Re: Long term radial safety?

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2013/11/15 18:23:50

No surprise here. For all the positive handling attributes of radial tires, that is often the shortcoming; bias ply tend to last much longer, even decades. It is in large part caused by the fact that the sidewalls on radial designs flex and work very much more than bias ply, and the degradation is hastened by UV (sunlight) and ozone in the air, a kind of "devulcanization". Under inflation also greatly hastens the onset of the problem; car manufacturers tend to recommend somewhat low inflation pressures to give a more pleasant ride but knowledgeable folks tend to inflate to higher pressures.

I'm told some reputable radial tire makers suggest a 6-8 year life before discarding, regardless of mileage.

So.....don't drive the car, keep it a dark garage and keep the pressures up and they'll last longer.