deaop01
Mansfield, Ohio
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Joined: 10/22/2006
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The secret is driving on them. OTR drivers clock thousand of miles monthly. RV drives clock 4000 to 10,000 per year and some drive even less.
It better to use your tries.
The old saying "use it or lose it" holds true on tires also. Most RV tries should be changed in 5-6 years. It becomes a real safty factor. But your choice..
Good luck
Ron
Betty and Ron
2002 Bounder 31W
8.1 with 5 speed Allison
2 slides
2005 Colorado toad
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Norm Payne
Livingston, TX
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Joined: 04/25/2002
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Bottom line - replace those tires before your first trip for the safety of your family and everyone on the road.
Norm
2005 Dutch Star 4015, Cummins ISL 370 hp
2007 Honda CR-V
See Ya Down The Road
http://www.seeya-downtheroad.com
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st687
tampa Fl
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Joined: 10/09/2003
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djpotts55 wrote: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!!!
We just changed tire on one of my buddy's service trucks at one of Central Fl. largest truck tire stores, I checked on new tires for the MH and asked what was the oldest date code I would get, they said they have no tires over 8 months old.
Doris &Bill
97 U270 Foretravel
05 Saturn Vue 265HP
University of Parris Island March 1966
Semper Fi.
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DonP
N-E-Where-USA
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Joined: 07/10/2003
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Here are a few things to think about! How often have these tires been driven while overloaded? How many pot holes were hit over those years? (This may affect how long they will last). When will a tire blow out? You can stop driving on it the day before it blows so you won't have anything to worry about.
Don
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Sully2
Cincinnati
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Joined: 01/20/2003
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st687 wrote:djpotts55 wrote: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!!!
We just changed tire on one of my buddy's service trucks at one of Central Fl. largest truck tire stores, I checked on new tires for the MH and asked what was the oldest date code I would get, they said they have no tires over 8 months old.
Sounds a WHOLE LOT more realistic!!
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
2002 Jeep Liberty
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2oldman
Indio CA
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Joined: 04/15/2001
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No driving, stored INDOORS and no obvious signs of deterioration. Sounds drivable to me.
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ole trucker
Westminster,MD. USA
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Joined: 05/26/2003
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The only thing that would make me change them is :
you do not know how many curbs, potholes, rocks etc. these tires have endured.
I put new Michelins on our bus in 03 and it rests indoors, and Michelin says 10 years, so I'm going for it, BUT I know what these tires have been thru, you do not.
I would replace just for piece of mind.
Will and Ina's Endeavor
LIVALIL
Oh,I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused-
Elvis Costello
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texasbaskets
Frisco, TX
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Joined: 10/06/2003
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Ro646a wrote: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?
Congrats, it sounds like your rig is in great shape, being stored indoors and all. You will get a miriad of replies, but I would not change out good tires on age alone without first getting a physical inspection for damage that might not be obvious. Take it to a reputable high volume OTR truck tire dealer and ask them what they think.
BTW, be prepared to spend a tad more than those on your Class C if you do replace them. 
Michael, Kay, and Prissy (The vicious Malti-Poo)
'05 Coachmen SportsCoach SE 372DS a.k.a. "Mana's Cabana"
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eheading
Lakeland, FL
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Joined: 11/20/2000
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Since we used to lead RV caravans, I have seen LOTS of tires, new, old, and in between. I have seen 7-10 year old tires that look brand new, have been certified by a reputable tire dealer as in excellent condition, blow out, tear up the motorhome, and occasionally cause pesonal injury. To me for all the money you put into a motorhome, I would not risk life and motorhome to get another year or two out of a set of tires. I personally change car tires at 5 years, and motorhome tires at 6-7 years. I recently bought a set of tires for our car that were almost 2 years old when I bought them. I refused them, and the dealer said he didn't blame me. Ended up getting tires that had DOT dates on them about 6 months prior to the date I installed them.
Ed Headington
2005 Revolution LE
2004 Tracker toad
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Suzy Q Antiques
DEVORE CA
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Joined: 05/15/2003
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there are alot of things you can be save or waste money on.if i know the history of the tires,i don't have a problem going nine years if they look really good.with alot of mexico driving and back with the bias ply tires on dodge chassis,i have changed 6-7 tires,front and rears,over 35 yrs of rving,myself,on the road and it's not that big of a deal.been lucky as far as damage.goes back to that saying,do you feel lucky?changing a tire on a 100 mile trip or a 10,000 trip takes the same effort.
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