How safe are your tires?

[LumenAl]

BlownT posted this up at the NTBA site... I had no idea... I thought it was so important that I'd post it up here as well...

you will have to put up with a commercial for a few seconds to get to the story...


ABC News

I for one will be checking for date codes on all my tires... and when I buy new ones, will be specifying manufacturing date code of no older that 12 month of date of purchase...

 

[RPM]

What if they don't say DOT on the side? But says "race only"

 

[Duke]

I got the tires for my bucket about two months ago, so I went and checked - the oldest is 4407 , the newest 0408. I never realized this and will be more aware from now on.

 

[t-runner]

This was posted on hotrodhappenings.com.....

Accident-JoeAndShirley


These people were VERY lucky.

 

[donsrods]

I frequent some of the rat rod type forums, and with the nostalgia craze to make these cars look old timey, I see people posting that they just found a set of MINT 20 year old bias plies and want to run them. They say there is a little checking on the sidewalls but the tread is good. That is just asking for trouble IMO.

The tires on the back of my '27 are 20 years old and still have maybe 70 percent tread left, but there is no way they will be used when I redo the car. Even the front ones that were brand new 7 years ago and have maybe 500 miles on them will get the heave ho because they probably have also taken a set from the weight of the car on them for 7 years.

It may not be as pronounced in our light cars as an SUV, but why take a chance with your life?

Don

 

[tfeverfred]

I knew about old tires being bad from a news report years ago. Unfortunately, it's one of those bits of info that sticks in your head for maybe a week or two, then it's gone. I'll be sure to remember it now though.

Don, I can't believe guys are running on 20 year old tires! Like you said, that is for sure testing fate.

 

[Francis Blake]

I carry a little notebook all the time and I just wrote the codedate iffo in it will use it when I buy new tires shortly thanks for the headsup. :surprised: :lol: Francis

 

[blownt]

"It may not be as pronounced in our light cars as an SUV, but why take a chance with your life?"

Don, I believe I would MUCH rather have a blow-out in a SUV then I would in my bucket.


and



"Don, I can't believe guys are running on 20 year old tires! Like you said, that is for sure testing fate."

Fred, just take a run some Sat nite to the Kroger at Spring Cypress and Champion Forest. You will see a few rat rods that I would not even push across the street. One guy comes up there in a old 2 door sedan. Has the floor UNDER the open trans and the guys girlfriends purse is sitting on the trans about 2" from the front u-joint. The passenger seat is an old KMart plastic seat with thin tubular push-in legs. Is it just the rat rod mentality or what? They all seem to not care in the least about safety or the OTHER people on the road safety.