I just learned some information that is very important and could possibly save a bunch of hassle. Some of you may already know this, however I have been messing with cars for 30 years and never knew this.
If you read the line of information that is molded into your tire after the DOT..... at the very end is a four digit number... an Example would be "4105". What that means is that this tire was manufactured on the 41st week of 2005. "2199", means it was made on the 21st week of 1999.
Why this is important is because in other parts of the civilized world it is recommended that NO tire be used on a vehicle after 6 years...
It is very common in the US to purchase tires that have never been on a wheel, ie NEW, but have been sitting in a wharehouse for years. It is also common to purchase tires as new that are already over the 6 year limit.
I am not sure that performance tires stay on the shelf that long, however if you are like me, I try to find the best price on tires for my daily drivers and normal cars....Now I know why they are such a low price. The report I read documented many acidents due to tread seperation that was caused by old tires, even though thay still had deep tread left. Please ask to see the code on the tires you are purchasing so you will purchase as new a tire as possible and be as safe as possible. Thanks Gary Alpert
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05 GT Techco 7psi, 428hp/395tq, Tillman tune, 18x9.5 GT500 wheels, 14" Brembos, Steeda Front strut pads and front relo kit, BMR lowering springs, Tokicko D-Specs, GT500 Front lower control arms, BMR adj upper third link, BMR adj PHB, BMR rear relo brackets, boxed stock phb brace, Hooker super comp LT with Pypes HF cats, Stillen adj front & rear sway bars, Steeda sport shifter.
I don't know if anyone remembers my issues with the sidewall crack in my old ET Streets. It was probably a really good thing that I asked about them here before actually running on them. They were 8 years old!
I don't know if anyone remembers my issues with the sidewall crack in my old ET Streets. It was probably a really good thing that I asked about them here before actually running on them. They were 8 years old!
Certainly did. Had Summit send another set as soon as I got the bad news. That's one problem I'm glad I avoided. Funny thing is that I never would have asked if I didn't notice how much the rear tires 'ripple' and distort during launches at the track. Thought the cracks could cause problems under that much stress.
Yeah, they came with tubes. Should I not use those? I thought that it would be better if I did.
The last 4 numbers are 1800. What does that mean?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stoenr
Radials should not be run with tubes. Those are tubeless designs
Those tires are 8 years old is what it means.
That abc report is why some of my customers have been asking me how old the tires are. My family thought I was in that video, one shot the dude kinda looks like me, lol.
No biggie, our tires go in and out too fast to have old stock.
I bought some snow tires from our shop that were 4 years old, they practically gave them to me Perfect for the winter beater.
And Ill see the tire getting bad before it fails, thats just me.
Im sure most of those tires had signs that it was going to fail before it actually failed.
Well I replaced the tires on my '02 Maxima (originals made in '01 with only 17K miles on them)...and now for the really big expense...my '01 run flats on the '01 Vette with only 16K miles on them...I think I'll give them one more year before replacing them. Since the Maxima and Vette sit in the garage I'm hoping that being out of the sun and outside elements gave them some extra life.
The stock Pirellis, that came with my 2006 Mustang, were made about two weeks before they went on the car Like produce, I love the smell of fresh tires.
They probably went on the rims, still warm. Ahhhhhh
Watching that ABC thing, how does a company keep stock, on a shelf for that many years? Some tire place buys a set of tires and then does not sell them for fifteen years? Really? Were they a $600 tire, in a weird size? You wait and wait (decades) for some doofus to drive up who needs 395/05-10 tires just so you can make his day by having that particular style of long-discontinued tire?
Maybe this explains why two of my hardly used tires (only 3500 miles on them) suddenly went flat...hence why I replced all four of them. If I still had my tires I would check that code and see if that was a possible reason for the sudden flats.
i bought my car used with new uniroyals on it. i had taken the wheels off to change the brakes( and wash the insides of the rims) and noticed a hairline crack in between the treads. checked it out again after this thread and1 tire was a 06, the other 3 were 00. thats 8 years old so i just replaced the tires this week. all of them were made this year, so i feel pretty good about that. thanks
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goina hundred in a 55, and i dont know why..
some things were just meant to be..
05 V6 auto, torch red, basic,:cool: a few mods
06 V6 stick, vista, premium (g/f`s car)
nice info right there bro. This is the first time I knew about this, I thought manufacturer never sells old tires. They sure don't replace their tire shelf and just stock tires for as long as 6years? I'm really replacing my tires when it reach a certain distance or when I learned that the thread aren't good anymore. But really thanks for this one.
Yeah, I personally already knew this cause I work at discount tire but most don't. We had a guy who came in with some perfect mud terrain tires that i was gonna put on my ranger but the dot number was from like '99 so i couldn't even touch them. if they're over the shelf life no tire place is even supposed to work on them (even rotate / balance or change valve stems on them). no tires we put on a car have a dot number more than 6 months old however (at least my store that's the case)
Damn good information to know. I wonder if the same code is used on motorcycle tires, does anyone know? I have some street tires that I bought in '86 for one of my old bikes. They have always been stored in a heated shop, never in the sun.
Might they not be safe at 100 mph anymore?
Tire Date of Manufacture 
Perfect for the winter beater.
Like produce, I love the smell of fresh tires.
