Old Run Flat Tire Question
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: South Plainfield N.J.
Old Run Flat Tire Question
Hello, my name is Don I this is my first post as well as my first Corvette. I just bought a 2004 convertible with just over 11,000 miles on it and the run flat tires are original to the car. I have very carefully inspected each tire and I cannot see any crazing or any other visible issues with any of the tires. My question is: What would you do to ensure these tires are safe? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Race Director
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 15,776
Likes: 3,284
From: Phoenix area, AZ
The tires are not safe; no tire is safe after a decade and the run flats even less because they become extremely hard and, from personal experience, cause wheel hop that could send you into a retaining wall. You should replace them soon.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 807
Likes: 239
Hello, my name is Don I this is my first post as well as my first Corvette. I just bought a 2004 convertible with just over 11,000 miles on it and the run flat tires are original to the car. I have very carefully inspected each tire and I cannot see any crazing or any other visible issues with any of the tires. My question is: What would you do to ensure these tires are safe? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
In determining whether to replace a tire, consumers should focus on the age of their tires in addition to other factors, such as tread wear.
A tire’s tread depth is measured in 32nds of an inch. Most tires are replaced when a tire has exceeded its useful tread life; approximately 2/32nd of an inch in tread depth remaining. At this point, most consider the tire “worn” and decide it is time to buy new tires.
Unfortunately, we routinely see tire failures on tires that are more than ten years old. These tires have either been installed on automobiles that maintain low mileage on a yearly basis or the tire may have been installed as a spare for several years prior to being placed into service.
By simply looking at the tread wear of a tire, you may not realize that the tire is older and has thus been exposed to prolonged periods of heat and oxygen, decomposing the tire’s internal adhesion over time. Even if the tire has never been used and still has 100% of its tread life remaining, the tire could impose a significant safety risk if the tire is old. The tire’s age, therefore, must not be ignored.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,507
Likes: 9
I think the age issue on many of our cars is overblown. Many of them sit in the garage out of the direct sun and don't see the harsh elements many of our daily drivers do. I finally had to change mine when I noticed the inside of the front tires were getting a little worn from the factory alignment settings.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,906
Likes: 250
From: Orlando FL
I think the age issue on many of our cars is overblown. Many of them sit in the garage out of the direct sun and don't see the harsh elements many of our daily drivers do. I finally had to change mine when I noticed the inside of the front tires were getting a little worn from the factory alignment settings.
Tire Aging
•• Any rubber begins to break down over time. Heat accelerates this process. The rubber in your tires also breaks down over time, a process referred to as tire aging.
•• Even though a tire may have a lot of remaining tread, its integrity may be compromised. The effect of aging may not be visibly detectable.
•• Tires age whether they are driven on or not and are a concern for infrequently used vehicles and spare tires.
•• An analysis of crashes in the National Automotive Sampling System from 2005-2007 estimates that 90 people die and an additional 3,200 are injured each year in crashes in which tire aging was a factor (http://www.scribd.com/doc/137377038/...-on-tire-aging).
•• As tires age, they are more prone to failure.
•• Some tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires that are 6 to 10 years old, regardless of tread wear.
