10 Year old tires...

Topic: 10 Year old tires... (Read 2183 times) previous topic - next topic

10 Year old tires...

November 30, 2020, 05:50:29 pm

I've found a 2000 U320 that's been sitting in a climate controlled storage unit in the Seattle area. Enthusiast owned and sounds like it's had all the maintenance and care you could ask for in a rig that's not used much.

The owner has only put 4k miles on the Michelin tires over the last 10 years. I know the general rule of thumb is 7 years with these tires so...would you even chance it? Or do you drive it straight to the tire shop after closing the deal? I'm usually a stickler when it comes to tires but MAN it's a hard pill to swallow when there's no visible cracking/wear/etc...

I'm hoping to get out there and see it in person in a few weeks.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #1 – November 30, 2020, 06:00:39 pm

At a minimum, I would drive it straight to a knowledgable tire shop for an inspection that would probably involve pulling at least one tire off the rim.

Then you can decide on your next step.

Rich

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #2 – November 30, 2020, 06:04:00 pm

It would be a priority for me.
Adjust your offer accordingly

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #3 – November 30, 2020, 06:07:18 pm

I'm with Frank. Ten years is way beyond changeout time. I just replaced seven year old tires on mine.
jor

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #4 – November 30, 2020, 06:08:35 pm

Read Michelin's web site

I had front blow out on 7 YO Michelin No visual inspection can detect rusted steel inside tire casing Adjust offer to reflect is good advise You can expect increase maintenance for the first year or two for any coach that's been not used very often.
Also have a knowledgeable person inspect the coach lots of threads here on the forum about prepurchase inspection. Pay attention to both kids battery age and the refrigerator.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #5 – November 30, 2020, 06:08:53 pm

When I bought my coach in 2015 it had Michelin tires that looked good, but were about 5 years old. I read that they typically would make it for at least 7 years and maybe good for longer.

The second year we were on our way back from Ft Myers heading to Arkansas on I10 in the panhandle. When BANG , what was that?

Yep a Zipper type blow out on the inside of the outside tire. I called for road service to replace tire and then followed the service truck back to the shop and replaced the other 5 tires. I just didn't trust them.

It is a hard pill to swallow to replace "like new" tires, but the cost if you have a blow out can be way more expensive than the $3k it takes to put tires on your coach.

DWMYH as has been said before.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #6 – November 30, 2020, 06:09:08 pm

I looked at a coach with Michelin tires that had sat for about 18 months, no idea of the tire pressures. I asked a Michelin tech guy about flat spots from sitting. He suggested that it could be a problem and suggested replacing them. Of course he was promoting tires. 6 years is a common life expectancy for tires. Some owners try to go for longer. Risk goes up. If you drive 6,000 miles a year budget 10¢ a mile for tires and replace them every six years.

At 10 years old replacing the tires should be considered in the price asked and your offer..

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #7 – November 30, 2020, 06:10:59 pm

FWIW my front blowout caused over 6000 in body damage besides having to buy six new tires

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #8 – November 30, 2020, 06:12:49 pm

Quote from: Elliott – November 30, 2020, 05:50:29 pm

Enthusiast owned and sounds like it's had all the maintenance and care you could ask for in a rig that's not used much.

The owner has only put 4k miles on the Michelin tires over the last 10 years.

These two statements are contradictory. I would wonder what else they'd "cheapened out on" regarding maintenance.

Garage queens aren't a good thing in RVs.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #9 – November 30, 2020, 06:31:52 pm

Replace 10 year old tires even if they have sat on a shelf for 10 years!

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #10 – November 30, 2020, 07:02:22 pm

It is illegal in most if not all states to drive on tires over ten years old. State troopers can bench you if they really looked that closely. These rules are in place to not only protect you, but the others on the road that might be impacted by such decisions.

Safety first. No doubt about replacing the tires. I reduced the asking price of my coach to account for the condition of the 7-8 year old tires.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #11 – November 30, 2020, 07:27:01 pm

I agree with Michelle. 10 year old tires would make me question the sellers comment about up to do date maintenance. Tires are elementary maintenance items to us.

We replaced our tires when we bought it 5 years ago. We are replacing them again this year.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #12 – November 30, 2020, 07:36:47 pm

What Brett said. Years ago I bought a coach in Tampa, FL. Flew out to see and inspect it, bought it and had them put new Michelins on it. Flew back out a week later, got to the dealer in a rain storm. Saw the brand new Michelins and thought I was all good to go. Got home and looked at the DOT codes, 10 years old! I called the dealer and he said no problem, just bring it back. No way was I driving back 1500 miles on those old tires. After a month of back and forth they had a local to me dealer replace them at their cost.
I even called Michelin and talked with their RV specialist. He said Michelin's policy is if they have been in a warehouse they are as good as new. But he said there was no way he'd accept them!
Don't take a chance.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #13 – November 30, 2020, 07:53:54 pm

Tires are a never ending subject. Got to love it.. if they have Been in operation there entire life they would be in better shape than sitting. They are past there recommended replacement life. They are subject to failure if operated. That being said I would operate at extremely slow speed and recheck pressures on ten mile intervals. On the way to the tire shop. The amount of damage a blown tire can cause on ANYTHING is not worth the repair cost. I've been involved with many hi speed tire failures and most cost money for other damage. I ran my 2005 date code tires 120 miles this summer knowing who was going to be responsible if they failed. Heat/ low pressure causes hi temperatures and tire fail at above 140 degs. Old tires fail cold too. Yes they look good till they don't. Hard to put the genie back in the bottle. Don't forget who will be driving, they too are important.
I spent 2400$ on Toyo 177 H tires. Can't even have the fender painted for less. Cheap insurance. IMO
Scott

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #14 – November 30, 2020, 08:17:38 pm

I'm with Scott, you don't want a blow-out. I had blow-out on a SOB coach was out side right duel fortunately I was able to fix damage back to factory OEM but it took me 2 weeks to do the fix. My coach tires age out next year so there will be 6 next casings put on before we head to Q next December.
Chris

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #15 – November 30, 2020, 08:18:00 pm

I would also look very closely at the date on the house and chassis batteries.

This is a coach I would highly recommend having professionally inspected since the owner doesn't understand tire age issues.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #16 – November 30, 2020, 08:29:16 pm

Tires don't wear out, they date out.

I feel your pain, went through it too.

Les Swab gave me $100.00 each trade, for local trucks. Cost me $2300.00 OTD for Toyo's. The peace of mind was worth it.

Chris

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #17 – November 30, 2020, 09:24:03 pm

Replace them !
I tried to stretch the Michelins on our previous coach "just one more trip". It was always garaged on epoxy coated concete floor. Left San Diego, almost made it to Reno, heard a muffled thump, but didn't really feel anything. Did the walk around at the next fuel stop, and sure enough, passenger side inside tire, sidewall blow out. Very lucky it wasn't a front. They were 8 years old with about 20,000 miles.

Don't take it a chance, too dangerous. Replace them.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #18 – November 30, 2020, 09:28:39 pm

Remember on ANY tire position blow out, RV or car, it's full throttle for a moment to counteract drag that can pull vehicle to side, never hit brake at first.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #19 – November 30, 2020, 10:10:48 pm

I would absolutely replace them because they are Michelins, the ultimate tire for exploding on an RV. My 2007 production Bridgestones look great and continue to perform well but will be replaced before I use the RV again. Due to the pandemic and buying a new 45' Hatteras yacht the poor foretravel has been stored indoors the whole year with almost no use. I take it out every three months or so and get it up to temperature on a 10-15 mile highway run. I'm long past due replacing them but the boat and the pandemic changed my mode of travel and time spent camping at music festivals.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #20 – November 30, 2020, 10:37:08 pm

Quote from: Eric & Alena + 3 – November 30, 2020, 07:02:22 pm

It is illegal in most if not all states to drive on tires over ten years old. State troopers can bench you if they really looked that closely. These rules are in place to not only protect you, but the others on the road that might be impacted by such decisions.

Safety first. No doubt about replacing the tires. I reduced the asking price of my coach to account for the condition of the 7-8 year old tires.

Whoa! Was responsible for maintenance on trucks operating in all lower 48 states. Never heard of any laws relating to running 10+ year old tires. Would love to know your attribution for any laws relating to this. Since we are an interstate carrier we operate under Federal DOT regs and not any individual state. Visual inspection for no excessive damage and/or unusual wear, by a qualified technician, and tread depth based on wheel position were the only qualifying factors.
Agree with most opinions regarding replacing tires by a certain age but this is based on my personal feelings and not on any laws that require me to do this.

Steve

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #21 – November 30, 2020, 11:33:12 pm

So I may have learned something today. My previous knowledge on tire age was from the local discount tire who wouldn't touch a flat on an old trailer tire that was 10 years old. He told me the law is 10 years and he cannot work on one nor could I legally drive one that old.

Personally I don't really care if he was incorrect because I completely agree that no one should regularly drive on a tire that old. It is not just their life and property they risk. If you loose control and cause an accident and someone gets hurt, does it really matter?

After reading for a for a short while I agree that there is not a federal law governing the age of a tire. I have not and will not search state laws.

I also found a great read in tires. See attached.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #22 – December 01, 2020, 12:23:56 am

Regardless of brand, over 7 years old = elevated potential for catastrophic failure. Let alone the damage to your coach, imagine rolling down the interstate one hand on the wheel, boom front tire fails at 60+ MPH ON SUNDAY AT 2 in the afternoon. Humm, at the very least a major PITA. Tires every 6-7 years are cheap piece of mind. JMHO, as always DWMYFG.

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #23 – December 01, 2020, 12:50:08 am

To Post # 22

Absolutely agree with with the statement about tires.

Changing subjects:

I am often confused by the abbreviations, it took me some time to figure out that DW is one's respective wife.

We should have a translation list of abbreviations for Newbies like me who are not that well versed in colloquial expressions.

I assume that IMHO means " in my humble opinion"

Nobody who uses that phrase ( and I have used it frequently without "humble") actually believes that his opinion is not spot on.

I am afraid to ask what DWMYFG stands for.

If I get censored for irrelevant postings I promise to do better.

Regards

Klaus

Re: 10 Year old tires...

Reply #24 – December 01, 2020, 12:57:36 am

Quote from: kepeters – December 01, 2020, 12:50:08 am

To Post # 22

Absolutely agree with with the statement about tires.

Changing subjects:

I am often confused by the abbreviations, it took me some time to figure out that DW is one's respective wife.

We should have a translation list of abbreviations for Newbies like me who are not that well versed in colloquial expressions.

I assume that IMHO means " in my humble opinion"

Nobody who uses that phrase ( and I have used it frequently without "humble") actually believes that his opinion is not spot on.

I am afraid to ask what DWMYFG stands for.

If I get censored for irrelevant postings I promise to do better.

Regards

Klaus

Do what makes you feel good

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