So, would you have fallen for this?
 

I purchased from eBay, a never used set of tires for one of the vehicles in the home fleet. They are Uniroyal Royal Seals, with the stickers attached and every single tit still attached. Even the blue coating remained on the sidewalls and white letters. I got a great deal.

So today, I took them to Discount Tire to have them mounted. The writer took one look at them and said, "Uh-Oh, we can't mount these, they're almost 10 years old!" He went on to tell me how the tire manufacturers now recommend that any tire, regardless of tread remaining, be replaced at 6 years, even if they aren't showing ANY sign of dry rot or other outward signs of deterioration. He was telling me that the rubber dries out, gets hard and is a real safety hazzard.

I could tell he was just waiting for me to inquire about new tires. Instead, I thanked him for his time and went to look for another tire store. Less than a block away, I came across another store, a Goodyear store. They happily removed my old tires, mounted and balanced the "new" Uniroyals and sent me on my way for under $60.

So, do you believe this line or am I really putting my family's life at risk by driving on "new" old tires?

It really depends. If the tires were stored properly then they shouldn't have any dry rot to them. Check carefully for cracks. The other issue is that the rubber compound becomes harder over time thus you do lose traction from older tires. The year the tires was made is stamped on every tire so you can tell how old it is.

That being said I personally wouldn't mind driving on them but I would be aware that they won't handle like a brand new tire. I had a 1971 Cougar that had the original set of tires on it when I bought it and I drove on them, they still drove decent for being 30 years old.

if they weren't dry rotted on the inside or outside, i'd drive on em 100%.

that does sound like a good way to sell tires tho.
lol!

The Discount Tire guy was correct telling you that. I personally would not put old "new" tires on any of my cars. But, I seriously doubt you'll have any trouble w/ them.

Ever seen a "old" low mileage tire de-laminate? The tire properties begin to deteriorate
as soon as they are made.
Be carfeful, IMO I wouldn't run them.

Um, okay then...
I've got my Bridgestone RE730's that were purchased and mounted in December 2000. I've been running them at autocrosses, road courses, etcetera, and the grip is still great. Does that mean that three years from now they are going to just suddenly expire and blow apart? :eek:

I once asked the question at a tire seminar (Hub Tire, St Johns, MI in 1994) hosted by BF Goodrich on whether or not their race tires "aged". He claimed that if the tire was properly stored when not in use, that it wouldn't be a problem as the tires reach a certain "set" after a few races then will no longer significantly change their performance properties.

I would imagine that as long as you keep an eye out for bulges and slow leaks, those tires will work just fine.

I firmly believe that if the tires was properly stored that they'll be fine. I would never put tires like that on a vehicle that I was going to load to the limit of the tire or an one that I was going to drive well over the legal limit a lot. But on a regular driver yeah.
A short story. When we were scrapping out my fathers estate we had a blow out on the old junky trailer that we were using. Dad had hundreds of old tires around so I picked one that had good tread on it and still had air in it after 20 years sitting on the back of a 1981 Olds wagon with a rusted frame. At the tire shop when he swapped it from it's rim to the trailer rim the guy showed me that it was dry rotted clear to the cord. He new that it was going on a trailer that was for hauling scrap so he mouted it up for me. Well we hauled around 20 loads to the yard totalling over a hundred thousand pounds and the tire is still up.

Please Tell Me...
 

... What is the proper way to store tires? I had a set of BFG Euro T/A's in
my garage, NOT IN SUNLIGHT for around 6 years. These were mounted on wheels and had proper air in them. When I went to clean them up for usage on Redbird, ALL of them had dry rot in the tread. Talk about bein' pissed off! Now da 'bird needs +$400.00 in new tires plus other stuff to be street legal like new ring and pinion.

Hi RRRR and Al, I never forgot about yaz, just lost email addys and now just got back on the boards. :confused:

HInk ***Redbird ***PT Bruiser, Turbo, 'Vert

R4:

Royal Seals, I believe have a sealant inside the tire so that should help to qualm your stinking worring/whining. :cry:

And don't forget:
Uni, Roy and Al would never let you down, remember them? :)
Old Uniroyal tire TV commercials. Uni was the chick. Roy and Al used to work the 127 Rest Area after they lost the TV gig. Uni turned Lesbo later on after her breakup with Roy's son.

RRRR... is your sister, TACO Bell still single? I'm still lookin' for a new Wench! Been 4 years now without a woman. Hands are tore-up! :death:

HInk Yeah, still preverted but an older and wiser prevation! :p

Hiya Kevin, been thinking about you lately as it's near M event time and wondering if you're doing well. Are you going to make the event? I'm sure that someone can come up with a spectator band for you ;)
Can you use a 3.23 gear on a junk Torsen posi just to get it on the road? I have one out back that you can have.

Hi AL:
No I still have my 3.23 and stock posi laying around. I think I will buy a new 3.73 from someone next spring.

I tried to write you at the email listed in your private info section after you sent me a note your Dad died. Sorry about that.

Yeah I plan to make the scene, Saturday but you know it's gonna tear me up, not racing and all. Maybe Jason will let me make a run just to get a base time on the 'Bruiser before I go to MOPAR 'Stage One' enhancement.

Send me yer phone number so we can talk before:
Dragracebird@aol.com

That e-mail is right. And I just sent the number.