Do tires really break down with age sitting in a garage?
 

I was repacking bearings and adjusting breaks on my trailer, and noticed that I had one tire on my trailer that is much older than the others. This tire looks fine, still has plenty of tread left, no signs of dryrotting or anything - but it is approaching ten years of age. The boat and trailer only make a few out of town trips per year, generally at distances of less than 500 miles round trip. Other than that, it is several 15 minute trips per season to the river.

Like I said, boat is always stored inside in a garage. Does not sit out in the sun where UV radiation and ozone could be a big factor for the tires. So why do tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires within 6 years, even if they look fine? It's hard to imagine that the rubber and other materials could just spontaneously decompose, especially if protected from the elements.

Is this a real thing, or just hype to keep selling more tires? I realize that a lot of people have been having trouble with trailer tires since many of the manufacturers have started making them overseas. That's why I kind of hate to replace this one - it is actually stamped that it's made in the USA. Which is better - an older tire that was made in the USA, or something new that was made god knows where?

other then getting flat spots from sitting too long in one spot i dont see why you would need to replace them if they are not being used that often and not in the sun where the UV can deteriorate them...i got a set of tire on my "boat project" same as yours dont see much road use at all....good 5yrs old right now since new...and still look good as new....

For lack of a better term, tires have a moisture content and begin drying out the minute they leave the mold. Several tire companys consider a tire done if it is 3 years old even if it has zero miles.

Yes dry rot almost learned a hard lesson being cheap!Over 10 years or less scrap them even with low miles!:picard1:

The tire companies would be in hog heaven if they could get everyone to replace their tires every 3 years, no matter what. ;)

I have to wonder how many vehicles are driving around out there with tires that are 8-10 years old on them. Especially boat trailers. I have a couple of classic cars that have modern radials on them that are probably that old. I check them regularly for pressure, wear, dry-rotting, etc. They don't get driven far most of the time, but I guess all it takes is one blowout at 70 MPH.

I work in a resort area where most trailers only get used 1/2 mile or less. Many, just used for dropping in or out.

Can't get any less use then that.

Sitting outside harms them....the more sun the worse of course.

Garage is way better - as your is.

But......how much more time does that give you ? Impossible to say.

Guess you'll find out....lol.

Total personal opnion...6-8 yrs I would think would be a reasonable amt of time.

I know valve stems don't usually last as long as the tire when mileage isn't a factor.

Went ahead and replaced it, as much as it aggravates me. ;) At least the Towmaster that I replaced it with was also made in USA, like the original Carlisle that was on there. I never actually had much trouble out of the Carlisles, as much bad press as I have read on them, but I have always run the bias ply USA Trail version. I hear many of the issues are with the radial versions that are made in China.

I had a spare on my trailer that had never touched the road and was kept coated in tire dressing, looked like new at 8 years old. It blew the tread out one night. Cant tell much by appearance I'm thinking.

I have wondered this same thing and then I think,

How much will the fender cost to replace?

Blew the tread out when it was installed, or still mounted as a spare? :eek:

Still mounted as a spare. Name brand American LT tire at that. Will look for picture tonight

did you go with a radial or bias. when we bought our boat in Tennessee i was sure we were going to have to spend the night some where on the way back because of multiple blowouts. the tires were dangerous looking to say the least. we made the trip no problem and continued to go the the river every weekend with them for 2 years and 2 trips to cumberland. one of them got a leak one day so we bought a set of radials. they were the best thing ive done to the trailer. even ahead of a full rewire with leds and back up lights. i could tell the difference in how it pulled immediately. the wife is even more confident pulling because it tracked so well.

Just happened to catch this discussion from the home page. Interesting because I just came back from a Poker Run that was about 150 miles from home port and blew two tires on the way out. These were Carlisle's (225/75R15). They were on the trailer when I bought it 7 years ago (don't know how long before that). I don't trailer much as I am 5 miles from the launch ramp and have a dock at the house where it stays all summer. This year I decided to do two out of town Poker Runs; one about 120 miles away and the one mentioned above. The tires looked fine (no signs of dry rot, cracking etc.) and were properly inflated. They made the first Poker Run back and forth fine but on the second one we had two blowouts on the way out?? Speeds were kept at 65 mph or less. The trailer is stored outside during the summer and inside with the boat during the winter. Got two new Goodyear Marathon's before the return trip home. Kept the speed at 55 mph or less as I still had four of the original tires on the trailer (made it home with no problem). Needless to say I am getting four new tires to replace the rest of the old ones. Moral of the story.... I guess external appearance doesn't always tell the whole story.

Few thoughts:

#1 thing to maintain tires: air pressue
#2 thing to maintain tires: check temperature

Buy and carry a Laser Temp Gun (Laser Pyrometer). It's the best $35 you will spend on your truck/trailer/whatever setup. I check my tire temperatures ALL THE TIME when towing, every stop. It takes 30 seconds. (I also check brake and hub temps too.)

The tires on my Corvette are 15 years old, and have never spent a night outside. I just took them off and sidelined them a few months ago. (They are Goodyear runflats.)

Average tire life is 6-7 years before there moisture content dilapidates beyond safe usability.

There are a lot of lengthy debates on the Internet about whether tire dressing hurts or harms tires over time. I can't tell you which one is right, but I do use tire dressing occasionally.

To me....tire dressing is more to help combat the UV breakdown of the rubber.....i personally don't like the "shiny" look of "armorall'd" tires.......i like them clean and flat black

What brand of radials did you go with and where did you buy them? I was tempted to install the Carlisle radials that I got from a buddy of mine because I liked the higher load rating of the 215-75-14 over the 205's, but when I saw "made in China" stamped on the sidewall and read some online horror stories, it scared me off. I just ended up replacing the oldest bias belted tire for now with another Towmaster bias.

Here's a question that I have always been curious about: what is the deal about mixing bias and radial tires on a trailer? I know it is not recommended. However, what is going to happen if you have 4 radials and end up having a blowout, and a bias spare is all you have to throw on there?

BTW - how did that manifold work out for you? Got that motor running yet?

Check out these products Wally:
http://www.drbeasleys.com/tire-conditioner.html
Local to you as well.
Fantastic line of products.

Saw this on TireRack.com:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...jsp?techid=138

I find it interesting that they mention storing unused, uninflated tires in their warehouses and that they age much more slowly this way. Makes me wonder if putting the trailer up on jackstands and letting all the air out of the tires during winter layup would help with longevity.

I consider the effort needed to change a tire on the side of the highway in 90+ degree weather vs the cost of replacing tires every 5 years. To me, the tires are cheaper than my time. Even more-so when you consider that the potential damage a blow-out may cause to the trailer, the boat, the tow vehicle, or my life! (and I store my boat/trailer inside a garage as well)

Some more interesting info, which seems to back up the idea that you might be able to extend the life of your tires if you at least lower the tire pressure during layup (assuming you put it up on stands). This obviously would not be practical if you don't have a good sized compressor nearby to air them back up in the spring. I am going to seriously consider storing mine in the garage like this in the future.

http://tires.about.com/od/Tire_Safet...Tire-Aging.htm

http://www.moderntiredealer.com/blog...old-tires.aspx

Interesting! I'm gonna have to check them out for sure! thanks :cool:

i forget what they are right now. i just took them all up to quick and gweazy in buckner and told jason i wanted tires.

the motor is coming along slowly. we bought our first house and did a complete remodel and moved in with in a month so i tapped out all my time and money on that. well not all of it. went and got permits today for a 30x40 shop.

My triple axel trailer had sat outside on the side of my house for two years.
I had 3 tires blow the tread out the top.
I put 6 new tires on.

Good year Marathons on a fresh water trailer since 2007. Boat on the lift behind our house, trailer gets used 1-2 a year to the shop for repair or annual maintenance. Trailer does sit outside but I had Sunbrella custom tire covers made. Blew the tread last week at 30 mph on a tire that looked brand new, no dry rot, nothing. Put on the spare that had never been on the road still with the sticker on. Wouldn't take air. Why? Tread separation on the inner surface. That tire had been the brand new spare with a cover on for the last 8 years. Only tires available on a Sunday were "Commodore" from NTB. Replace the rest with new Marathons vs Maxxis? Any opinions?

while the UV sunlight will deteriorate a tire, equally bad is sitting. when a tire sits stationary the oils in the rubber that keep it soft do not migrate to the outside and thru the rubber. enough sitting and the air exposed rubber starts to rot. when you buy tires, especially odd sizes make sure to check the date on them. I have seen many a new tire sold that was already 3 or 4 years old.

My story on tires and age

My 38 Donzi had its OEM trailer since new in 99 and spent its whole life here in toledo and for the first four years of its life was rack stored with trailer in inside storage. Around 04 it went back on its trailer and spent the rest of its life in my hands inside my storage when not in use and when i did take it out it was towed maybe ten miles across town residentialy barely breaking thirty five miles an hour. Tires still looked like new with probably less then a thousand miles total on them. On its first long road trip in 08 (and first time at highway speeds in a long time, maybe since new) the tries started coming apart one at a time around forty miles from Toledo up around Ann Arbor, wiped out both fenders thank god i know a fiberglass guy lol, Had to limp it in for a full set of skins. Yes . . . . they most certainly do degrade over time. My .02 cents anyway :cool:

these tires got regular use so it never really sat and flat spotted. I'm not really sure what killed them they must have deteriorated from the inside or something because they really did look like new pretty much.

IF you are going to stick with ST trailer tires, go with Maxxis. They have been fantastic tires for me, and the majority of the RV community uses them as well.

I've more trouble with Marathons than any other tire, ever, on anything. I truly think they are an inferior tire, even to no-name Chinese tires I once had to buy when in a bind. Don't know about Maxxis, but if your other chose is Marathons, I'd buy the Maxxis tires.

I gave up using radials, IMO the steel sits to much in one position and will get a sit in it. Then take them for a long run and they come apart. Marathons tore up my fender pretty bad 10 years ago and tires were about 10 then. Replaced with bias ply and have had no issue so far.

Just bought a new trailer for my cruiser and had to get it with radials. Will either use it for a few years and get some bias ply later or swap tires on my old trailer (going to sell). Figure it out in the spring

Was going to mention this, once one disintegrates the rest are a matter of miles from doing the same. On my buds eliminator triple axle trailer lost 3 tires on an 60 mile trip...that was a bltch of trip. On my old trailer I saw a bulge on one tire and decided I would limp it back 50 miles home, it was shaking the whole trailer and truck when I got off at my exit, two different tires had bulges on them at that point. The tires were 11yrs old.

Sydwayz, those runflats on vettes are $hit, once you replace them you will be in heaven.

You speak the truth.
The new Bridgestones grabbed so hard on my first burnout after engine upgrades, that I smoked the clutch. :D
1st gear spun the tires...
...2nd gear stuck the tires and turned my Vette into a Cheech & Chong outtake.

Another thing I forgot to mention, these damn tire shops try to get by without balancing on trailers. Drives me nuts, Joe Tire Guy behind the counter telling me they don't need it. Do not let them give you that spiel, make them balance them.

Sydwayz, did the same thing in first on the GFs 07 in first gear.