Tyre age of new tyres

longwalks1

I was reading a conversation somewhere online recently where someone had bought 2 new tyres from a major online tyre retailer with DOT 2012 on them, turns out it means they were made in the 20th week, of 2012. Long story short, a row erupted about tyres being 5 years old and not being fitted, and them deteriorating in the warehouse etc

Is this true?

Comms69

Tyres to wear out due to age, but it's usually as a combination of atmosphere and storage conditions. So tyres on a caravan as going to age quicker than those in a warehouse.


I'd say they are probably fine from a safety point of view.

stator

I wouldn't be happy with them.
Rubber hardens and cracks if not regularly exercised.
I would be worried about them failing.

Iceweasel

Absolutely correct - I for one would not accept 5 year old tyres as new.

Joe_Horner

Shouldn't be a problem. Manufacturers and the NDTA recommend replacing tyres at 10 years old (assuming no problems before that), so fitting at 5 years leaves plenty of time to wear them out once fitted.

Of course, when you read round forums all the safety specialists say 5 years (counter to what the experts who actually make the things say), but they're often the same safety experts who keep increasing minimum tread depth.

Personally, I'd say if the people who actually design and make them are happy with them to 10 years and worn close to the limit, then who am I to argue?

IanMSpencer

Depends how they are stored. If they've just been left in a dusty corner and discovered in a stock take, then they might be mis-shapen. Properly stored tyres not on rims are rotated monthly and kept at a reasonable temperature. Not rotated and they deform.

So a 5 year old tyre, just knocking around is not a safe bet. A 5 year old tyre stored properly in the manufacturer's warehouse should be perfectly good.