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Tire guys?

sxsnufsxsnuf Member Posts: 2,952 ✭✭✭✭
edited January 2017 in General Discussion
My daughter and SIL gave me a set of 4 tires that fit my daily driver.
They were cleaning out their storage and had no use for them.
Problem (for me) is that they were not marked as to direction of rotation when they were removed.
In my day, radial tires were completely directional.
Are these tire just junk now or is direction of rotation still a big deal?
They've got about 75% tread remaining so I'd like to put them to good use.
Thanx
Arrivederci gigi

Comments

  • toad67toad67 Member Posts: 13,008 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Put 'em on and run them. Very few tires any more are directionally specific.
  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,224 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    Mount them up and run 'em! If the manufacturer made them directional, there would be a "direction of rotation" arrow on them. Tires have changed a LOT in the last 20-30 years since I have worked in tire shops. Some of the "old" things we used to do are not needed anymore, some of then never were. Radial tires used to be rotated front to rear only, never side to side. They were also marked for position when they were taken off and stored. Today, and for quite a while, they have been rotated diagonally just like the old bias ply tires. I still know some people who subscribe to front to rear only theory. I have bought many sets of tires at swap meets, with no way of knowing what they came off of or what position they run in. I mount them up, and put the best ones on the front and any more worn ones on the rear. Never had a lick of trouble.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    yup, dont over think it, they probably needed rotated anyway
  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998
    edited November -1
    Check the date of manufacture! Older than Ten Years? Throw them Out!

    Doesn't matter how nice they look, older than Ten Years, they are subject to no warning failures!
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    And, check the side walls for dry rot.

    Neal
  • sxsnufsxsnuf Member Posts: 2,952 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks guys!
    I'll see if I can find a date.
    I doubt they're over 10 yrs old.
    Just livin in the past, and yes, overthinking it I guess.
    Arrivederci gigi
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    And, check the side walls for dry rot.

    Neal


    Check the manufacture date code on the tires....just because the tires appear in good condition does not mean they are safe to drive on....just ask Paul Walker...
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by sxsnuf
    My daughter and SIL gave me a set of 4 tires that fit my daily driver.
    They were cleaning out their storage and had no use for them.
    Problem (for me) is that they were not marked as to direction of rotation when they were removed.
    In my day, radial tires were completely directional.
    Are these tire just junk now or is direction of rotation still a big deal?
    They've got about 75% tread remaining so I'd like to put them to good use.
    Thanx





    First things first and that is safety.
    Look for the date code stamped into the tire in an oval. That code is week and year so a 2115 code is the 21st week of 2015. If the tires are over seven years old (code 0110 or earlier) they are dangerous and should not be run on any vehicle.

    If no issues there do not worry about locating them. Just mount balance and run-em.
  • CubsloverCubslover Member Posts: 18,601 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    SOME tires (usually street performance tires or Winter Tires) still must be mounted to follow direction of rotation. If it's marked on the tire, you must follow it. If there isn't a marking, you mount them any way you like and drive.
    Half of the lives they tell about me aren't true.
  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998
    edited November -1
    NOT in the case of tires, US55,!
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Your dad was lucky. Tires deteriorate from ozone, heat, UV-sun, etc., it isn't just from use. Even if they "look good", they will still fail quickly.

    5 years max for truck/passenger car tires, 3 to 4 (max) for trailer tires for me. Our NHTSA says six years to ten years max for passenger tires, so the manufacturers go with that. In England, it's 5 years I believe.

    I'll pay a bit more for earlier replacement tires and avoid blowing another older one out...again. My latest example: The last boating trip of 2016 was in September. I tried to get a "final trip" on my 2012 boat trailer tires. Blew right side rear trailer tire 20 miles into my return home. It chewed up my trailer fender, and the resort location prices were 150 bucks more for a set than at home. I keep them aired up and covered when not used, rotated, etc...and even after an exam with the boat off they looked just fine before I loaded up and went home.

    100% my fault for being cheap, I learned (yet) another valuable lesson. Saving a few bucks by mounting and "daily driving" on old tires of unknown care and condition just ain't worth it IMHO.
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by us55840
    Date coding was dreamed up to get you to throw away perfectly usable products so they mfg/seller can sell more.

    Many, many products are perfectly good after the date code ~ put on for dummies and idiots.

    It's government control at it's finest.

    [:(]


    That type of thinking is why folks skid off of roads when they are damp or wet on old tires even if they have usable "legal" tread remaining. Tractor off road and other LOW speed applications are exempted from time limits for a good reason, CONSTRUCTION of the tire.

    You can buy four tires in the 14-16" rim sizes for 3-400 bucks mounted balanced and installed, with road hazard and mileage warranty. WHY take a chance hurting yourself or someone else when an old tire fails, and trust me they do, quite often.

    I sold over $2,000,000 in tires last year, yes many were medium truck tires (semis) but about a third dollar wise was passenger car and LT tires. The place I work for stocks over 50,000 tires. When the age of a tire goes beyond the safety limit it is time to dump them.

    Age, heat cycles, ran low on air, overloaded, ozone, UV rays, impact damage and a plethora of other issues can bite you in the butt with old tires. Why chance your safety with old used stuff? Hitting objects going any faster than about 5MPH is going to damage your car a lot more than 400 bucks worth.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    so you guys are saying error on the side of caution and put them on the wife's car ? [:D]
  • sxsnufsxsnuf Member Posts: 2,952 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    They don't fit the wife's car. :)

    BTW, knowing where to look for the date code is good info.
    Wish I'd had it before having the tires mounted on the car.[:I]
    Sounds like the 4 studded tires I've got on Shwabbie snow wheels aren't worth the room they're taking up in the garage?
    They were for the old Corsica that was passed to my youngest daughter in 09.
    They were probably 10 yrs old then and have been in the garage ever since.
    Thanx again folks, I feel like a tire "expert" now!
    Arrivederci gigi
  • RobOzRobOz Member Posts: 9,523 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Best to just burn or bury them.
  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,155 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All the hype about "expired" tires is way over rated.
    Unless you plan to run the "expired" tires at extreme speed or under max load, I see no problem at all. I'm running tires that date from the mid-1980's w/o issues.
    The whole "date thing" is a way for tire makers who produce POS products to CYA( and sell more POS tires).
  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Michelin LTX M/S tires on my 2003 Silverado are over 9 years old and they still have over two thirds of the tread left on them so I guess I'll have to replace them sometime later this year...yeah right! I don't think so! [:D][:D]



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