Discount tire won't balance 8 year old tires

[vwbuild]

I'm getting ready to transport my mother in my E350 RV from Colorado to Minnesota. I thought I'd take my RV to Discount tire to have my tires balanced before taking on this trip. When I got to Discount tire I was told my tires are more than 8 years old and they will not service them. The tires are like new but the Rv was never driven much. Is this some stupid law everywhere or just here in Colorado? I have several vehicles and don't drive any particular one very much. This could be a problem.

[jaxbobg]

The DOT suggests that tires made before 2000 need to be replaced, but other sources (Hagerty Insurance, et al) suggest that eight years is the maximum safe life expectancy of a tire.

Discount is probably following insurance rules, same as the places that refuse to mount a rear motorcycle tire like the BT-45 on the front wheel of a trike.

[cavie]

If you look at then close you will see they are cracked. Is this your mother or your mother-in-law you are transporting?? Could make a difference weather they are good or not

[stinger608]

Get away from the big chain tire stores!!!! Go to a "good ole boy" local shop that doesn't find laws to be that important.

Jeez, I have a pal that has an old 70's motor home running 20+ year old bias ply tires that had them balanced a couple of years ago.

And, they are not cracked as you mentioned Cavie. I don't know where you come up with that statement. I have seen many tires much older than 8 years old that were fine. weather has a lot to do with it. Cold, heat, sun, etc... will have a lot to do with the possibility of "cracks" in the side walls.

[DblTrbl]

maybe a do it yourself job with dyno beads or RideOn?

[mhgoldwing]

Get away from the big chain tire stores!!!! Go to a "good ole boy" local shop that doesn't find laws to be that important.

Jeez, I have a pal that has an old 70's motor home running 20+ year old bias ply tires that had them balanced a couple of years ago.

And, they are not cracked as you mentioned Cavie. I don't know where you come up with that statement. I have seen many tires much older than 8 years old that were fine. weather has a lot to do with it. Cold, heat, sun, etc... will have a lot to do with the possibility of "cracks" in the side walls.

cracks are not the only signs of age. Tire compounds deteriorate over time and render a tire not as flexible, rubber turns hard reducing traction, etc. If vehicle is stored outside the max life expectancy is 5-7 years.

If safety is of no importance than go ahead and use them. I mean, what the heck, what's the worse that can happen if a tire blows out at 70 mph on a 1 ton van.

[Gold Rush]

I'm getting ready to transport my mother in my E350 RV from Colorado to Minnesota. I thought I'd take my RV to Discount tire to have my tires balanced before taking on this trip. When I got to Discount tire I was told my tires are more than 8 years old and they will not service them. The tires are like new but the Rv was never driven much. Is this some stupid law everywhere or just here in Colorado? I have several vehicles and don't drive any particular one very much. This could be a problem.

I purchased an E450 based class C motor home from my Dad's estate when he passed away. I drove it from Wisconsin to Texas without any tire problems but the next summer had three blow outs. The third one was the final straw!! Discount tire showed me the date code. These OEM tires had 31,000 miles on them and looked great but obviously were not. Twelve plus years had taken it's toll...

[ROAD DOG]

cracks are not the only signs of age. Tire compounds deteriorate over time and render a tire not as flexible, rubber turns hard reducing traction, etc. If vehicle is stored outside the max life expectancy is 5-7 years.

If safety is of no importance than go ahead and use them. I mean, what the heck, what's the worse that can happen if a tire blows out at 70 mph on a 1 ton van.

If the tires blow out on the highway & you do not cause a accident & kill another family , & you have to have the vehicle towed off the highway & buy new tires at that point boy is it going to cost you ??? My brother has a pickup he tows a race car every Saturday 85 miles one way to race , he said the tires were 4 yrs old convinced him to replace them because of dry rot , when we dismounted them they were 7 yrs old when I broke the bead the sidewall had 1/2 inch cracks all the way around the bead . Nothing sucks worst than being broke down aside the road????

[vwbuild]

If the tires blow out on the highway & you do not cause a accident & kill another family , & you have to have the vehicle towed off the highway & buy new tires at that point boy is it going to cost you ??? My brother has a pickup he tows a race car every Saturday 85 miles one way to race , he said the tires were 4 yrs old convinced him to replace them because of dry rot , when we dismounted them they were 7 yrs old when I broke the bead the sidewall had 1/2 inch cracks all the way around the bead . Nothing sucks worst than being broke down aside the road????

Thanks everyone with all the comments. My tires have no dry rot or cracks anywhere. This is what makes me mad. The spare has never even been on the RV as of yet and is in really great shape. It is also a dually in the rear of course and if one tire would blow for some reason or another I would still have another tire to hold up the RV. I like the comment above where someone asked if I'm transporting my mother or my mother-in-law. Funny. Maybe I will try finding one of the good ol boys stations where I can still live by the old rules. Too many changes going on out there for my liking. Thanks again.

[cavie]

Get away from the big chain tire stores!!!! Go to a "good ole boy" local shop that doesn't find laws to be that important.

Jeez, I have a pal that has an old 70's motor home running 20+ year old bias ply tires that had them balanced a couple of years ago.

And, they are not cracked as you mentioned Cavie. I don't know where you come up with that statement. I have seen many tires much older than 8 years old that were fine. weather has a lot to do with it. Cold, heat, sun, etc... will have a lot to do with the possibility of "cracks" in the side walls.

Not sidewalls. in the tread

[irmagoo]

rv tires time out have never seen one that wore out..
I once put on a spare that had never been on the ground rode around on back of coach under a cover...so used it and bought 5 new ones drove 385 miles side wall blow out of that new old tire! could have done some real damage!! tires are made to roll they live a long time when used.
I change Michelins at 7-10 years no matter how low the mileage if it setts a lot 7 years max,,, last coach I bought first thing 8 new tires $6000+ it only hurt for a day on two!!!~..
magoo

[vwbuild]

rv tires time out have never seen one that wore out..
I once put on a spare that had never been on the ground rode around on back of coach under a cover...so used it and bought 5 new ones drove 385 miles side wall blow out of that new old tire! could have done some real damage!! tires are made to roll they live a long time when used.
I change Michelins at 7-10 years no matter how low the mileage if it setts a lot 7 years max,,, last coach I bought first thing 8 new tires $6000+ it only hurt for a day on two!!!~..
magoo

Wish I could say $6000.00 only hurt a day or two. I'm retired now and would probably have to go back to work--ha. And to think I damnear bought a bus instead of an RV. No wonder the bus was so cheap.

[roadking2]

Get away from the big chain tire stores!!!! Go to a "good ole boy" local shop that doesn't find laws to be that important.

Jeez, I have a pal that has an old 70's motor home running 20+ year old bias ply tires that had them balanced a couple of years ago.

And, they are not cracked as you mentioned Cavie. I don't know where you come up with that statement. I have seen many tires much older than 8 years old that were fine. weather has a lot to do with it. Cold, heat, sun, etc... will have a lot to do with the possibility of "cracks" in the side walls.

A lot of people played russian roulette and lived but if they had pulled that trigger just one more time the outcome may just have been a little different. You're right weather has a lot to do with it but so does age. I'm really amazed that you can see the inside of the tire because all cracks do not begin on the outside. Neither do ply separations. I worked in a tire plant for 8 years and a tire can become dangerous to use simply sitting on the shelf in a warehouse. There are a lot of chemicals in that tire and they break down over time.

[irmagoo]

Wish I could say $6000.00 only hurt a day or two. I'm retired now and would probably have to go back to work--ha. And to think I damnear bought a bus instead of an RV. No wonder the bus was so cheap.

yes I know the money is important and I should not make light of that fact.
it is hard for me to let go of that much cash but tires are a over looked part of all on road machines and they can kill you many cases of trucks buss and rv's have wreaked and/or burnt to the ground due to tire blow out I have had 2... one on a coach and 1 rear tire on motorcycle back in the early 70's- the tire came clear off the rim @ 60 or so the wife and I both thought we were goners for sure!! it was a old universal tire. we didn't have much cash but I did some work for a local Honda dealer and he hooked me up with a new tire and let me work it off( that bike was our only transportation in those days) .. that was the last old bike tire we over rode on... life is short enough as it is ....I say act accordingly ....magoo