Tire Date Code???
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,360
Likes: 221
From: Beecher Illinois
Tire Date Code???
Trying to determine how old the tires are on a recently acquired 79. It's an 11K mile Vette that I plan to drive a little bit. Originally came with the Goodyear Polysteel Radials but now runs Eagle GT+4s. The code is E50 037. Didn't think about it when I bought it and assumed "new" meant recent, but could have been new years ago. They look great without any cracks or dryness.
Mike
Mike
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 15,133
Likes: 477
From: NM
There should be a number that starts with DOT that looks something like DOT PDHH MLOR 3403. The last four is the date code. In this case it would be the 34th week of 2003. The PD would be the plant they were made in, and the HH MLOR is left up to the company for whatever use they want.
tom...
tom...
Last edited by Tom73; Jun 28, 2005 at 12:27 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Originally Posted by Tom73
There should be a number that starts with DOT that looks something like DOT PDHH MLOR 3403. The last four is the date code. In this case it would be the 34th week of 2003. The PD would be the plant they were made in, and the HH MLOR is left up to the company for whatever use they want.
tom...
tom...
Rick B.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Originally Posted by KapsSA
Trying to determine how old the tires are on a recently acquired 79. It's an 11K mile Vette that I plan to drive a little bit. Originally came with the Goodyear Polysteel Radials but now runs Eagle GT+4s. The code is E50 037. Didn't think about it when I bought it and assumed "new" meant recent, but could have been new years ago. They look great without any cracks or dryness.
Mike
Mike
My WAG ("Wild - ash - guess") is that "037" is the date and stands for the third week of a year ending in "7". Not sure if that tire was made in 1987, so my guess would be 1997.
I recall going through the same drill with the tires that were on my vette. Had decent tread but couldn't confirm if they were 2 years old (almost impossible) 12 years old (probably) or 22 years old! I bought a new set and gave away the old ones.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 139
Likes: 1
From: Folsom CA
Originally Posted by Blair Winch Project
I believe that if there are only a 3 digits instead of 4 it means the tire was manufactured prior to 2000. If that's the case you should probably consider replacing them regardless of how they look.
Rick B.
Rick B.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,360
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From: Beecher Illinois
Originally Posted by PRNDL
My WAG ("Wild - ash - guess") is that "037" is the date and stands for the third week of a year ending in "7". Not sure if that tire was made in 1987, so my guess would be 1997.
I recall going through the same drill with the tires that were on my vette. Had decent tread but couldn't confirm if they were 2 years old (almost impossible) 12 years old (probably) or 22 years old! I bought a new set and gave away the old ones.
I recall going through the same drill with the tires that were on my vette. Had decent tread but couldn't confirm if they were 2 years old (almost impossible) 12 years old (probably) or 22 years old! I bought a new set and gave away the old ones.
Looked for any other numbers and the ones I posted are the only thing that look like codes. I hope the 7 doesn't mean 87. 97 I can live with. Just local cruising planned.
Previous owner's father bought the Vette back in 83. Supposedly found it sitting in a garage covered with dust and having a few flat tires. Original owner was an old guy, maybe died or in nursing home. Seller (son) didn't know much. No knowledge of what his father did or when he did it. Pretty much untouched, which was a big selling point. Son owned the car for 5 years not using it at all. I did drive it 1000 miles home without incident. Currently have a new set of Goodyear Eagle GT2s mounted on another set of wheels on it that were destined for another Vette until I figure out if these are old or not. Still mounted so I'd sure like to use them.
Mike
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
From: Longview Texas
Originally Posted by KapsSA
97 I can live with. Just local cruising planned.
Mike
Mike
Nope ....... see my thread titled " it's the tires, stupid "
My 77 started a hard pull to the right ... found out the Left front tire had pulled a belt and "expanded" ..... now I notice the left rear has a divot looking pull in the middle of the tire .. and that is all I did, local cruising
I wanted to keep the tires because of the tread depth, damn near new!
date code on mine were the 3 digit type (037)(107) etc ..... meaning 3rd week of 97 / 10th week of 97 etc...
replace the tires
Last edited by Wife'sVette; Jun 28, 2005 at 06:35 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,360
Likes: 221
From: Beecher Illinois
Yeah, I guess 'll leave the new Eagle GT2s on for now. Originally bought them and put together another set of wheels to put on the 78SA to start driving it a little. Wanted to preserve the original Goodyear GT Radials for shows and someday judging. No way I want to spend any time on the road with those tires on it. Probably won't be driving the SA much with this "new" 79 around now.
Another clue to the age of the GT+4s is that they are 245/60HR-15s. "HR"s. When did they stop using the letter designations?
Mike
Another clue to the age of the GT+4s is that they are 245/60HR-15s. "HR"s. When did they stop using the letter designations?
Mike
Last edited by KapsSA; Jun 29, 2005 at 12:09 AM.
