Tyre degradation through road pollution and salt

Elmer_BeFuddled

Car just passed m.o.t. Mentioned as an advisory that the o/s front and rear are slightly damaged/cracking or perishing. The front o/s is 5 years old, rear o/s, who knows but treads are good. N/s front less than a year (major puncture in the matched pair n/s to o/s done at the same time). Rear n/s as is rear o/s.

We live on a main busy road on the outskirts of Cheltenham which amongst other things becomes a bypass for the M5 between J10 and J11 if anything happens there.
So can road pollution (crap thrown up by passing vehicles) cause degradation in tyres? They're both (all four) decent makes. Just wanting thoughts.

molerat

The biggest cause of tyre cracking and degradation is sunlight, age and running under inflated.  A tyre is considered "old" after 5 years.

Elmer_BeFuddled

molerat said:

The biggest cause of tyre cracking and degradation is sunlight, age and running under inflated.  A tyre is considered "old" after 5 years.

No hope for my aged middle tyre then!

molerat

Elmer_BeFuddled said:

molerat said:

The biggest cause of tyre cracking and degradation is sunlight, age and running under inflated.  A tyre is considered "old" after 5 years.

No hope for my aged middle tyre then!

I doubt you have a date stamped on that one though - unlike the car tyres.

unforeseen

You don't need a date stamped on it just count the rings 😂

Herzlos

Are they actually only 5 years old or have they been on the car 5 years? There's a code molded into the sidewall with the week of manufacture.

Have they always been at the correct pressure? Having them sat with a low pressure will cause cracking.

Does the offside sit towards the sun?

I don't think road pollution would have any impact on cracking; it might cause the occasional puncture.

Elmer_BeFuddled

molerat said:

I doubt you have a date stamped on that one though - unlike the car tyres.

^^Very faded but looks like 0158 (I think, had to use a mirror to see that one!!)^^

And never thought to look at actual tyre dates. O/s tyres tend to face away from the sun and if nothing else about good ole Suzie I'm a bit anal about her tyre pressures.

Old age it is then, well she is 20 this year, best get her a birthday card!

facade

It is these "Modern" compounds, they crack very quickly, Continentals are terrible for it.

My Chinese ditchfinders use a primitive rubbery substance, that seems immune to cracking, and offers much better cold weather grip than "modern" Summer tyres.  Their wet weather grip isn't upto "modern" high performance compounds though.....

AdrianC

Elmer_BeFuddled said:

molerat said:

I doubt you have a date stamped on that one though - unlike the car tyres.

^^Very faded but looks like 0158 (I think, had to use a mirror to see that one!!)^^

WWYY - week number, year.

0518 would be week 5, 2018.
1508 would be week 15, 2008.
0815 would be week 8, 2015.

If there's only three digits, they're 1990s... or 1980s...

Herzlos

Elmer_BeFuddled said:

molerat said:

I doubt you have a date stamped on that one though - unlike the car tyres.

^^Very faded but looks like 0158 (I think, had to use a mirror to see that one!!)^^

It's worth checking them all in case they are different
It's a 4 digit code usually with DOT written next to it.

Tiexen

Elmer_BeFuddled said:

Car just passed m.o.t. Mentioned as an advisory that the o/s front and rear are slightly damaged/cracking or perishing. The front o/s is 5 years old, rear o/s, who knows but treads are good. N/s front less than a year (major puncture in the matched pair n/s to o/s done at the same time). Rear n/s as is rear o/s.

We live on a main busy road on the outskirts of Cheltenham which amongst other things becomes a bypass for the M5 between J10 and J11 if anything happens there.
So can road pollution (crap thrown up by passing vehicles) cause degradation in tyres? They're both (all four) decent makes. Just wanting thoughts.

I've just had an MOT advisory on all 4 of my tyres minor perishing 4 years old (DOT 2017)  (Michelin) 4 -5 mm tread - said it was caused by not being used.