Tyre problem!

[Morganic]

My Cali is just under 42 months old and done less than 11000 miles.
Yesterday whilst checking tyre pressures I noticed some crazing/cracking of the tyre surface in between the outer tread edge. Concerned I took the vehicle to a local tyre dealer.
On further examination the same pattern of cracking was evident on all 4 tyres. The dealer advised for safety that all tyres should be changed despite there being about 4mm if tread left in each tyre.
As to a cause othe cracking well the only explanation offered was that the vehicle has been stood around for long periods exposed to the elements
The tyres are Dunlop Max 235/55/17 z 103 and dated less than 4 yrs old.
Anyone got any ideas on what has gone on?

 

[motacyclist]

I had similar on my Boxster and the Porsche Centre didn’t seem to think it was an issue. They reported it to me during the video commentary they do when they service cars nowadays. I also asked our very honest local tyre dealer and he thought the same. Of course, yours may be worse than mine were so maybe get a second opinion off your VW dealer?

I think it happens when the rubber is cold and you are manoeuvring the vehicle.

 

[Billywizz]

You would be cracked and grazed if you had stood outside for 4 years haha. It’s pretty normal to me so I’d just purchase a nice set of four.

 

[WelshGas]

My Cali is just under 42 months old and done less than 11000 miles.
Yesterday whilst checking tyre pressures I noticed some crazing/cracking of the tyre surface in between the outer tread edge. Concerned I took the vehicle to a local tyre dealer.
On further examination the same pattern of cracking was evident on all 4 tyres. The dealer advised for safety that all tyres should be changed despite there being about 4mm if tread left in each tyre.
As to a cause othe cracking well the only explanation offered was that the vehicle has been stood around for long periods exposed to the elements
The tyres are Dunlop Max 235/55/17 z 103 and dated less than 4 yrs old.
Anyone got any ideas on what has gone on?

Exactly what your Tyre Fitter said. Tyres are supposed to go round and round and not stand still, in one position for weeks if not months on end. Under these conditions the tyre compound hardens and frequently cracks. Very common on Caravans laid up over winter.

 

[motacyclist]

Have a look at my Boxster video report below and see if yours are worse than this. I didn’t keep the car long after so I don’t know how the cracking developed.

https://video.citnow.com/vtf9XyChZvy

 

[sidepod]

If there’s any doubt then buy 4 new ones. It’s only the safety of you and yours after all !!

 

[Loz]

Make sure you keep tyres well inflated and put covers on them if you are going to leave it sat about.

 

[Meoncoast]

wish I could get 42 months out of my Cali tyres

 

[Trebor]

My Cali is just under 42 months old and done less than 11000 miles.
Yesterday whilst checking tyre pressures I noticed some crazing/cracking of the tyre surface in between the outer tread edge. Concerned I took the vehicle to a local tyre dealer.
On further examination the same pattern of cracking was evident on all 4 tyres. The dealer advised for safety that all tyres should be changed despite there being about 4mm if tread left in each tyre.
As to a cause othe cracking well the only explanation offered was that the vehicle has been stood around for long periods exposed to the elements
The tyres are Dunlop Max 235/55/17 z 103 and dated less than 4 yrs old.
Anyone got any ideas on what has gone on?

We had same cracking 10 years ago with our low mileage BMW 525d touring . Got expensive Michelin tyres and they cracked after about 4 years . Decided to replace with cheap Matador tyres They lastest much better !

 

[jts46]

wish I could get 42 months out of my Cali tyres

I suppose we could if it wasn't used, as WG has said tyres are meant to go round and round.
I read somewhere years ago that tyres only lasted 4 years anyway.

 

[jeff]

Managed to gat 8years out of a set of Bridgestone durivis tyres before cracking occurred . Just replaced them as was recommended to use Bridgestone tyres as michilins degrade quicker.

 

[GrannyJen]

I suppose we could if it wasn't used, as WG has said tyres are meant to go round and round.
I read somewhere years ago that tyres only lasted 4 years anyway.

The old, or in my case very old, advice was 5 years max for any tyre.

It's not a statement that I have ever challenged as I have never ever had a set of tyres last that long, but for me, and I'm a nervous oldie, any malformation of the tyre, bulges, cracks etc, means only one thing. A new tyre. It might be extravagant but my life is worth a bit more than the £120 or so that it costs to replace a tyre.

 

[B J G]

Tyres used to last for decades without cracking but now have synthetic compounds that have a short life before the 'rubber' starts to go off/harden which leads to cracking.
Leads to the question of buying cheaper brands if only doing low annual mileages as wear isn't the main criteria.

 

[GrannyJen]

I have been driving since 1967 and tyres suffered as much from age then as they do now. Cross-ply's in particular often deteriorated along the side wall unless used often, i.e. rolled a lot and not left standing. Tyres were not cheap then and often separated in the event of a blow-out causing catastrophic loss of control.

Radial ply was the all new thing .... and comparatively expensive, fitted only to the poshest cars, which meant that my rusting heap of an Austin A35 simply had to have them

I have never really looked at the price of a tyre. The performance statistics that now come with a tyre to me are more important than the price tag. Asking a 3 ton van to stop almost as quickly as a low slung wide-wheeled sports car in a motorway pile-up during a deluge is generally my nightmare scenario.

After all, the price difference between a set of cheap "D" rated and expensive "A" rated is about £160 or a halfpenny per mile per set. A cheap price to pay for not slamming into the back of that expensive sports car

 

[Taff7996]

I was informed that tyres have a shelf life, even when not fitted.
Spare tyres are often forgotten about, until needed
I saw on a news articles that a bus crashed and had 19 years old tyres on. It was mentioned that there was a reconciled shelf life for car tyres but not commercial

 

[Ginab]

Remember the days of retreads?
Most of my youth was spent in London, so had old bangers to frighten taxi drivers and never had more than a quarter of a tank of petrol - a tankful would have been worth more than the car!

 

[GrannyJen]

Remember the days of retreads?
Most of my youth was spent in London, so had old bangers to frighten taxi drivers and never had more than a quarter of a tank of petrol - a tankful would have been worth more than the car!

Certainly do. Normally came with a speed limit that with my A35 would have been purely academic

 

[WelshGas]

As far as I am aware Car Tyres should be replaced 5 years AFTER Manufacture.
That means they could be 2 yrs old before being fitted to your vehicle, especially if they are not main stream makes and size.

How Old are your tyres?
https://www.kwik-fit.com/tyres/information/tyre-age

 

[Roger Boeken]

As far as I am aware Car Tyres should be replaced 5 years AFTER Manufacture.
That means they could be 2 yrs old before being fitted to your vehicle, especially if they are not main stream makes and size.

How Old are your tyres?
https://www.kwik-fit.com/tyres/information/tyre-age

As far as I can find there is no law prohibting to use tires older than 6 years ( 6y a number that circulates a lot on the internet) except for caravans that have the 100km/h label in Germany. However in most countries there is a recommendation to replace tyres after 6 years.

 

[Velma's Dad]

This is a recurring topic in the classic car fraternity (one of my cars is a 1962 TR4) and there seems to be some consensus that the main cause of tyre-ageing is environmental - esp sunlight/UV. Not a problem for most classic owners, whose cars are garaged, but I assume the majority of Calis live outdoors.

The AA says there are no hard and fast rules on tyre age. Their advice is visual inspection of older tyres to check for sidewall cracking. So I assume dangerous ageing is likely to be visible in most cases.

Michelin similarly recommends annual visual inspection after a tyre is five years old, and "If the tyres haven't been replaced 10 years after their date of manufacture, as a precaution, Michelin recommends replacing them with new tyres." (Note that they aren't saying that 10+ year old tyres are likely to be dangerous).

 

[ian210]

A big cause of tyre deterioration is UV light. If you are parking a Cali outside, it is a good idea to cover the tyres, just the same as people do with caravans. Mine are 5 years plus with no cracking probably because I keep the van in the garage. Very little light.

 

[Morganic]

Many thanks to all who responded. Have bitten the bullet and had 4 new tyres fitted! Hope I have better luck with these. Cali feels a lot better on the road as well!

 

[WelshGas]

Many thanks to all who responded. Have bitten the bullet and had 4 new tyres fitted! Hope I have better luck with these. Cali feels a lot better on the road as well!

Don’t forget the spare if you have one. If it is on a steel wheel, so not going to be used long term you could just put a cheaper make tyre on as a get you home.

 

[Morganic]

Thanks. Good idea. Bring back Michelin X tyres!

 

[Cali-on-Camping]

Sorry if this is a bit of a silly question but, if I am driving on the continent somewhere that it is mandatory to have winter tyres, does that mean that the spare must also be a winter tyre? I think i know the answer; it's the difference between buying four or five new tyres before we head to Austria for Christmas.