Tire Age - when to pull them off?

[GavinT]

The tires on my S1 are year stamped 2006. Too old? If I have to pull them it's going to be a right bitch to get replacements that match.

[molemot]

This might help....but doesn't much. There is no law covering tyre age; it's all down to inspection and their condition....

 

http://www.btmauk.com/data/files/Replacing_Car_Tyres_1_June_2011.pdf

[Bibs]

Personally, I feel that tyres over 5 years old are too old to drive a performance car on. They don't last forever and do 'go off' becoming hard and losing their grip. 

[GavinT]

The only thing I've noticed is that I seem to get quite a bit of rubber dust behind the rear wheels, fronts not at all. Clean the car and then take it for a spirited drive of say 40 miles and there is the dust.

[Bloke79]

Whilst not lotus, I had a set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's on my last car, a 2010 Audi TTRS.  

 

I still had plenty of tread after 4 years, however, the grip levels had noticeably dropped off.  It wasn't until I swapped the rubber out with new stuff that I realised how bad it actually was. The drop in grip was gradual over time so as mentioned, it wasn't immediately obvious.  Old tyres to new tyres (only mod), I dropped 4 seconds at a track day (1:10 to 1:06) - which is a massive improvement from rubber with similar tread wear characteristics (bridgestone RE11's) and showed how far the rubber had dropped off as far as performance goes.

 

I think it's probably got more to do with head cycles and the temperature control for the tyres during their life than specifically related to age.  

 

Cheers,

matt

[gixxer]

The only thing I've noticed is that I seem to get quite a bit of rubber dust behind the rear wheels, fronts not at all. Clean the car and then take it for a spirited drive of say 40 miles and there is the dust.

Probably brake dust.

--------------

About 4 years for me.  

They'll usually get dodgy in the rain sooner than that.

[GavinT]

Not brake dust Brain. S1 brakes are inboard.

Appreciate the input chaps.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

I have looked into this myself in the past and found most tyre fitters wont fit tyres over 10 years old, and if you see new old stock tyres for sale on ebay they are in most cases over 10 years old. Ask them the DOT date and most wont reply! because they are over 10 years old!

[Bibs]

I'd be surprised if they'd fit tyres that were 5 years old to be honest...

[softlips]

There is no law on old tyres, I know it's recommended on motor homes to change every seven years irrespective of miles.