Do I need new Tires?

[GeoBoy]

I have a 2005 Silverado 3500 with 37,000 miles on him and I am planning a trip out west this year, about 6,000 miles towing my TT. Should I put new tires on before the trip? The truck is always garaged when not towing and is not exposed to the weather. The original tires look good with no checking but they are 8 years old.

[beachram]

http://www.nittotire.com/Tire/Grappler%20truck/duragrappler

[beachram]

GeoBoy wrote:
I have a 2005 Silverado 3500 with 37,000 miles on him and I am planning a trip out west this year, about 6,000 miles towing my TT. Should I put new tires on before the trip? The truck is always garaged when not towing and is not exposed to the weather. The original tires look good with no checking but they are 8 years old.

Are you a gambler? Those tires are time bombs regardless of how they "look". It is time to spend some cash on new safe tires. My favorite tow rig tires are nitto dura grapplers. They are extremely stable, awesome in the rain, and wear like iron.

[Dave_H_M]

I would run em.

[wmoses]

Me Again wrote:
If they still look good, put them on Craigslist and sell them for a 150-200 bucks and install new ones. I installed new tires on DW 2004 Buick Rainier last year as they were aging out also!

Chris

This would be my approach also, although as always I hesitate to use / sell via Craigslist. l prefer Ebay there possible. Either way, take lots of close-up pictures and be comprehensive with detail in the listing.

[Jarlaxle]

For Michelin...it is!

[joebedford]

GeoBoy wrote:
I have a 2005 Silverado 3500 with 37,000 miles on him and I am planning a trip out west this year, about 6,000 miles towing my TT. Should I put new tires on before the trip? The truck is always garaged when not towing and is not exposed to the weather. The original tires look good with no checking but they are 8 years old.

You're lucky - the tires on my 2011 Silverado 3500 with fewer miles all have cracked sidewalls. Michelin says "That's normal".

[Jarlaxle]

By that "logic", you should change your tires every year!

[Hannibal]

If you don't replace them before the trip, will you at least take a camera so we can see the carnage? :B

I've seen too many torn up fenders on cars, trucks and trailers to want to chance it for myself. I replace mine every 3-5 years. I hate sandspurs and hwy traffic blowing sand in my eyes.

[Jarlaxle]

Unless they're Michelin, I'd run them in a second.

[wilber1]

Climate has a lot to do with tire life. They will age quicker in hot dry climates where they get a lot of UV exposure than in cooler more humid places. Also slower if on a vehicle that is garaged.

8 years is getting on though.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

2005 and running the OE tires, yep it's been time to replace them. Five years is what they recommend. I bought my DD a used 1999 last October? with 38,000 miles on it and the OE tires. This thing road like it had 80 PSI in the tires. We bought new tires and it drove like a new car.

I it were me I would replace them before I took any trip, IMO.

Don

[maxwell11]

get new tires
your on the highway pulling a trailer I assume,
heat, max out tire pressure, extra weight on vehicle, all signs for a blow out on old or defective tires.

you want the best tires you can afford, in the best condition.

I have also had the tire valve stems go bad on me before the tires when bad. take your tire valve stems and bend them back and forth, gently, if not metal stems, see if you find any signs of cracking on the valve stem.

if you have a 2500+ size truck, then be sure to buy top quality metal valve stems.

sidewall cracking, that is always what got me first on mich tires, great tires but the sidewall would show cracks, did not give me that warm fuzzy feeling,

the new set of mich I have on my 2500 dodge drive great, company rep said they had that sidewall cracking problem solved. we will see in the next couple of years.

always lean to the safe side on tires and maintenance !!!!!!

[Old-Biscuit]

I am a bit anal when it comes to tires....

Vehicle tires.......I replace at 5 yrs or 60,000 miles

Trailer tires.......3 years regardless

I like to enjoy my travels without worrying about tires...as much as possible

[bigg-limo]

Me Again wrote:
If they still look good, put them on Craigslist and sell them for a 150-200 bucks and install new ones. I installed new tires on DW 2004 Buick Rainier last year as they were aging out also!

Chris

That's what I do with all of my tires. I've gotten pretty good "Rebates" by selling my tires on Craigslist.