How old are your tyres?

[Viper_Larry]

Auto Express are running a campaign at the moment to get tyre manufacturers to stamp a 'Best Before' date on their rubber as after 5 years, tyre performance is significantly reduced and after 10 years considered no good.

I had mine fitted brand new in August 2006. Just checked the dates, and the rears were manufactured in April 2006, but the fronts, January 2005 so were already 20 months old when fitted!

It's easy to check if you don't know (I didn't) the date code comes at the end of the DOT designation and is a 4 digit number, such as 1606 - first two numbers are the week (0 - 52) of manufacture, the second two are the year, so 1606 is week 16 of 2006.

Damn you ViperDave

Edited by Viper_Larry on Wednesday 20th May 15:09

[Chemical Matty]

What about Canada & US tyres

[fishboy]

Chemical Matty said:

What about Canada & US tyres

shut up and get some new one's .yours are 9 years old and i havn't looked at the date

[ViperDave]

I'm still trying to figure out how you get a four letter number

[RT/10Dave]

ViperDave said:

I'm still trying to figure out how you get a four letter number

The only ones I can think of are four, five, and nine...

[ViperDave]

RT/10Dave said:

ViperDave said:

I'm still trying to figure out how you get a four letter number

The only ones I can think of are four, five, and nine...

[eddie1980]

Half of me agrees and sees the point in Best Before dates on tires. It protects the idiots from themselves. Passed a R Plate Saxo in the car park this morning with a flat rear, glancing at it on the way past I noticed it was badly cracked as was the other rear... Good chance there originals :-S.

That said though for the people with common sense its just more pain in the ass red tape.. I also suspect it changes a lot with storage, 10 years flat in the sun will be different to dressed regularly in storage on axle stands.

Nightmare for people with classic collections, or people stocking low turn over tires.

That said if its just 'Best Before' and not 'Use By' what's the point, Mrs Blue Rinse is not going to keep an eye on it stamped or not. It'll only make a difference if its MOT fail able which if its dangerous it currently is.

Edited by eddie1980 on Wednesday 20th May 15:23

[fatboy18]

Tyred of this thred

[neilsfishing]

U made that up just rushed out to see the birth date on my rubber I cant find any such number, not even on my avon turbosteals on the old aston

[Viper_Larry]

neilsfishing said:

U made that up just rushed out to see the birth date on my rubber I cant find any such number, not even on my avon turbosteals on the old aston

Take a closer look... the DOT mark is a legal requirement, so every tyre has it. My front Viper tyres are like this:

(DOT 4M 5U) (7NLX) (0205) - with the date being the last one.

Of course, if you kerb your tyres lots, this may have worn off

[Viper]

if i remember correctly there didnt used be a DOT mark on US import tyres, rears at least, thats why you cant find them Neil

have a look on your front tyres

Edited by Viper on Friday 22 May 09:22

[RT/10Dave]

It's also worth checking the 'inside'/back of the tyres if you haven't already as they are only printed on one side... (And I don't mean take the tyres off and turn them inside out before some smart arse adds that!)