HGV tyres over 10 years old
Discussion
Interesting announcement earlier today.
"The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is publishing a revised Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, which is the formal guidance for commercial operators and drivers on how to make sure their vehicles are safe to drive. It includes guidance that tyres over 10 years old should not be used on heavy vehicles except in specific, limited circumstances. These changes reinforce guidance previously issued to bus and coach operators and extend it to include goods vehicles."
https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/wr...
"The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is publishing a revised Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, which is the formal guidance for commercial operators and drivers on how to make sure their vehicles are safe to drive. It includes guidance that tyres over 10 years old should not be used on heavy vehicles except in specific, limited circumstances. These changes reinforce guidance previously issued to bus and coach operators and extend it to include goods vehicles."
https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/wr...
It's good guidance all they need to do now is implement legislation for tyres over 10 years old to be banned.
This campaign has been running for a while.
http://www.tyred.org.uk/problem
It makes sense to me.
You can't necessarily tell the structural integrity of a tyre just by looking at it.
Banning old tyres obviously won't solve all the problems (especially with HGVs) but it would certainly help.
This campaign has been running for a while.
http://www.tyred.org.uk/problem
It makes sense to me.
You can't necessarily tell the structural integrity of a tyre just by looking at it.
Banning old tyres obviously won't solve all the problems (especially with HGVs) but it would certainly help.
Old tyres always remind me of this this incident 11 years ago, the tyres involved were more than twice that age. Perished tyres ain't good.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/great...
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/great...
Scotty2 said:
And what about those who have a classic coach that has tyres that would pass an MOT and do a very low mileage at not a great speed?
I wouldn't want to change 8 tyres just because of age, only if they were showing signs of cracking / perishing.
And I wouldn't want to ride in a coach running on rock-hard old tyres.I wouldn't want to change 8 tyres just because of age, only if they were showing signs of cracking / perishing.
Its quite a big problem, with drastic consequnces, a large percentage of tyre failure incidents are down to old tyres. Certainly a very common issue with horseboxes & motorhomes which inherently do low miles over the years so tyres don't wear out.
Some interesting studies on the reduction of load ratings & temp management of old tyres out there if you Google.
Some interesting studies on the reduction of load ratings & temp management of old tyres out there if you Google.
Scotty2 said:
And what about those who have a classic coach that has tyres that would pass an MOT and do a very low mileage at not a great speed?
I wouldn't want to change 8 tyres just because of age, only if they were showing signs of cracking / perishing.
8 tyres on a coach? You have a Bedford VAL?I wouldn't want to change 8 tyres just because of age, only if they were showing signs of cracking / perishing.
A rather dubious haulage owner used to keep a full set of wheels with new tyres on them, and would put these on any of his trucks that were to be MOTd. Once past the test, they were taken off and the old ones put back on.
He also used to replace single brake linings - i.e. just one on a wheel, never mind just one side of the axle.
Brake fade led to my BiL being killed in one of the guy's trucks - haulier sold the business the night he was killed. The fleet records were "destroyed" in a mysterious fire in the office the following day. He was never prosecuted.
He also used to replace single brake linings - i.e. just one on a wheel, never mind just one side of the axle.
Brake fade led to my BiL being killed in one of the guy's trucks - haulier sold the business the night he was killed. The fleet records were "destroyed" in a mysterious fire in the office the following day. He was never prosecuted.
speedyguy said:
Old tyres always remind me of this this incident 11 years ago, the tyres involved were more than twice that age. Perished tyres ain't good.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/great...
An even more famous example of the unreliability of old tyres is the death of Paul Walker of the Fast and Furious franchise. He died in a crash where, according to Wikipedia, the “investigation concluded that the car's speed – between 80 mph (130 km/h) and 93 mph (150 km/h) – and age of the tires were the primary reasons for the crash” with both Porsche and Michelin having contributed to the investigation. Old rubber isn’t safe.https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/great...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Walker#Death_...
grumpyscot said:
A rather dubious haulage owner used to keep a full set of wheels with new tyres on them, and would put these on any of his trucks that were to be MOTd. Once past the test, they were taken off and the old ones put back on.
He also used to replace single brake linings - i.e. just one on a wheel, never mind just one side of the axle.
Brake fade led to my BiL being killed in one of the guy's trucks - haulier sold the business the night he was killed. The fleet records were "destroyed" in a mysterious fire in the office the following day. He was never prosecuted.
Operator sounds like a real stand-up guy. Was any "extra-legal" action taken against him (if you know what I mean...)?He also used to replace single brake linings - i.e. just one on a wheel, never mind just one side of the axle.
Brake fade led to my BiL being killed in one of the guy's trucks - haulier sold the business the night he was killed. The fleet records were "destroyed" in a mysterious fire in the office the following day. He was never prosecuted.
MOT tyres are a well-told phenomenon. I have heard it said that it is (or was, not sure now) so blatant that written in chalk on the side would be "MOT tyres" in some cases. Nothing that can be done there and then by the Ministry, "test as presented..."
Edited to remove my question about legal action being taken - it quite clearly wasn't.
I've been going on about this for years, checking dates on housemates and colleagues tyres for them.
Mrs car had some older tyres on the rear, about eight years old presumed to be the originals, fronts down to the limit and not really the cash flow for a full set.
Midsummer, so rears to front and new rears, full plan to replace fronts well be autumn. Ten weeks later she's on the hard shoulder with a blowout front right! Fortunately in traffic so below normal speed, lowish profile tyres, powersteering so mainly just late for work and paying over the odds for a pair of emergency tyres but could have been a whole lot worse.
Daniel
Mrs car had some older tyres on the rear, about eight years old presumed to be the originals, fronts down to the limit and not really the cash flow for a full set.
Midsummer, so rears to front and new rears, full plan to replace fronts well be autumn. Ten weeks later she's on the hard shoulder with a blowout front right! Fortunately in traffic so below normal speed, lowish profile tyres, powersteering so mainly just late for work and paying over the odds for a pair of emergency tyres but could have been a whole lot worse.
Scotty2 said:
...what about those who have a classic coach that has tyres that would pass an MOT and do a very low mileage at not a great speed?...
While I don't agree with it, surely said coach is old enough to be MOT exempt? I hear your argument for a very small window of low mileage vintage vehicle, but generally disagree strongly.Daniel
Good legislation. I know this get's done to death but what will the situation be for non UK registered HGVs?
Tyre age is something that even garages don't seem that fussed about. I've just changed all 4 winter tyres on my car. There's loads left on the old ones but they were just about to start their 6th winter, so it seemed sensible to change them. The garage that did the work questioned the need to swap them, even after I explained that they were 6 years old (probably closer to 7 years given the date of manufacture).
Tyre age is something that even garages don't seem that fussed about. I've just changed all 4 winter tyres on my car. There's loads left on the old ones but they were just about to start their 6th winter, so it seemed sensible to change them. The garage that did the work questioned the need to swap them, even after I explained that they were 6 years old (probably closer to 7 years given the date of manufacture).
RTB said:
Tyre age is something that even garages don't seem that fussed about.
Odd isn't it. Given quickfit will recommend you change pads with 60% lift left, and an exhaust if it's rust strained, am amazed they aren't all over 'sir your tyres are now 5yr so we recommend replacing them' where instead even the most respected carefully garage will pass a 12yo fwd car with the original rears on without even commenting.Daniel
Daniel
RTB said:
Good legislation. I know this get's done to death but what will the situation be for non UK registered HGVs?
Probably nothing will be done, but there are precedents:- Germany made winter tyres mandatory for cars/vans over the winter season
- Latvia has 4mm minimum tread depth in winter
- Luxembourg mandates winter tyres all round on buses, lorries etc.
In all cases, you will get a fine if stopped by the authorities for having the wrong tyres, and I'd expect a subsequent trip on a low-loader to get the mandatory tyres fitted.
So in the UK, I would hope that VOSA/Police would look at the old tyres, tutt, fine the driver/company and assist by calling for a towing vehicle to the next tyre shop.
ETA: they won't as the OP is of course talking about guidance, not a law that can be broken.
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