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A few months back I learned a painful lesson about the dangers of running old tires. I hadn't been driving my 77 much the last few years. Mostly sat in the shop. Just been busy. The tires were probably 6-7 years old but had plenty of tread. I took it for a drive a few months back and while running about 65 mph the tread on the rear driver's side tire separated and started slapping the underside and driver's side door before I could get it stopped. By the time I got the car stopped, the loose tire tread had busted out a 4 inch chunk of fiberglass just behind the rear wheel and ruined the paint on the driver's side door all the way to the mirror.
I installed the spare and drove straight to my insurance agent's office. He took pictures and told me to get an estimate. Long story short, $3,500 in damage with the glass repair and paint. I got lucky, only cost me $100 deductible. Upon close inspection I found all 4 tires were completely dry rotted. I'm just passing this on in case anyone out there is running old tires that still have a lot of tread. It could be costly.
A few months back I learned a painful lesson about the dangers of running old tires. I hadn't been driving my 77 much the last few years. Mostly sat in the shop. Just been busy. The tires were probably 6-7 years old but had plenty of tread. I took it for a drive a few months back and while running about 65 mph the tread on the rear driver's side tire separated and started slapping the underside and driver's side door before I could get it stopped. By the time I got the car stopped, the loose tire tread had busted out a 4 inch chunk of fiberglass just behind the rear wheel and ruined the paint on the driver's side door all the way to the mirror.
I installed the spare and drove straight to my insurance agent's office. He took pictures and told me to get an estimate. Long story short, $3,500 in damage with the glass repair and paint. I got lucky, only cost me $100 deductible. Upon close inspection I found all 4 tires were completely dry rotted. I'm just passing this on in case anyone out there is running old tires that still have a lot of tread. It could be costly.
Look at the DOT date code and post it. The tires could be older than you think. I once bought a set of tires off a well known internet site and they were almost 5 years old. Sold to me as brand new tires.
Cooper tires are crap when new, so old, well you already know.
Mike
Last edited by v2racing; Sep 11, 2017 at 03:38 PM.
I blame the tire industry and the steel companies for this. The tire companies now say that their tires are only good for 6-7 years and to change them! No one seems to know this fact. They admit that the glue that they now use to bond the steel belts to the rubber deteriorates and breaks down by then!!!
Most of you people are too young to know what happened to radial tires. They were originally made with nylon fibers, then Aramid and Kevlar cords. Somehow, I feel that the steel industry persuaded them to start using steel belts in the tires. Now think about that, why would you want to put metal belts in a rubber tire? To me it was no coincidence that at this same time the steel industry was going down because the can makers were changing from steel cans to aluminum cans! That was a huge hit for them.
Are you aware of the many state troopers that were killed by their steel belted tires separating on high speed chases? I will never understand why Kevlar belts are not good enough for our tires. And they could readily recycle the tires without the steel belts in them. Just my opinion. Lou.
Been thinking about this also...my tires are the same ones from when I bought the car 18 years ago and who knows how long before that? I have only put 3K on the car since I have had it.
Been thinking about this also...my tires are the same ones from when I bought the car 18 years ago and who knows how long before that? I have only put 3K on the car since I have had it.
You're asking for trouble. You should not drive on those tires. I learned the hard way also when a big chunk of rubber came loose from the 15 yo Firestone 721's that were on my '77 shortly after I bought it. I didn't sustain any body damage luckily.
I know I'm living on borrowed time with my mid 80's tires. Still have the nubbies on the sidewall and 10/32" tread. It's tough finding a speed rated 245 60 15 blackwall. Hoosier has just released a street legal tire in that size, now just have to budget for them.
The only warning I had that the tread was separating from the tire was that the ride suddenly felt a little bumpier than usual and the rear end felt kinda squirrely. That was about 10 seconds before it came apart. Then it just started smacking everything. It was so loud that I thought the rearend was coming apart. I was surprised at how much damage it did in just a few seconds. It actually gouged through the paint the entire length of the driver's door, on top of the fiberglass damage in the rear. I gotta give the body shop that repaired it credit, to look at it now, you'd never know it happened.
I know I am borrowed time but I have only driven the damn car 3,000 miles in 18 years....not sure why I drove it the last couple days and it really drives nice.....compared to my 74 TR6 anyway. What you recommend for brand? I like the old school white letters current size on stock alloy is 225 /70 R15
I know I am borrowed time but I have only driven the damn car 3,000 miles in 18 years....not sure why I drove it the last couple days and it really drives nice.....compared to my 74 TR6 anyway. What you recommend for brand? I like the old school white letters current size on stock alloy is 225 /70 R15
Pretty much only choices are Radial TA's or Coopers.
Those tires have to be hard, new tires will be a noticeable ride improvement.
Thanks...cooper cobras look nice and are a bit cheaper...need to decide if I am going to dump this car or just keep it and make the suspension/springs/shocks my winter project....car just sits on a lift and don't really drive it, I might like it better with new components?
Yes......those great looking/full tread ? year old tires can come apart at ANY time. Not knowing any better, I put 2,000 miles on the car and had just made a 90mph test run on a section of unused roadway when a front tire began to come apart....I managed to limp home at 15mph.
Lesson learned the hard way.
