Tyre Care - Tyre Age
Some helpful hints and tips on the age of your vehicles tyres
Regular checks increase tyre longevity
Standard van or car tyres are designed to be filled adequetely with air. You are increasing the risk of damage and could reduce the overall life and the performance of the tyre if they are not used at the correct pressure. Ensure you check your tyre pressures monthly and importantly before a long trip.
Additionally, it is vitally important to check the tyre tread depths and look for any signs of damage to the sidewall, or irregular wear of the tyre's tread. If you are unsure at all, why not call one of the trained tyre experts at Protyre who will be able to advise whether your tyres are road-worthy. All of our garages offer Free Tyre Checks to our customers, just click the button to book your vehicle in.
Reasons to change my tyres - Can tyres be too old?
It is impossible to predict how long a tyre will survive for. It does’t matter when the tyres were made. Tyres actually age even when not used, or if only used occasionally. There are many factors that will affect the life of the tyre such as temperature, maintenance, conditions of storage and use, load, speed, pressure as well as driving style. These factors all have an impact on the length of service life you can expect from your tyres.
Check your tyres regularly
For these reasons, Michelin recommends that all drivers pay regular attention to the external appearance of their tyres for clear signs of aging or fatigue. This can include cracking of the rubber or deformation, etc. Excessive aging of tyres may lead to loss of grip. Michelin also recommends all tyres, including the spare, are inspected regularly by a tyre specialist. They can tell you whether your tyres should continue in service.
How old is too old? The five year test
After five years or more in service, your tyres should be thoroughly inspected at least once per year. If the need arises, follow the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer regarding replacing the original equipment tyres. As a precaution, if the tyres have not been replaced 10 years from their date of manufacture (see how to read a tyre sidewall), Michelin recommends replacing them with new tyres. Even if they appear to be in usable condition and have not worn down to the tread wear indicator.
For further information please visit our tyresafe section.
