Log In | Register
Skip to main content
Topic: Acceptable tire age when buying new tires (Read 156 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Acceptable tire age when buying new tires
Two days ago, on my way back from Yuma to Quartzsite, one of my rear inner tires lost all its profile (but kept being inflated). There was a loud noise that I did not understand, and not much more happened. I stopped and saw that the tire was gone. I think I was lucky.

Since the tires were more than five years old (with just 23,000 miles on them) I thought it's time to get them all replaced. At first I wanted to do this in Quartzsite at American Custom Tire but they did not have enough tires (and are also really expensive). So they put on for $30 my spare tire and I made it without any problems back to Sedona.

Now I want to get tires from Reese's Tire & Automotive, a very reputable tire shop in Cottonwood. I guess I will either buy BFGoodrich Commercial T/A or Toyo Open Country H/T II tires. They both seem to be pretty good tires. Comments on them from you guys are, of course, very welcome. I will also see what the shop owner says.

My question is, what production date for new tires are acceptable? Should they be not older than 3 months, or 6 months, or what else?

Klaus
2001 26.5 Mid-Bath
Re: Acceptable tire age when buying new tires
Reply #1 –
With the economy rolling the way it is, I'd be surprised if any reasonable volume shop had old stock.  I'd be thrilled by anything in the last 2-3 months and anything in the last 6 months would be Ok with me.

Rich
'03 MB in NC
2003 MB
 
Re: Acceptable tire age when buying new tires
Reply #2 –
The 'freshness' window for tires that I've always used is a maximum of three months (less time is better), and that all 6 be date-matched.  Depending on the frequency of tire turnover in the appropriate size, in the case of the Ford E-450, 225/75R/16E, a shop may or may not have the tires available on the 'racks in the back room'.

If the appropriate tires aren't on hand, a shop should be able to order replacement tires in the brand, application, size, and freshness window that the customer requests; if this is not agreeable, I would find a different shop .

A few (often repeated) tire installation suggestions:

Remove the wheel covers before taking the rig to the shop; naked wheels are less hassle for the installer, and, particularly with the bolt-on wheel covers of earlier models (pre-2007, I think), there's much less chance of having the cover removed and/or replaced incorrectly.

Install the tires with the date codes to the outside. (Check all 6 tires to make sure that the codes match before installation.)

It's not necessary to remove the long valve stems from the rim before removing the old tires and installing the new ones. Yes, it takes more care to do the job correctly and not snap off a valve or damage the valve seat, but a good shop should be willing to not 'slam bang' the operation!

Check that the job was done right before paying the bill.

As ever, YMMV.



2003 TK has a new home