Consultation on 10 year old tyres

[Austin Carr]

Interesting reading:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/gover...oad-safety

[MartinH]

A long anticipated and logical safety step. There is obviously a case for low performance cars and a world of difference between quality tyres properly inflated in a darkened garage versus underinflated, frequently kerbed tyres standing 10 years in the daylight. But by 15 years almost all tyres are unsafe so 10 years seems a reasonable cut off. Thats only £40-50 per year for a Seven with many enjoyable motoring miles along the way.

[Alan]

The reason it’s taken so long to get around to this is that nobody in the motor or tyre industry is prepared to commit on what constitutes a safe life. It depends on so many things and a lot of them are uncontrollable. Personally, and with a little expertise in this field, I wouldn’t be using tyres much more than three years old on any sort of performance car, or six years max for anything else.

[Nick Turley]

My feeling is that many drivers of vintage cars should change their car tyres more often.
You can see tyres on cars that have "had it" at events all the time.
In my view ten years should be the limit even if they "look" OK.
It is true that darkness, correct inflation ect helps them have a reasonable life, but they still "age" even without use.
some makes seem to "age" faster than others. 
I have personally found that the Avon sidecar tyres go very hard after about five years which reduces the grip considerably and makes for a tougher ride. Longstones seem a good compromise.
When we bought our twelve I thought great, tyres are like new (still had the bobbly bits on) but when I looked closely they had hairline cracks in the treads. 
Had them changed on the way home ! 
The technician at Longstone showed me one that he had taken off and it was cracked all the way through !

A big big area for trouble with tyres is trailers (usually kept outside) - change mine every four years.

 Good tyres = Cheap safety !

[Tom the Blacksmith]

Another point is to check if your insurance compay has a tyre age limit. I was talking to a mate the other day who hit a deer in his xk140, insurance chap went out to view the vehicle and the first thing he checked was the age of the tyres, even before viewing the damage! Chances are if the tyres were "too old" they wouldn't have paid out, fortunately he'd put new boots on the previous week.

Tom

[Bob Culver]

It is a fraught topic. Here tyres are subject to very cose scrutiny at 6 mth or annually. Any cracking rejected.
Extended to cars very expensive for many and would ruin the old car hobby. Some Sevens here would have tyres 50 years old!
A newish tyre been run at low pressure and speed, or hit a curb, is more dangerous than an old one. A simple puncture can be very dangerous, esp with tubes. in post war cars I have and do drive extensively on very old tyres, but seldom over 100kph. I have had belt distortions but seemed related to tyre brand and model and mileage and not just age. Some claim the hard rubber loses grip but in normal motoring not apparent.
Problem is distinguishing vehicle use. A Seven or Model A which never exceeds and seldom attains 45 mph and with small section tyres is not at great risk. I drove mine for a mile or so at speed with flat rear tyre of stiff old style and was not apparent until turned!

[andrew34ruby]

I believe the vast majority of accidents are caused by the driver, but little seems to happen to educate drivers or enforce good driving.

[David Stepney]

A week ago last Wednesday, I replaced all the tyres on my Seven, The Avons that came off were probably fitted when the car was restored in the late sixties/early seventies so the thick end of 50 years old. They were changed because the front tyres were less than 2mm and the rears not much more.

My tame tyre fitter was amazed at their condition - no cracking whatsoever! Although they were a bit stiff to get off. The car had been stored in a heated garage for the last 50 or so years however, so perhaps being kept inflated and in the warm, dry and dark had helped to preserve them.

Happy they have been changed, though. They've transformed the handling of the car.

[Bob Culver]

Hin David

Interested in your observation about tyres. I have heard similar comments from owners of pre war cars.
Tyres of the 1950s, presumably prior thin synthetic plies, were very stiff even in their day. I have been amazed how easy "modern" soft 19" tyres are to fit but have not driven on! Presumably pliant walls reduce the running off course due the camber effect of waves and lines in the road. Hard to know what is truly representative of the cars originally.

[Peter Stanley]

Sounds a worth while investigation (10 year tyre limitation).

I have had mine (Avon Side car tyres) on my AEW since I purchased the car in 1976  :0)   ...still loads of tread.

The rubber is so hard they could be used as run flats! Rest assured I have not had the car on the road since 1977