Car/Truck tire age and inspections ....

The post below here about trailers and older tires reminded me that I listed to a radio talk show this summer regarding tire age and inspections for cars and trucks. I had never heard of that before for tire age, I wasn't even aware they were dated on the casing sidewalls.

We don't have real tough inspection standards up here unless the used car/truck is coming in from out of province or from the USA. You would probably have to get an insurance inspection to start things off if the vehicle was of a certain age or older (pretty basic inspection) and once you get past that and stay with the same insurance company, you might be able to drive it forever on the tires it arrived with if you choose to do that. I've had to do that initial inspection (whole vehicle including tire condition but not year of tire manufacture) but I don't know what the vehicle age requirement is before they ask you for that.

How many here on YT have tire age requirements where you live for cars and trucks? Info for the vehicle inspection itself would also be interesting. Maybe note your province or state, I see some have already done that down below with the trailer post.

I've never heard of it and it was never, ever mentioned on any of my DOT classes. I think it's a common sense issue and if a vehicle inspector saw large sidewall cracks or something then it would come into play. Otherwise, sounds liek a method to sell more new tires.

I have been told during a state inspection (TX) that my tires are over 5 yrs old and should be replaced, but it does not fail the inspection. Only actual tread wear (ie wear bars) will fail the inspections.

One inspection they said i was "close" to the wear bars and should consider replacing them. They passed that year and the following year before they had actually worn to the point they wouldn't pass inspection.

It is a scheme to make you buy tires more often even if they do not get used much. Think back to the 1960's (personal anecdote, not peer reviewed double blind study as legal disclaimer ) my first car was a '68 Dodge Dart, and I do not remember having to change the windshield wipers only once in the 10 years I ran it (over 225,000 miles), and then it was only recommended "as needed". Now they say you should change them every 6 months and sometimes they don't even last that long before you need to replace them. Just and excuse to make them out of very poor materials and make you buy buy buy. Now it is the tire manufacturers turn to pull the same stunt. Poor quality materials, poorly assembled, but somehow it is going to be not THEIR fault they are S***, "it's a government mandate". And as a side note we can't even get rid of all the used tires that are currently accumulating, and we're going to have more because even if there is 90 percent tread left they are "too old".

Nanny state.

I'm afraid of your old tires.

I think this never was an issue before and somewhere along the way tire prices went way up and quality went way down ! Many tires made today are of poor quality and that is why there is now a problem.

My one ton dump was gigged for bad tires on an inspection one year. They had plenty of tread, but they were starting to get cracks in the sidewall.
Thought it was going to be a $16 inspection, but six tires later it was a whole lot more
Pete

I have a 2 ton truck I use here on the farm that I got recently. They are the original tires from 1964 as the truck only has about 2300 miles on it now. It?s knee deep in rubber with no cracks or weathering. It was a fire department truck so it was well cared for and kept inside out of the sun. Those bias tires flat spot when it sits for too long but I drive it all the time and would trust them to go anywhere. I just drove it six hours on the interstate to have it measured for a new bale bed. It rides just fine in those tires. I just repaired a front tube that had a leak at the valve stem the other day and that front tire tube had no patches and the casing looked brand new inside. I could tell from the way it was put together that I was the first one to crack the widow maker open since late 63. I?d trust those tires anywhere - they are better tires than the new tires I just put on one of the stock trailers.

My insurance company will insure anything I tell them about over the phone. I believe they are more interested in money than auto or truck condition. The only time they wanted to see a picture of my 54 chevy flat bed, is when I tried to get a historical plate. Which would have been less money for insurance. I met the mileage requirements. They said it looked too rough. Trying to get a motorcycle licensed that is not in the system, is a bit more of a problem. That requires a trip to the Ca Highway patrol. Then all they want to see is the vin number, and don't care about the condition. Drivers of big rigs is a another story. The drivers go through every thing except a rectal exam, and the trucks also go through a through inspection. I also see CHP trucks with portable scales doing inspections. Does this happen in your state also? Stan

They'll bring in the portable scales if they suspect a truck is overloaded. Usually a regular trooper will pull the truck over for whatever reason, and call in the DOT. At least in my travels, it does not happen often.

There are inspection stations, usually near the state border on major highways. The state has also constructed inspection pulloffs on many major highways within the state, but they are rarely open.

This is in NY state.

Here in Maryland it is typically understood that our state safety inspection can easily kill an older vehicle at the time it changes hands. You can drive it forever on bald tires, cracked glass, no brakes or what-have-you, but when it's time to sell it, the new owner will not be able to register it without the safety inspection. The inspector will add up the cost of all the repairs needed, and it can easily surpass the value of the vehicle in question. However, I am not aware of the inspectors looking at tire age. Their only requirement is to measure the tread depth and look at overall condition--as far as I know, anyway. Someone here may be able to correct me on that.

Here in ND there is no annual inspection requirement for general vehicles. You see many questionable things on the road.

My personal guess on tire life is there have been changes made to the rubber, likely for environmental reasons. If have some old tires around that are in good condition. And like many others I find the newer tires don't last.

I think some of you are forgetting how often you and others had blowouts and flats before radials became common.

If you are careful where you take your vehicle in Texas they don't even check for tread on a tire. As far as age I have a current inspection on my Jeep and I bought the tires in 1998. None of the inspectors check age. Never would have gotten that much age with radial tires but these are bias.

Don't know if this is relevant. I visit a Model T Ford forum occasionally just for fun. (I love any mechanical device that's old.) Lots of tire discussions. Mostly about the lack of supply of well made tires that will last. Most of them come from Vietnam nowadays. Some them guys are running 50 +/- year old Montgomery-Wards tires.

In Virginia we have yearly inspections for licensed vehicles and trailers over 3000 lb gross.I think commercial trucks are checked for tire age,otherwise tires aren't checked except
for tread depth,cuts etc.

I have a set of 48 year old Firestone Transport 1 tires that came on a '70 GMC 6500. They are regroovable and only have tiny cracks in them but they are made of GOOD rubber that doesnt deteriorate. I now run Firestone Transforce tires on my pickup, the dealer said I wouldnt wear them out, you can tell they are made of good rubber, probably more natural rubber in the compound.

We are in a growth mode here in the DFW Metroplex with lots of "rock buckets" (18 wheelers hauling aggregate). Local city cops have their own weight
patrol with scales and while at it check paper work and overall truck condition. You'd be surprised what some people use for a truck to haul aggregate.
Surely don't want to be anywhere near them on the road, coming or going.