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As tyres age, they lose grip as the 'rubber' naturally hardens. This can be accelerated by exposure to ultra violet light from the sun, some artificial lights and arc welding.
The dangers lurk within, and a hard tread compound (which can be detected by a durometer and may be measured in slower lap times) is only one sign of the aging damage that may exist within the tyre construction and the risk that involves.
Please read the following and then decide:
Tyre Aging
Rubber compounds used in tyres contain anti-oxidising chemicals that help to slow down the natural aging process of untreated rubber. However, tyres do deteriorate with age, which increases the risk of tyre failure, and there are many ways in which this can be spotted:
· Cracking/crazing on the side wall of the tyre, caused by its flexing
· Distortion of tyre tread
· Deformation of the carcass of the tyre
There will also be a deterioration of the ride quality caused by vibrations through the tyre. This may signify the tyre’s performance has been affected by age and should be investigated as soon as possible.
All tyres that display signs of aging should be removed and not put to further use.
Tyres that have been in storage should not be placed into use if they are over 6 years old, from their date of manufacture. When a tyre has been in use, the effects of aging are lessened to a degree, but such tyres should be replaced after 10 years.
The effects of aging can be brought about prematurely in several conditions. Tyres fitted as spare wheels or used rarely as when fitted to caravans and trailers may age prematurely. If tyres on caravans or trailers are not in regular use, then they should be inspected before every journey.
Tyre storage issue
Currently the tyre industry is being asked to consider "expiration dates" on tyres as evidence continues to mount that "new" old tyres (i.e., spares, etc.) are catastrophically failing and causing deaths and injuries in the US.
Documents from the tyre industry and its associations indicate tyre age and storage is a safety-related problem that potentially affects hundreds of thousands of spare tyres sitting under trucks and in trunks, or tyres that are stored for long periods, often unattended for years.
Because of the lack of industry guidelines, tyres with acceptable tread depth and no visible signs of defects are finding their way into service regardless of their age. Scientific and statistical research from Europe have substantiated tread separation problems associated with aging tyres yet little has been done by the industry to assure consumers are fully aware of their recommendations to replace tyres that have aged beyond six years.
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