I have not used my winter tires for ten years. They were used only for one winter. Are they still good? Tread is good but has the rubber been affected by long storage?
1 Answer
Yes, the rubber has been compromized by ozone in the air and ultraviolet light even if stored indoors.That is why you will often see RV's with covers over the tires to extend the life of the tire.Strategic Safety reccomends useful life is 10 years from manufactureSome European manufacturers reccomnd six years on performance tires.Typically when these tires have age related failure it is catastrophic and without warning.I would think it is not worth the risk.
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And especially with winter tyres, they are designed for low temperatures - the rubber compound lasts even less time than an ordinary tyre at warmer temperatures. Commented Mar 14, 2012 at 11:52