Tires & Sun

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I had 2005 Michelin tires on the motorhome and on a little used old van. No wheel covers. Tried to drive both at least once a month. In 2011 the MH tires were badly cracked and replaced. Two of the van tires are still in use - one with no cracks, the other recently showing several tiny x cracks spaced equally around the sidewall. I guess I will replace them soon.

Whiskey River wrote:
I heard recently that the major tire manufactures, ie Michelin, Goodyear etc have since around 2010 added some compound to the rubber that eliminates the need to cover the tires, or add something like 303 to them. The compound is suppose to block the uv rays of the sun someway. Anyone else heard of this, or is it just some "old wives tale" ??? I still cover mine...

Yep, they called up one of the ST tire companies to learn all about UV protection and how to make a tire dry rot! Chris

303 protectant is water, not solvent based. Works great, but needs to be applied frequently. Especially after it rains.

I used to work for Michelin but I wasn't a chemist. Rubber is naturally white and carbon is added to the rubber mix for UV protection or that is what we were told. It also makes the tire black. We used a solvent to break down rubber during tire construction so I know anything with solvent in it is not good on rubber. Most tire dressings have solvent in it that will deteriorate the rubber over time. Michelin started out building bicycle tires and all the old pictures show bicycles with white tires.

Maybe CapriRacer or Tireman9 have a inside track on those type rumors.

My pops used to question the need to cover tires because the inside would check as fast as the outside.

If you read the tire manufacturer's literature, you'll find they suggest NOT adding any "protectants". Just keep 'em clean, and they will be fine.
It's probably a CYA move.

I never put anything on mine any more - I used to Armor-All them just for the vanity sake of it. I'm no longer vain....

I cover my tires and spray UV protectant on both sides of each tire.

Yes, they have a protectant in the rubber but it doesn't last forever. It's still better to cover them in direct sun.

Tires always have had UV protectant in them. Some more than others. That is one of the reasons why manufactures say to use ST tires on trailers. They supposedly have more UV protectant in them because they sit more.

UV protectant is VERY expensive so tire manufactures tend to be very stingy with it.

In the good old days tires would last forever without checking and cracking. Now? Not so much. Case in point. I have a utility ranch trailer that the tires are over 50 years old; never covered, and they are just fine. No cracks or anything of that sort.
I have seen new Michelins that are all cracked up in just a few years. :R