelins Quality Care Program to the letter, I owned Michelin XRV's which is the softest rubber compound made in an RV Tire (soft rubber adds life to a tire, especially when the tires are sitting for long periods of time) and Michelin also adds Sun UV protection into there rubber compound. It sure worked for me! Good Luck to you! Rooster

Yep, varying ops and for me, bought new that had GY G670's. Took delivery Dec '06 and have maintained tires all around. Last year, had sidewall belt break and started coming thru the side(up front). And with the rivering issues, I wanted and put two XZA2's up front...........what a noticable difference. Now, a couple of weeks ago even after checking press/treads/etc, had a blowout on NJ Turnpike on inside dual. Looking at the tire once off, it looked like sidewall blowout and then tread just stripped off. Got two new bridgestones(only ones could find on a sat(wanted XZA's). This week ordered the other 4 XZA's and will put across the drive axle and move the bridge's to tag and spin balance all rears. Then heading to Alliance Coach(old Monaco)in lakeland/wildwood to repair fiberglass. At least blowout didn't take out the radiator. For the record, there is still plenty of tread on the G670's and hopefully will be able to see these Michelins in 6-7 years.