Tires look brand new, but are 11 years old. Keep or discard?

[mdicken1]

My wife recently went thru cancer treatment and a transplant which required us to drive from our farm almost 100 miles one way to a major city in the south. Her 4Runner had really nice Toyo tires with lots of tread left, but they were 7 years old and since interstate traffic typically runs at 80 MPH with high temps on the roadway I did not want to take a chance of a blowout so I put a new set on. Interestingly, our daughter has our older 4Runner and she was running our last set which was about the same age and she had a blowout on the interstate. My home rule is old tires, old car batteries, and old water heaters need to be replaced before they let you down at the worst possible time.

 

[Davenj4f]

I have 8 truck tires-- size 295/80R22.5 Load range H.

They look brand new, have under 1,000 miles on them, but are 11 years old. They have been mounted on a truck that has been rarely used, stored indoors, and only occasionally driven. People are telling me to throw the tires away and replace them. A new set, including installation, is close to $10,000.

Q- are they safe to use? Should I replace them and be "better safe than sorry?" Does indoor storage make a difference in the recommendation to replace every 6-10 years regardless of mileage?

Other than discarding, is there any good use for these "like new" tires I would be removing?

I got this off the web, but it is consistent with what I've heard all my life.
Tires should generally be replaced after 6 years of use, with a maximum life of 10 years from the date of manufacture, regardless of tread depth. Rubber degrades over time due to factors like sun and oxygen, leading to cracks and potential blowouts, even on unused tires. To find your tires' manufacture date, check the DOT code on the sidewall.

 

[sandman2234]

If you blow a tire due to age, how much damage is it going to do to the vehicle that it is mounted on?
If you blow a tire due to age, how much is it going to inconvenience you? Are you capable of changing the tire on the side of the road? Are all the drivers of that vehicle capable of changing the tire?
If you blow a tire and it doesn't destroy the fender, lights, etc...how much is it going to cost to have a road service come out and change the tire? What is that replacement tire going to cost you if you don't have a spare, or if the spare got used previously on the same trip?
I moved a "stolen" 5th wheel camper for a co-worker of a good friend, from south Florida to my house and then over to the panhandle of Florida. Checked and aired up all tires, made it 100 miles before one blew. He called a road service, which was expensive. Made it another 50 miles and blew another. I called him, suggested my brother come down, remove the 3 tires, take them to a shop and replace those 3, then remount. He didn't want to, but finally agreed. Unbeknown to me, he thought I was "padding" the costs and making a bunch of money off him. (Which is strange since he called the first road service and paid them). I got the trailer to the destination, got paid and forgot about it. Six months later I got a call from him, apologizing for something I wasn't even aware of. He had the trailer moved again, and it cost him almost $400 for a short distance and they blew a tire. (failed to check tire pressures before departing) The road service cost him almost triple what he he paid my brother for coming to help me and that road service didn't travel even a third of the distance my brother did.
Basically, when you blow a tire on the road, you are at the mercy of whomever you call and there aren't that many road service people if you don't include the ones that you join beforehand.
David from jax

 

[DieselBound]

Wondering if deformity from sitting around a lot creates weakened areas in tires. Keeping tires aired up would be a good idea.

 

[mjonesnh]

For my wife's 2017 Escape new tires and battery at 5 years. I don't follow those rules for my 2 trucks ( 1995 Ram battery from 2015) but got to make sure she gets home when out by herself. Married 49 years next March. Obviously she is a keeper

 

[Diwali]

I have 8 truck tires-- size 295/80R22.5 Load range H.

They look brand new, have under 1,000 miles on them, but are 11 years old. They have been mounted on a truck that has been rarely used, stored indoors, and only occasionally driven. People are telling me to throw the tires away and replace them. A new set, including installation, is close to $10,000.

Q- are they safe to use? Should I replace them and be "better safe than sorry?" Does indoor storage make a difference in the recommendation to replace every 6-10 years regardless of mileage?

Other than discarding, is there any good use for these "like new" tires I would be removing?

I once bought a new 4WD vehicle that had been stored outside for, by coincidence, 11 years as a result of customs impounding. This was in the Middle East so not great conditions for tyres. I was advised to replace the tyres (essentially all brand new) but put it off as they looked fine to me. However, when my son (always a speedy driver) had a full blowout on the motorway and barely managed to control the vehicle, I promptly changed all the tyres.
Lesson learnt. Old 'new' tyres in a hot climate are a death trap.

 

[prairiegirl]

I have 8 truck tires-- size 295/80R22.5 Load range H.

They look brand new, have under 1,000 miles on them, but are 11 years old. They have been mounted on a truck that has been rarely used, stored indoors, and only occasionally driven. People are telling me to throw the tires away and replace them. A new set, including installation, is close to $10,000.

Q- are they safe to use? Should I replace them and be "better safe than sorry?" Does indoor storage make a difference in the recommendation to replace every 6-10 years regardless of mileage?

Other than discarding, is there any good use for these "like new" tires I would be removing?

We would certainly use them. Not being in the sun should help. Just keep an eye on them for any cracking when driven.
By the way, we just spoke to a tire man and he said after 10 years the rubber gets old, not 6.

 

[northcreek2624]

It depends on many factors, sun will kill tires over time but, you say they have been indoors. I pushed the ten year thing on my motorhome and ended up buying tires in Arkansas when they started flying apart one by one. If you're just doing short trips close to home you might be okay. In my case they looked good until they failed.

 

[sandman2234]

We would certainly use them. Not being in the sun should help. Just keep an eye on them for any cracking when driven.
By the way, we just spoke to a tire man and he said after 10 years the rubber gets old, not 6.

I guess the tire man you spoke to knows more than Michelin? Their tire recommendation starts at 6 and ends at 10 given the conditions the tires are kept in. Your statement gives the impression that they are good until they reach 10, which could possibly happen, but not in Florida!
David from jax

 

[jk96]

31 years and counting on these Mickey Thompson tires. These were put on in either 1993 or 1994. I think they have less than 5,000 miles on them. I finally knocked the dust of the jeep this year after sitting for the last 3. Took it by the tire shop for a slow leak and we took a look at the inside of them while broken down for any signs of deterioration or cracks. Still look like new inside and out. I don't have a top for it though so it has never been stored outside.

 

[jyoutz]

31 years and counting on these Mickey Thompson tires. These were put on in either 1993 or 1994. I think they have less than 5,000 miles on them. I finally knocked the dust of the jeep this year after sitting for the last 3. Took it by the tire shop for a slow leak and we took a look at the inside of them while broken down for any signs of deterioration or cracks. Still look like new inside and out. I don't have a top for it though so it has never been stored outside.

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I don’t think I’d want to run those at interstate highway speeds. Trailered for off road use, yeah.

 

[jk96]

I don’t think I’d want to run those at interstate highway speeds. Trailered for off road use, yeah.

Not a thing wrong with them. Have barely seen the sun. I had all 4 broken down and inspected inside and out this spring.

 

[RB5]

My old Ram that has been parked for 15 years still has the Goodyear Wranglers with Kevlar on it. They still have air in them. Those are the only tires I never got a flat with. I wouldn't run those on the road.
I'd say if the tires are not dry rotted with cracks in them, the tread coming apart, or leaking I'd run them and keep a close eyes on them.

 

[Gregster613]

https://www.goodyear.com/en_US/learn/tire-basics/tire-date-code.html

Some tires predate the dating…

Ultra and Shawn, Thanks for the informative article!! I now "do" know how to read the manufacture date of some tires on my rigs and it looks as if I was running on borrowed time! My rear duel tires on my 3500 are about 10 years old.
I do believe that I'm going tire shopping real soon! I don't use my 3500 often, but whenever I do it's usually heavily loaded and on a fast paced highway. I sure "don't" want any unexpected tire failures.
Thanks once again.

 

[ultrarunner]

Maybe it’s radials that present a shorter service life or more prone to age?

Most of my vehicles are nylon bias ply and nylon is known to age well… the 1957 FibreFlite outboard still has the original 1957 tube Goodyear tires.

Every summer it would make the 12 block journey from the cabin to the lake boat launch and back a few times.

I have no plans to replace at this time…

When stored it’s garaged and blocked to take the weight off the tires.

I’ve learned here to be cautious with high speed runs at load in blistering heat.

 

[RammerJammer]

Recently replaced four tires on a RWD, full-size SUV which is driven frequently but always garaged when idle. Those tires had 2014 MFG dates on them. They had some wear but it had gotten to the point where I didn't trust them. Partially because they were 11 years old and partially due to wear. But, mostly, because it's my wife's vehicle. That was even though NONE had been on the vehicle since 2014. That just happened to be the last time those tires were made. I wanted matched tires and had replaced them, two at a time, more than once. (If it hadn't been for the matching-the-tires thing, the whole date issue would probably have escaped me, by the way.)

Never had an issue with tire failures when using those particular tires no matter their dates. I even kept the best one and it looks perfect inside. However, either the new ones have better traction, inherently or, as one poster suggested, the old ones had lost their grip. Quote from wife: 'When starting on a hill in the rain, the new tires never spin like the old ones did.' Hmmm . . .

New tires came from Sam's Club: Best overall price, great service -- With an appointment, even. Surprised (and pleased) the heck out of me. Balance was just right, by the way. (Ask for Chris . . . )

Editorial Comment: I despise arbitrary rules/policies like that over-five-year = NO MOUNT business. We have become a litigious, perfect-world, chicken-bleep society. Take the OP's case: Tires are well over that five year "limit" but, because they are already mounted, he is free to continue using them, indefinitely. Just as I was. And, as others have said, millions of 5+ year tires are on the road. Some have likely failed. So have newer ones, I suspect. However, if this really was a documented concern, I also suspect there would be laws in place prohibiting their use. Alternatively, I suppose it is due to two factors: Potential liability (litigiousness) and/or the desire to sell more tires. I am no fan of either.

However, you might want to visit our website: www.mountyourown.tires . . . Yeah, I'm joking.

 

[jyoutz]

Maybe it’s radials that present a shorter service life or more prone to age?

Most of my vehicles are nylon bias ply and nylon is known to age well… the 1957 FibreFlite outboard still has the original 1957 tube Goodyear tires.

Every summer it would make the 12 block journey from the cabin to the lake boat launch and back a few times.

I have no plans to replace at this time…

When stored it’s garaged and blocked to take the weight off the tires.

I’ve learned here to be cautious with high speed runs at load in blistering heat.

I would have no concerns about low speed usage. High speed interstate travel is where safety is an issue.

 

[DarkBlack]

That replace at 6 years “rule” from the manufacture date, is the entire tire industry helping their sales. As if the tire is perfectly fine in year 5, but a year later it’s no good. BS.
I pay no attention to a 6 year “rule “. It’s all how the tire performs, looks ( no cracks or tread movement) , and I also occasionally use a durometer when I’ve had them for a while, to check that they’re not hardening.
A lot of places sell new tires with a date code that’s already 2 years old.
That would only give you 4 years. If they’re in a cool environment, and not exposed to a lot of sunlight, they can easily last over 10 years in my experience

 

[olenjohn]

You better get the new tires. While you’re getting that done, it is customary to flush and replace the blinker fluid. The same shop can grease the muffler bearings and adjust the exhaust pipe diameters. A reputable shop may also have other recommendations.

 

[sandman2234]

That replace at 6 years “rule” from the manufacture date, is the entire tire industry helping their sales. As if the tire is perfectly fine in year 5, but a year later it’s no good. BS.
I pay no attention to a 6 year “rule “. It’s all how the tire performs, looks ( no cracks or tread movement) , and I also occasionally use a durometer when I’ve had them for a while, to check that they’re not hardening.
A lot of places sell new tires with a date code that’s already 2 years old.
That would only give you 4 years. If they’re in a cool environment, and not exposed to a lot of sunlight, they can easily last over 10 years in my experience

I check the tires going on my vehicles before they mount them. If they are more than 6 months old, they don't go on my vehicles at the same price I would pay for a new set!
David from jax