RRC original tyres

Just replaced one of the tyres on my RRC. Plenty of tread left but deep cracks near the wheel rim around most of the circumference.

Friend had a boat (Norfolk Gypsy) overhauled in Norfolk 2 years ago & they gave the trailer a going over incl new braked suspension units. They fitted what looked like brand new tyres to both wheels & the spare.
By the time he got to me in Leicester both were badly cracked so we changed the worst for the spare. Checked the dates & they were all pre 2000.
Got near Exeter when the first failed. He fitted the one we'd taken off & that failed just short of St Austell. Full lift recovery. After some discussion the boatbuilders did refund what they'd charged for the tyres.

Cracked tyres with near perfect tread are common on caravans - I do body work for two caravan specialists & some tyres on used caravans they've bought in/taken as px are shocking. They change any over 3 years old as part of the PDI.

The classic car clubs are well aware of the issues.

You're correct that tyre age is not yet part of the MOT. Age deterioration may not be visible & testing is visual appearance.

This from the home of litigation worth a read: http://www.safetyresearch.net/blog/...ions-grows-bridgestone-firestone-latest-entry

Yours may last until the tread wears away or they may start to crack in service. Only time will tell.

kevseabass110 said:

At best I think some are ill informed and quick to believe everything they hear.

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You're not kidding you are, what an idiot! Some people can't be helped, I've lost count of the number of accidents I've read about caused by defective tyres and having personally suffered a terrifying offside front wheel motorway blow out which closed the M6 I am now very aware of the importance of tyre safety.


A bit of 'ill-information' for you;

UK:
"Shock figures show that 32 people were killed or seriously injured in motorway accidents in 2016 because of tyre failures – but almost 3 in 4 of them could have been prevented if motorists had simply carried out the most basic checks of their car’s rubber."

AMERICA:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 2% of all vehicle crashes are caused by the vehicle itself, and of these, 35% are related to tire problems. Look at it this way - every year there are 15,000 auto accidents in the U.S. caused by problems with the vehicles' tires.


https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news-list/simple-tyre-checks-prevent-3-in-4-crashes/

https://www.santamarialaw.net/defective-tires-can-cause-devastating-accidents.html

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/poor-tyre-maintenance-main-cause-car-accidents-uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ventable-say-highways-england-and-bridgestone

You mentioned rubber roofing
I have worked in commercial
Roofing for almost 40 years and have lots of experience with rubber roofs
They are great roofs
And I have seen plenty that were over thirty years old and still there
The tired I have were still in the spare tire rack in the rovers
Covered their entire life
No cracks at rims
Two still have the paint on the tree
I would feel fine use of them

Good read and interesting.
Direct me to the bit that says about the “tyres age” causing these accidents. I couldn’t find it.

Interceptorxj said:

You're not kidding you are, what an idiot! Some people can't be helped, I've lost count of the number of accidents I've read about caused by defective tyres and having personally suffered a terrifying offside front wheel motorway blow out which closed the M6 I am now very aware of the importance of tyre safety.


A bit of 'ill-information' for you;

UK:
"Shock figures show that 32 people were killed or seriously injured in motorway accidents in 2016 because of tyre failures – but almost 3 in 4 of them could have been prevented if motorists had simply carried out the most basic checks of their car’s rubber."

AMERICA:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 2% of all vehicle crashes are caused by the vehicle itself, and of these, 35% are related to tire problems. Look at it this way - every year there are 15,000 auto accidents in the U.S. caused by problems with the vehicles' tires.


https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news-list/simple-tyre-checks-prevent-3-in-4-crashes/

https://www.santamarialaw.net/defective-tires-can-cause-devastating-accidents.html

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/poor-tyre-maintenance-main-cause-car-accidents-uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ventable-say-highways-england-and-bridgestone

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And the statistic for accidents involving classic cars on old tyres . I’d bet there is barely a statistic for it .

Sun kills tyres, I have tyres on 3 vehicles that are not worn out but have cracking in the walls by the rim and/or between the tread blocks. The newest are about 5 years old, the oldest over 20 years. I wouldn't use any of them on motorways, OK for pootling around our lanes. I will be fitting new tyres on 2 of the 3 this year.

kevseabass110 said:

Good read and interesting.
Direct me to the bit that says about the “tyres age” causing these accidents. I couldn’t find it.

Click to expand...

Sorry but I picked the second link to check and came up with this in the first minute of reading pasted below.

Tire Defects

Here are the most common defects in tires:

• Tread separation
• Manufacturing defects
• Older tires that appear good but are worn
• Inadequate puncture repair
• Retread failure
• Tires that are unsuitable for the vehicle
• Steel belt and tread separation due to the difficulty of attaching steel to rubber
• Tires manufactured without adequate separation prevention design features
• Tires damaged while being mounted

It’s only advice that was asked and given, by a few.We can’t make you do anything.

J

When they talk about the majority of accidents being related to a lack of basic checks on the cars rubber, I would expect this to refer mainly to improper inflation or physical damage, including punctures