Hi guys, I have a problem. A very good friend of mine just bought herself a new car, early 90s saturn. Over-all its a good car, and she's had me do some work to it (front brakes, o2 sensor, basic stuf like that) Here's my problem: a couple of the tires on this car are showing serious signs of dry rot, I can stick a fingernail into the cracks, NOT GOOD! Now, I've told her she needs to replace those two tires ASAP, but a few other friends (all older than me by a good many years) have looked at the tires and said they are great. Now I don't mean to make it sound like I'm belittling their automotive knowledge or anything like that, but they aren't looking closely at those cracks- they concentrate on the tread, which is at 75%. This is really beginning to scare me, she drives this car long distance (10-30 miles) ON THE FREEWAY with those old tires!! Two of the tires are dry rotted a lot less, so I put them on the steer/drive axle for her, and put the badly dry rotted ones on the back- just until she can get these things replaced. But I think with the way the car is used it's only a matter of time before they blow, and I'm getting scared. She regularly drives around with her 5 year old sister in the car, and often has several friends in the car.

I know dry rot is very dangerous, it's just common sense, but she needs to hear it from someone other than me.

Sam

 

unfortunately, she is listening to "older experienced mechanics" who no longer have good eyesight.
the only way i can see for you to get the tires off the car is to make them go flat.
while it is not a very honest way to do it, i have had to resort to the same techniques a few times.
i say the tires are no good, but the "professional mechanic" says they are fine.
well, there ain't now way i am going to let a 18 year old girl drive her little sister around with them tires cause those girls are like nieces to me. so i poked holes in the sidewalls to make them go flat, and then her mother told me to go get 4 new tires for the car. which i happily did and put on it at no charge.

 

Yeah, running old tires is a risk that just isn't worth taking. Whenever something like this comes up with my truck I ask myself "is (cash amount) worth my life, that of a family member, or even that of a complete stranger, or all three?" That's why I put $700 worth of tires on an old beater truck that's worth $350 at the most- it just isn't worth it to kill someone over a few lousy bucks. You can always get more money, but life is one of those "one strike, your out!" kinda deals.

By the way, the friends that told her they are fine aren't mechanics, they've worked on cars, but only in their spare time, etc. I've got a friend who knows his stuff (and still has his eyesight.) I'll have him take a look at her tires. I talked with his son (a wrench-head like myself) and he was cringing when I told him about those tires- so I'm sure his dad will come to the same conclusion we have.

But shoot, if it comes down to it I'll borrow some cash from my dad and buy her some new tires- I just can't stand the thought of anything happening to her, her sister, or anyone else in that car.

Thanks for the support!

Sam

 

My tire lawyer buddy has lots of stories about tires like that.

FWIW, the bad tires should go on the front. You can steer the front, whereas the rear tire coming apart tends to move the back end around.

Most Exploder rollovers were the driver side rear tire.

If, in moving them to the front, they were to be accidently overinflated and blowed out by mistake, I think you would be doing your friend a great favor.....

Besides, tires for the size on that car aren't expensive. A low end NEW tire beats the daylights out of an OLD top line tire.

Keep fighting on this, and good luck.

 

Sounds to me like you need to drive a #10 screw into the sidewall and then remove said screw... New tires will be needed then.

 

Show them this thread.

Even a tire that looks only slightly dry-rotted can come apart without warning. I've had it happen on yard sitters when I pulled them out to tow 'em.

Pretty and round for the first few feet, then peeled.

Feel free to post tire pics!

 

Thanks guys, this is exactly what she needs to hear. I was almost feeling like I was getting too worried over something not that serious, I'm glad I posted this.

I priced out tires and she could get new ones at discount tire for $67 each, with their 6 month no-interest payment plan. I'll tell her about it tomorrow (it's a little too late to call her now) and we'll see what she thinks. She needs new front brake hoses as-well, I'll replace those as soon as I can.

I'll see if I can get some tire pics, but I can't promise anything.

One more question, does dry-rot generally rot from the inside of the tire to the outside? Or does it go from the outside in?

Sam

 

If I am understanding and seeing things correctly, it's an outside to the inside process.

The checks and cracks in the outer part of the tire come from the sun exposure and "drying out". In addition, any wear or damage can speed that along.

One invisible killer of tires, and one of the things that caused the old Firestone 500 debacle is damage to or voids in the steel belt areas.

Any crack or puncture that can reach the belt can introduce moisture. Then we have rust in the belt, and with the flexing of the tire, the rust weakened belt starts to come apart. It doesn't take long at highway speeds to have the tire start cutting itself apart and once that starts it's a few seconds to a blow out.

Puncture repairs should include the inner patch AND a plug to seal the hole, for example.

 

Clearly she's young and money may be an issue for her. That's not a good enough reason to question vehicular safety. These tires have to go.

You may have to go to the tire store with her to ensure that she doesn't get sold a bunch of stuff that she doesn't need or can't afford.

Here you go, show her this.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5696057_dr...angerous_.html

 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned. Starting in 2000, tire makers started putting a date code on tires. My young son's Mustang had good looking tires, but no code, putting them at minimum of 10 years old. Not positive on exact time frame, but I believe the safe life of a tire is only about 5 years max. dry rot or not.

 

the tires on my falcon are 14 years old. they are in perfect shape, because it is garaged. if they were sitting on dirt in the sun, i would not trust them.

 

Thanks guys, I will definitely go with her to the tire store, and if I can't I'll send someone I trust to get her what she needs and nothing more.

That date stamp on them is either 2004 or 2006, I can't remember which, either way, the car sat out in the elements, without being driven, for several months.

Rust in the belts makes perfect sense, and some of these cracks are pretty deep, they just might be deep enough to get to the belts. Plus, one of those tires has a slow leak- so I'm sure all that extra flexing from low air does it no good.

Sam

 

I just replaced the tires on my mustang. They were from 1993! They were severely cracked and a couple had flat spots. Yet they still had good tread left and held air. My boss, who is one of those older experienced guys almost had a heart attack when he learned that I replaced them. (he's also the previous owner of said car) He's like those other guys who said since the treads good, then the tire must be too. I did not want to risk having a blowout and damaging my car. I just got that car back on the road and didn't think of replacing the old tires while it was just sitting around but I am glad that I did in the end. Dont let anyone tell you that rotten tires are still good!

 

Find out who sells the brand of tires on the car. Take it to the tire dealer and tell them the tires are dry rotted. Any reputable dealer will give her new tires, prorated to the amount of tread left on her old cars. Discount Tire did this for me for 7 year old tires. Check with more than one retailer as they may try to tell her there is less tread left than is actually there.

 

i saw this vid about a year ago.
VIDEO: Aged Tires: A Driving Hazard? - ABC News