How old are my tires?

[rackops]

Greetings all:

I recently purchased a "veteran" Model A that has had quite the journey from Australia to Rhodesia to South Africa and now to the US. I was looking at my tires yesterday and noted the stamping on one of them. I was worried at first as I read that the last two digits were the year (in this case "34") but then found out that prior to 2000, only the last digit is the year (so a "4" in this case).

I'm curious if there's any other way of figuring out if these tires are from 1974, 1984, or 1994. The car was completely restored in 1984, so my hunch is that they date from then, but otherwise I'm not sure. (The Australian made tire is the spare and it's very old...I'm guessing pre-1967 when the car went from Australia to Rhodesia).

Any thoughts/opinions are appreciated. And yes, I think I should probably replace these tires sooner than later!

Thanks in advance-

Dave

[Jim Brierley]

American made tyres are marked differently, there is a box with the letters DOT in front of it, then the numbers stating the month and year, so, sorry I can't be of any help. Older tyres last longer than radials, if that's any help?

[GRutter]

The tubes may also have dates on them that are often uncoded

[Synchro909]

I can't help with dating those tyres but have to wonder when anybody started putting the date of manufacture on them.

[PC/SR]

The US started date codes in 1971. The codes changed over time but it can be found by Google. I bought a 29 RPU with cracks in the tire sidewalls even though the tread was good. Figured time for a change. Took it to the tire shop, and there were no codes at all!! That is when I started find out about codes.

[CT Jack]

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Rackops, your tires are ready for the recycling bin. Remember SAFTEY FIRST!
The extent of sidewall cracks and crazing clearly indicate their age. Your question about the system used to identify the age of the tires is a good one but keeping these tires on your car is not a good idea.

[Bob Bidonde]

This should help you:

[JayJay]

My '30 Town Sedan has "Riverside" tires with no date codes. Rackops' tires look pretty good in comparison. They're fine for rolling the frame around the shop as I restore the car but they'll get replaced when I get it back on the road.

JayJay

[History]

I would be concerned to do touring style driving with those tires and I tend to wear my Toyota pickups tire until I see the fiber before I replace them. It’s the cracking in the sidewall that would worry me. I’m sure they’d be ok for parade or ice cream trips.

[Synchro909]

From what I have been able to find out, the aversion to cracked walls was because water could enter the case of the tyre and rot it. That was in the days of cotton fabric in tyres. These days, they are all synthetic fibres which will not rot.
Are we being a little precious about crazing on the wall?

[nkaminar]

What does the group think about the blackwall dressing that seals the tires? I have not seen it in a while but it was available years ago and may still be available.

[JayJay]

I think you'll find that as the rubber gets so stiff that it starts to crack, that ride quality goes into the crapper. That's certainly what I found driving my '30 around on those great "Riverside" tires. So there's ample justification for getting new tires both from a safety as well as a ride quality standpoint.

Part of the reason that people prefer the ride quality of radial tires versus bias ply is that radials by design have such a much more flexible sidewall.

My $0.02 worth.

Although I gotta admit there is a certain coolness factor of having a tire that is marked "Made in Union of South Africa". I mean, how many of us can brag about that? But maybe as a spare only...

JayJay

[History]

No question on ride quality leaving but the main reason for me is failure. I zoomed in on one photo and the crack is pretty bad where the tread surface meets the sidewall. It flexes with each rotation and the crack is worked like breaking a piece of wire. Add heat into the mix and at the least the threat of the tread area delaminating increases if not a blow out. Believe me when I say I want every ounce of use out of everything but am learning with age and screws up that’s it’s not worth the risks sometimes. Act like an old man to become an old
Man is what I tell my son, many ways to interpret that but you probably get the jest of it.

[History]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

What does the group think about the blackwall dressing that seals the tires? I have not seen it in a while but it was available years ago and may still be available.

Neil, I used a product called “Black Magic” one time on a tire that was still in good shape but the color was getting very light. I hate armour all as it attracts dirt like crazy and becomes a greasy slick mess. The black magic was to be applied similar to armour all but I rubbed it in until it was mostly absorbed and it looked amazing with none of the things I despise. Rubber oxidizes I believe and we all know that uv rays are hard on tires so I’m going to assume that sealers, depending on what and how applied would have to be a good thing but I’ve been wrong a lot before.

[katy]

I have read that putting wintergreen oil on old rubber ejuvenates it.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by CT Jack

Rackops, your tires are ready for the recycling bin. Remember SAFTEY FIRST!
The extent of sidewall cracks and crazing clearly indicate their age. Your question about the system used to identify the age of the tires is a good one but keeping these tires on your car is not a good idea.

I whole heartedly agree. Toss these tires it is long overdue, get new ones. Don't try to do a band aid fix. That crazing and checking in the sidewalls is just asking for trouble.

Please, get new tires. I just did about a month ago, the 50 year old tires from 1972 we had on the Roadster looked good but man, 50 years old.... naw too risky to take a chance. Out they went

[ModelA29]

Rule of thump - Trailer tires every 5 years - car/truck every 10 years. Anything longer and you're on borrowed time. Putting around town you can get away with more but the Model A at speed is edgy enough without adding in a blowput at any speed above 40 mph.

[mhsprecher]

Two people in a car club I belong to had recent tire failures on their shoebox Ford and their trailer. These were at higher speeds and hot roads in one case, but trailer tires less than 5 yrs old and car tires were 10 y.o. Some mfgs recommend replacing tires after 6 yrs.

[burner31]

"How old are my tires?"

They appear to be a Goodyear or two.
Sorry, sometimes I can't help myself