Ro646a
New Boston, MI
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Joined: 03/03/2007
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I just bought a 2000 Newmar Dutch Star that still has the original tires on it. The DOT markings indicate the tires were made in 2000.
This coach has been stored indoors all its life and the tires literally still look new, with no wear apparent tread wear and no cracks of any kind. I am getting prices on a new set of tires and plan to replace them before we take a trip.
I just wish I had not replaced the 5 year old tires on our Class C six weeks ago, before we decided to get a bigger motorhome, but then again I sold it in one day for my $24,000 asking price, so maybe the new tires helped make the sale. I'm curious as to whether anyone runs older tires on their rig?
2000 Newmar Dutch Star, Ford F53 Chassis
Roadmaster Sterling All terrain tow bar
Brakemaster
2002 Chevy Tracker V6 4x4
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Dshultz50
Oregon
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Joined: 06/23/2006
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Not us! According to Les Scwabe, the guru tire sales store, tires that have sat have just as much trouble with rotting. Considering the damage and possible death that can occur on old tires, we feel it PAYS to buy new ones. Just think, you buy new ones today, you won't be buying new ones for 5+ years.
"I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose"
Dee & Bob
1990 Fleetwood 5er
2 cats - Donner and Dasher
12 grandkids
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pulsar
Lewisville, NC
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Joined: 12/30/2001
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Moved from Forum Technical Support.
2002 Adventurer 32V - Workhorse chassis
1998 CRV toad - manual transmission
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1995brave
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 01/24/2006
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Mine were made in 99 and still in perfect shape. Just took a trip to the coast and back last month with no problems.
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fordsooperdooty
Orange Kounty Kalifornia
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Joined: 08/13/2004
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My American made Goodyear Marathon ST's are now 5 years old, soft, supple, no cracks and literally like new. Proper care really does prolong the life and safety of your tires, BUT I am preparing to replace them now that I can finally buy Made in USA Marathons again! Whoopie!
This is our 7th new Jayco in 30 years! Loved 'em all!
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djpotts55
Full-timer Class of 2011
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Joined: 06/10/2009
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UV rays, dry rotting, and driving miles are the things that wear out tires. The tire manufacturers will tell you not to drive on tires more than 5 or 6 years old (according to the DOT date), but that is due in large part so they will sell more tires.
My dad is a commercial truck driver and he told me the new tires being sold at most truck tire stores have a DOT date of 5 years ago. The tire shops tell him that the stockpile on most brands of new tires is 3 to 5 years. He runs these new tires (with 5 or 6 year old DOT dates) all of the time without any problems of blowouts, etc. I would think if the commercial truck drivers that are driving 100,000 miles or more per year are using them, us RV owers driving less than 15,000 miles per year should not have any worries.
What are you going to do with those old DOT tires (in new condition) when you get new ones? Seems like a big waste of money to me!!!
Donald & Deborah Potts
2004 Newmar Essex 4503 (45' / 4 slides / Cummins ISM 500 HP engine)
WorldMark 50K NHK, Vacation Internationale 319 pts, II, RCI
TT Platinum, Escapees, Good Sam & Passport America Life Members
FMCA, SMART, Newmar Kountry Klub Members
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wolfe10
Texas
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Joined: 10/08/2000
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I SURE hope you do not confuse a few "We got away with it" posts (if they occur) with proper advice for you and your family's safety!
Or add other questions such as "How many of you have never change your car's engine oil"-- probably get some responses there too. "How many have not checked their coach's tire pressure in the last year"? ETC.
Brett Wolfe
1993 Foretravel 36' U-240
Cat 3116, Allison 3060
Caterpillar RV Engine Owner's Club: www.catrvclub.org
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Joined: 12/07/2000
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Dshultz50 wrote:Not us! According to Les Scwabe, the guru tire sales store, tires that have sat have just as much trouble with rotting. Considering the damage and possible death that can occur on old tires, we feel it PAYS to buy new ones. Just think, you buy new ones today, you won't be buying new ones for 5+ years. Not true, Michelin, and others say that properly stored tires do NOT age in storage.
As to Les Schwab being a "guru of tires", that may have been true when Les was still running the business but now it's "sell the tires, service, brake job, etc. no matter what" don't get me wrong: I still go to Les Schwab, but usually just to get a flat fixed and buy tires elsewhere for a better price.
OP: take the rig to a Michelin dealer and have the tires inspected. They may look good now but I'm betting they start cracking in a very short time. But then our tires are dated 4701 and still look pretty good with some minor cracking starting to occur.
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Sully2
Cincinnati
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Joined: 01/20/2003
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If they were mine partner...I'd pull them off! I know Id cry the whole time the tire man had my credit card in his hands...but still...
DONT BUY CHEAP junk tires! There are FAR too many good brands and even more dealerships where one wants every dime you got and the next is willing to work with you.
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
2002 Jeep Liberty
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chasfm11
Dallas/Ft Worth Areas
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Joined: 02/28/2004
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We do not and would not. By all accounts, the cost from the damage from just one blowout could easily equal the total cost of 6 new tires. Then there are the accidents like the recent one where a PGA golfer lost his girl friend after a blowout related accident. I admit that there may have been more to that particular situation than just the blowout.
Part of the likelyhood of failure of an older tire may be in how it is used. In Texas, we use our RV year round so it is subjected to operating in the extremes of temperatures. We've taken trips at 15 degrees F and I'm sure that some of our Summer trips with 100 degree F outside temperatures have the tires at 120 degrees or above and for extended time periods. Personally, I don't want to be limited in how we use our RV because of questionable decisions about tire replacement timing and I don't want to put myself and my family at greater risk because of those decisions either. We put a new set of tires on when we bought and replaced them after 5 years. I don't regret the purchase as I can relax and enjoy our RV. I do recognize that there is no perfect situation and that tire can fail at any time. Over 5 year old tires, IMHO, raise that likely hood of a tire failure to unacceptable limits. You'll have to make your own decision.
2000 Georgie Boy Landau 36'DP Cummins 5.9, Allison 1000 5sp
2005 Saturn Vue Toad, Falcon2 Towbar, BrakeMaster Toad Brake
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