# Tyres plenty of tread cracking around the walls.



## bigboack (Aug 16, 2009)

Hi all. Just been checking tyre pressures and noticed the tyres are starting to crack around the walls, The tread is fine they are two years old, What do you think i should do? If i go to National tyres dont want to be conned into new tyres all round, Advice greatly recieved.


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## Deleted member 5816 (Aug 16, 2009)

bigboack said:


> Hi all. Just been checking tyre pressures and noticed the tyres are starting to crack around the walls, The tread is fine they are two years old, What do you think i should do? If i go to National tyres dont want to be conned into new tyres all round, Advice greatly recieved.



Check the date code on tyre wall cracking starts at about 5 years old 
tyre walls should be inspested regular most manufacturers say replace at 5 years old
*Be safe change tyres*

Alf


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## BedfordMJ (Aug 16, 2009)

Michelin per chance?


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## Boxerman (Aug 16, 2009)

Sounds like Ozone cracking, how deep are the cracks? if it's just surface crazing then don't panic but you need to think about getting them replaced as they have started to deteriorate.

Does the van stay stationary for long periods? When the compound (rubber) for your tyres was mixed, an ingredient called an "anti-ozonent" was added, usually in the form of waxes.
When your tyres are in use, the flexing and warmth generated brings these waxes to the surface where they form a barrier and protect the compound from ozone in the atmosphere. If your van stands unused for long periods then this does not occur and the compound comes under attack from ozone. 

Ozone is NOT what you smell at the seaside (that's rotting seaweed) Ozone is a poisonous gas which is formed by the action of UV light on Oxygen and is very harmful to rubber compounds (and humans if you breathe enough of it  ) fortunately it only forms in very small concentraions naturally, not strong enough to harm you, but strong enough to harm your tyres.

The solution? get out in your van more  but if that's not practical, protect your tyres from sunlight (UV) by either covering them or regularly applying wax - boot polish for instance. I'm afraid that the process is irreversible though once they've started cracking they won't "come back".

If on the other hand, you use your tyres regularly and you are getting ozone cracking then there is something wrong with the compound, contact the makers and explain the problem to them. This is assuming that the tyres are  from a reputable manufacturer - unfortunately some of the bargain basement companies do not go in for expensive product testing and cut corners wherever possible to keep prices down, you are unlikely to get any joy from them.

Sorry for going on and on and on, I got carried away ( I used to do ozone testing as part of my job - did you guess?  )

Frank


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## Tco (Aug 16, 2009)

Alf 1 said:


> Check the date code on tyre wall cracking starts at about 5 years old
> tyre walls should be inspested regular most manufacturers say replace at 5 years old
> *Be safe change tyres*
> 
> Alf



 As well as following Boxer's advice given above, the date is important as well. A recent check at a local dealer revealled that one tyre he had in stock was three years old already. This would not be too important on a (say) a commercial van doing 40k miles p.a. as they are likely to be worn out before they deteriorate too much.

For a MH always insist on current year production - otherwise don't buy 'em

Tco


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## guerdeval (Aug 16, 2009)

Slightly off topic but I was advised by a tyre rep that if you store tyres for any length of time on the rim you should deflate them to almost empty,stops them cracking apparently.


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## Boxerman (Aug 16, 2009)

Storing them out of sunlight will stop the cracking, but it makes good sense to de-pressurise them as it will relieve the stresses caused by the internal pressure.
I assume that you mean off the van?

Frank


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## Deleted member 5816 (Aug 16, 2009)

*Tyres cracking around the walls.*



Boxerman said:


> Storing them out of sunlight will stop the cracking, but it makes good sense to de-pressurise them as it will relieve the stresses caused by the internal pressure.
> I assume that you mean off the van?
> 
> Frank



I had trouble with a 3 year old set of Michelin Agilis on my last Symbol the Michelin Rep came and examined them they were on a 9 month autosleeper he gave me a full exchange but explained they must have been stood for several years he said the tyre walls have a paraffin wax in them that needs road use to drive to the surface to keep supple and avoid cracks  I used to use boot polish to keep shine on tyre wall his advice was to use nothing wash now and again don’t stand in direct sunlight don’t let air out but the main thing was to give road use.
How old are the tyres

Alf


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## Tco (Aug 16, 2009)

Boxerman said:


> Storing them out of sunlight will stop the cracking, but it makes good sense to de-pressurise them as it will relieve the stresses caused by the internal pressure.
> I assume that you mean off the van?
> 
> Frank



A cool dark place is the best storage for any rubber product.

Tco


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## cipro (Aug 17, 2009)

looked on my tyres and can't find the year of manufacture help
they are michelin camping C made in germany.
07 van and the wall of the tyres look ok 12000 miles


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## Boxerman (Aug 17, 2009)

cipro said:


> looked on my tyres and can't find the year of manufacture help



Reading tyre markings: Car tyre advice - Pneus-Online

Frank


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## Tco (Aug 17, 2009)

cipro said:


> looked on my tyres and can't find the year of manufacture help
> they are michelin camping C made in germany.
> 07 van and the wall of the tyres look ok 12000 miles



Look for a little panel which looks as though might have been stamped into the sidewall of the tyre. (It won't have been, it is a little piece on the mould which is changeable so sometimes leaves a little "flash" round the edge) it will have four numbers in it, something like 2406 which means that the tyre was made in week 24 of 2006. The numbering system is almost universal, certainly with major european manufacturers. Do not assume that all your tyres are the same, having found the date on one of them, but they should not be more that a few weeks apart.  

It will be there you just have to look for it.

Tco


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## cipro (Aug 17, 2009)

All I can find is BLV X 3205 which I suppose is the German equivalent of
DOT also seen 109/107 Q


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## Tco (Aug 17, 2009)

cipro said:


> All I can find is BLV X 3205 which I suppose is the German equivalent of
> DOT also seen 109/107 Q



There it is!  week 32 2005  "3205"   On a 2007 van it is not so surprising. perhaps 6-9 months in the manufacturers warehouse, then shipped to vehicle manufacturer, another 6-9 months in storage on some airfield. Then shipped to the converter, perhaps 6 weeks in storage/production and who know how long on a dealer's forecourt.    

109 is the load index (1030 kgs per tyre) Q is the speed index (99MPH) 

Whilst five years is the nominal life expectancy. *IF there is no cracking *(and having done 12000 miles in two years, there may have been enough action to activiate self-waxing) *and the tread is still good*, you may be able to extend the life a little. BUT KEEP AN EYE ON THEM!!!!!!! You may get an additional couple of years out of them.

The thing to bear in mind is: If you have an accident, no matter whose fault it is, if there is severe cracking and the tyres are well out of date, your insurance company may take an interest. Having said that, oddly, higher mileage may increase the effective life of the tyre, (rather than being parked in the sun under load for eleven and a half months of the year).

I hope some of this helps.

Tco


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## cipro (Aug 17, 2009)

Thanks  very Informative. It does seem such a waste of tyres you would of thought there would be  a after market with the white van man
as they eat tyres for breakfast, NOT suggesting give them dodgy tyes


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## Tco (Aug 17, 2009)

I suppose there is a market for part-worns. Never been part of it though!

Tco


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## Boxerman (Aug 17, 2009)

Tco said:


> I suppose there is a market for part-worns.
> 
> Tco



There certainly seems to be around Preston, I've seen at least four signs outside "backstreet workshops" advertising part worn tyres. Don't know who buys them but I suspect taxi drivers are their best customers.

Personally the thought of using second hand tyres leaves me cold - where do these part worn tyres come from? breakers yards I should imagine, so why was the car in the breakers yard? 

Frank


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