Tire safety - worth watching

I knew about the date stamp but didn't know that tires could dry out and become unsafe. This is worth watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBMkswl8VQw

Interesting. I was just informed about this by our safety NCO a few months ago. I'm glad the word is getting around.

Thanks for sharing. I had no clue there was such a thing as expiration dates on a tire.

Reminds me of the tires that were on my bike when I got it. There was extensive dry rotting on the outside of both tires. They didn't stay on for very long.

I remember seeing a show on Discovery Channel about bicicle tires that were used by Lance Armstrong during his races. Apparently, those tires were purposely aged for best performance. The aging process consisted of leaving the tires in a basement that was somewhat humidified....I can vaguely remember the details.

Can't see the OP because work has it bocked...but I'm assuming it's about selling of older tires. I sell tires everyday and keep an eye on the dates to make sure I'm not selling anythying old. The distributors I deal with cull their tires and won't sell anything even close to 6 yrs. old. Since tires are made with petroleum products the oil released is usally completely gone, depending on conditions, between 5 to 7 yrs. But I have seen them dried and cracking even as early as 3 yrs.

Also, when buying tires, make sure you get the correct load & speed range for your vehicle. They affect vehicle handling and could cause serious injury.