Would you get new tires ?

[Inlet]

This will be my 8th year riding with my stock Michelin, LTX AT2 tires. Super ride and handling on my 2016 K3500 CC SRW truck with my Lance 650 TC. Full wet payload 3500 lbs. Tires “look “ great with only 30,0000 miles on them. So the question is do I obey the rule of 6 yrs old and replace these tires? I know there are many things that you cannot see in a tire… Would any of you trust a tire inspection ? Thanks for any advice.

[Grit_dog]

^Well that’s one theory….

[JimK-NY]

For many of us, our RV tires age out and dry rot before we wear them out.

I wish I could find a way to protect them so dry rot is not a concern. If anyone has any reliable data, it would help us all. I did some research years ago without any success.

Some RVers use tire covers. I doubt they do anything. The tire under the bed of my truck was obviously never exposed to sunlight but dry rotted anyway. Where I park, the drivers side tires are in the sun and the passenger side is always in shade. I see no difference in dry rotting based on the position of the tire and the exposure to sunlight.

I found no data to indicate any tire treatments help. Most are designed to achieve a dark shine and the treatment may actually be detrimental to the life of the tires.

I once tried 303 but without any success. There might be some benefit to the UV protection offered but again sunlight does not appear to be a major culprit. 303 also washing off and needs to be reapplied frequently.

[Grit_dog]

Joe417 wrote:
What JimK said, I've had the same experience. I experienced one set that looked perfect, no dry rot showing, I think 6 years old. Decided to change them. When they let the air out, several tires had 1/4" cracks open around the bead.

I don't let mine go more than 5 now.

This however is very good info I hadn’t thought to share.
Sidewall cracking is far more apparent when the tire is flat or very low on pressure and deformed significantly.
Good way to check is air it way down and see if cracks appear where it’s squished.

[Joe417]

What JimK said, I've had the same experience. I experienced one set that looked perfect, no dry rot showing, I think 6 years old. Decided to change them. When they let the air out, several tires had 1/4" cracks open around the bead.

I don't let mine go more than 5 now.

[Grit_dog]

This thread is almost as dumb as the bottled water thread…

[JimK-NY]

Personally I am concerned about tire "rot". I have had a couple of experiences to reinforce those concerns.

I had a spare tire stored under the truck bed for 4 years. It seemed like a good idea to pair it up with a new tire of the same make. It appeared to be in good shape but within a few weeks and only a few miles of use, it showed signs of deterioration with cracks developing on the side walls.

I have a 2015 Honda Accord with low mileage. I just had to replace the tires to severe dry rot which I was not visible a few months ago.

Now I am watching the dry rotting of my Ram 3500 tires. They are low mileage and exactly 6 years old. A few weeks ago I noticed minor cracking in the area around the tread. I did not seem like a big deal. Now, almost daily, I can watch the cracks developing on the sidewalls. Due to medical issues I will not be using the truck for a couple of months. I am going to continue to watch these cracks deepen and become more visible.

I have concluded that there can be no signs of dry rot and then a rapid progression. BTW, it is not just age but lack of use that contributes to dry rot.

[mbloof]

MarkTwain wrote:

mbloof wrote:
I bought a set of Toyo's in 2014. They have < 8000 miles on them.

Am I going to replace them anytime soon? Unless I see visible signs of rubber degration (cracks/discoloration/etc) it won't be anytime soon.



- Mark0.

Let us know how about the damage your RV if you get a blow out and how much it cost to fix the repairs. IMHO the price of tires is a sound investment$$$$

The tires in question are ~$400-500 each and are VERY overrated for the application (truck+camper).

Very doubtful there will be a issue at all. Hence no need to replace unless there is visible evidence they are degraded.

If you wish to replace perfectly good tires every X amount of years "just because" then you are more then welcome to.


- Mark0.

[MarkTwain]

mbloof wrote:
I bought a set of Toyo's in 2014. They have < 8000 miles on them.

Am I going to replace them anytime soon? Unless I see visible signs of rubber degration (cracks/discoloration/etc) it won't be anytime soon.



- Mark0.

Let us know how about the damage your RV if you get a blow out and how much it cost to fix the repairs. IMHO the price of tires is a sound investment$$$$

[wnjj]

My OEM Bridgestone tires were 12-13 years old when I replaced them. They still had miles left in them and no signs of cracking but I found a large cut in the tread from a road hazard, ironically while away from home with the camper on board.

[mbloof]

I bought a set of Toyo's in 2014. They have < 8000 miles on them.

Am I going to replace them anytime soon? Unless I see visible signs of rubber degration (cracks/discoloration/etc) it won't be anytime soon.



- Mark0.

[RetiredRealtorR]

JIMNLIN wrote:
I would replace them and sell the old ones on CL. Used tires are popular with those folks that need them for their old beater truck.

^^^ I agree 100% ^^^

[JimK-NY]

I have always wondered about having tires "professionally inspected". Exactly what sort of trained professional are we talking about? Is that the salesguy at the tire shop? Or perhaps the guy with just enough training and experience to change tires?

Then exactly what are these professionals looking for and what are the exact criteria which would show the need to change tires?

[Grit_dog]

Wash them regularly and don’t put anything on them?
I mean, a clean tire is a happy tire I suppose, but do you wash the insides too? Lol
Anything like what, mud, dog p!ss, tire shine, 303? (Fwiw, none of those things hurt tires.)
Basically UV light and improper inflation/alignment are the only real things that “hurt” tires. And only excessive UV causes them to degrade quicker than their cousins they get to live in a garage.

[wildtoad]

If I remember correctly, both Michelin and Goodyear (for RV tires) says dump them at 10 years, but to have them professionally inspected starting at year 6 or 7. With proper care this should be doable. If all you do is check air pressures from time to time they won’t make it. Wash them regularly, don’t put anything on them, keep them properly inflated, especially when stored and you should get 10.

However if it helps you sleep better at night, change them at 5,6,7. Your call, your money.