What’s with those tires? An online source states that on 2008 of February, the owner of Ford Explorer in Georgia needed a new tire for his SUV and ended up buying a used one. Two weeks later while driving, the tread suddenly separated making the Explorer went out of control and hit a motorcycle, losing the life of its rider. The tire was investigated for further analysis and it was found that it was nearly 10 years old.

The incident shows how dangerous of not maintaining ones’ tire, and also the peril that an old tire will cause, putting one’s life at risk, not just the driver but also those who haven’t shared your road. For centuries, people only rely on the tire’s depth of the tread to see its present condition. On the other hand, the rubber compounds in a tire deteriorate over time, regardless of the condition of the tread, which concludes that an old tire poses safety hazard.

For some people, an old tire was never an issue. If someone drives a certain typical number of miles, say 12,000 to 15,000 miles annually, tires’ tread will wear out three to five years in time, long before the rubber compound does. But if someone only drives 6,000 miles a year, or a car that someone only drives on weekend, aging tires is a worst issue. The “age warning” applies not only to old tires but also applies to “new” tires that have never been used but are old.

So What Happens When A Tire Ages?

To quote with, Sean Kane, president of Safety Research and Strategies Inc., compares an aging tire to an old rubber band, saying “If you take a rubber band that’s been sitting around for a long time and stretch it, you will start to see cracks in the rubber.” That is essentially what happens to a tire when put in a vehicle, untouched. Cracks in the rubber begin to develop in the wisdom of time. Those will appear on the surface and on the inside of the tire as well. The cracking can eventually cause the steel belts in the tread to separate from the rest of the tire itself. Plus the improper maintenance and heat accelerates the process.

Every tire that is been battling in the road for ages is destined to succumb to age. The edge that tires of higher prices and are rated for higher mileage have “anti-ozinant” chemical compounds built in the rubber who will be going to slow the aging process.

How Long a Tire Does Lasts?

Car makers, tire makers and rubber manufacturers have different opinions regarding on the life span of a tire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) doesn’t give specific guidelines regarding the aging of tires and also defers to the recommendations of car makers and tire manufacturers. Just some things to look at to judge the life of your tire:

Storage

This applies to spare tires and tires that are just sitting freely on your vehicle or garage shop. If you own a truck, they may be sitting comfortably underneath the vehicle. The question is , comfortably?

It would be much better if you use your tire once and for all, but nonetheless, it age.

Heat

Researchers found out that tires age quickly if put under warmer climate or hot circumstances. Exposure to sunlight and coastal climates can hasten the aging of tires.

There are a lot of things to list in here, but the most important thing is, don’t buy used tire, let go of unused tire, yes, LET GO OF IT! Of all your vehicle’s component, tires have the greatest effect in any way.

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