DOT Regulations For Tires (Out Of Date)

[stephen123]

Hi all, just wondering if there are regulations for the age of tires while traveling the interstates, the tires on this coach are in great shape tread wise but they are more than 10 years old,  I'm planning on replacing the front two as I don't want to take a chance of a blow out on the front.  I have heard rumors that on certain interstates you can be fined for having out of date tires, and in fact been made to have unit towed to get the tires replaced. Don't know if it was bull or what, but just throwing it out there if there is any truth to it.

Thanks,

Steve

[kaypsmith]

Many threads on this and other forums have been devoted to this topic. But here is my perspective, the safety of my family, myself, and my fellow motorist is of the utmost importance. Whether it is mandated or not, my personal mandates will not allow me to drive a rig with 10+ year old tires anywhere other than to the nearest tire dealer for replacement, and that is a 15 MPH top speed for this reason with the warning flashers on, as well as an escort bringing up the rear. I would rather see a trucker with 50% in date tread, than a motorhome with new looking 10+ year olds. Sorry about the little rant, but now everyone knows how I feel about this matter. Kay

[stephen123]

new to this rv ing thing had no idea that the age of a tire mattered.  I am used to the garage taking care of the tires on the buses I drive thanks I am now informed.

[CarlAda]

I've never heard of any state fining anyone for having "out-dated" tires, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me if one did.  Back to your 10+ year old tires, if it were mine, I'd replace all of them before driving anywhere else.  A blowout while driving the interstate can ruin you day.  Besides safely getting to the side of the road, a blowout can do serious structural damage to your coach.  Just isn't worth it to me.  

 

[aztec7fan]

At work, we have to have our box trucks and other large vehicles DOT inspected.  There are line items for tread depth and any visual damage to the tires or wheels, but the tire age is not part of it.  We had tires on one truck over 11 years old and it passed inspection just fine (although I kept trying to get the owner to replace them).

[kaypsmith]

Sorry to come back so soon, not trying to be overly skeptical. I have been in the past not quite so cynical, but as I age, I realize more just how precious life is. Here is some interesting facts from the tire safety group. http://www.tiresafetygroup.com/tires-expire-in-six-years/ I can appreciate that the OP has been inquisitive enough to want to learn more about this importance, and since he drives busses, even more so. Most bus companies already know this and keep tires up to date, even though some may not add enough miles to wear them out, hopefully they are staying on top.

[jleamont]

My favorite Michelin quote "there is so much riding on your tires". Stephen123, sounds like its time to go shopping....ask your employer if you can purchase tires with their discount, I work for a trucking company and it saved me a bundle. I even had our Michelin rep involved along with an engineer for advice on what tire would suite me best.

[tireman9]

Even with 40 years experience as tire engineer and "looking at" tens of thousands of tires, I do not have X-Ray vision. That is what is needed if you want to know the real condition of your tires.

Tires come apart because of physical changes in the chemical bonds between components of the tires in the internal structure of the tire. Sometimes the early signs of catastrophic failure can be discovered through X-Ray and/or Holographic examination of tires. While this type of inspection can be done it is expensive (multiple hundreds of $$) for someone to remove tires from the coach, dismount and process a tire.

10 years is a reasonable MAXIMUM age. This does not mean that all tires are fine at 9 years , 11 months and 30 days then are bad a couple days later. Some tires should be removed at 7 years but it is hard to be 100% certain they will be OK 3 years later.

In my professional opinion I would replace the 10 year old tires at once. ( I like KPSmith's suggestion of 15 mph max)

[pbb217@yahoo.com]

One Blowout and you can pay for lots of tires. Happened to me and if it happens again, it wont be because I have older tires.

[sgureasko]

 Let me explain it this way. How much life insurance do you have, and how much do you value your life and lives of your loved ones.

  10 yr old tires are an accident waiting to happen.  Have you ever hit a curb or a bad pothole? As the tireman said, you can't see inside the tires.

 Have you ever seen what a tire does when it blows out? You need to look at some videos of blowouts and the aftermath.

  On the wonderlodge forum, we recommend 7 years MAX and it is on the newer made Michelins.  Older tires like yours should have been replaced in a 5 year period.

  Now to DOT, you are private vehicle, just like your car. DOT regulates commercial vehicles. You will only be stopped(by the police) if you do something wrong in traffic, just like your car.

  Please, for your safety and those around you, change all your tires, and when you buy new ones, check the date code on them. Buy the newest ones you can find or order. You don't want ones that have been sitting in a warehouse somewhere for a year or more.

[mweiner]

46 minutes ago, sgureasko said:

 Let me explain it this way. How much life insurance do you have, and how much do you value your life and lives of your loved ones.

  10 yr old tires are an accident waiting to happen.  Have you ever hit a curb or a bad pothole? As the tireman said, you can't see inside the tires.

 Have you ever seen what a tire does when it blows out? You need to look at some videos of blowouts and the aftermath.

  On the wonderlodge forum, we recommend 7 years MAX and it is on the newer made Michelins.  Older tires like yours should have been replaced in a 5 year period.

  Now to DOT, you are private vehicle, just like your car. DOT regulates commercial vehicles. You will only be stopped(by the police) if you do something wrong in traffic, just like your car.

  Please, for your safety and those around you, change all your tires, and when you buy new ones, check the date code on them. Buy the newest ones you can find or order. You don't want ones that have been sitting in a warehouse somewhere for a year or more.

I agree completely... prudent advice. 

Five to six years is the maximum time... 

[manholt]

6 years and all 8 goes on a hay trailer, that never see's the highway!  Have had blow out's over the years...still gets to my nerves, even after 50 years of class "A's"!  10 year old's?  I would call a mobile tire service to replace then all !

Carl

[sparkchaser]

Hello

  Sounds like you are getting some good advice.  Personal experience, bought first used diesel pusher 2 years ago, a 2007 with original tires and less than 50,000 miles on them, no cracking or checking visible, good even tread.  First long trip on I-465 in Indy, blew driver front tire , lucky it was on the inner sidewall and not a shredder.  Trust Me you don't want to take a chance on this, I will replace my new tires at 5 years.

sparkchaser

[1994Vectra]

I keep my Motorhome in a garage year round, concrete floor and less than 1,000 miles a year. 

Agree with the age on tires a concern, and wondering if see no dry rot would allow for longer 

usage?  

[elkhartjim]

1994 Vectra, read or re-read the post Tireman posted last Sunday.

[rayin]

On 7/24/2017 at 11:28 PM, kaypsmith said:

Sorry to come back so soon, not trying to be overly skeptical. I have been in the past not quite so cynical, but as I age, I realize more just how precious life is. Here is some interesting facts from the tire safety group. http://www.tiresafetygroup.com/tires-expire-in-six-years/ I can appreciate that the OP has been inquisitive enough to want to learn more about this importance, and since he drives busses, even more so. Most bus companies already know this and keep tires up to date, even though some may not add enough miles to wear them out, hopefully they are staying on top.

That poses the question, why then does Michelin state if tires are inspected annually after the 5 year mark, they may continue to be used until 10 years?

[wa8yxm]

When I was in Kentucky getting a few spare parts the Person at Vison RV said that with out of date tires if I was in an accident and someone got hurt.. Well...

Now I can not attest to that ..  But I can say if someone hit me with say 13 year old tires and I survived I'd be calling Ben Dover & C. Howitt Feels attornies at law (Fictional firm from 3 Stooges but you get the idea). 

Oh, my tires got a whole lot younger.. I did have a flat (inside dual) Discovered by INSPECTION not by loss of control. and got all six made younger.

But .. Well if you are going to find you have a flat.. PARKED is the way to do it. 

[sgureasko]

On ‎8‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 7:18 PM, 1994Vectra said:

I keep my Motorhome in a garage year round, concrete floor and less than 1,000 miles a year. 

Agree with the age on tires a concern, and wondering if see no dry rot would allow for longer 

usage?  

 After you move the motorhome out of the garage, do you see tire marks where you where parked? That is the rubber is leaching into the concrete. You should park either on wood or plastic. In other words, keep the tires off the concrete.

   Now to your other question, and I'm not trying to be a smart aleck here, but, unless you have xray vision you won't see the dry rot, until it reaches the end of it's life and starts showing on the outside, as it starts on the inside first. Plus, how many curbs and potholes have you hit and how bad did you hit them. Remember, you can't look at the inside of the tire and see if there is any damage, unless it is removed and inspected.

   Please people, you can't put a value on your life. Tires are to cheap to chance your life and the lives of your loved ones.

[rayin]

August 3, I was having a valve stem replaced in my truck tire. While talking with the tire store manager about buying new MH tires, he said I would probably not be able to sell my 9yr old take-offs because Indiana DOT was cracking down on commercial vehicles running tires over 10 years old-from date-code on tire. He also said he stopped buying used truck/MH tires over 5 yrs old for that reason, and-no re-sale value.

Aug 17;  UPDATE: I phoned my retired state policeman cousin and asked him about that 10 yr thing. He said BS, do you really think anyone is going to lay on the ground and try to read a date code that is inside the duals?

[manholt]

sparkchaser  & 1994Vectra.

Welcome to the Forum!  Thank you for your input.

Carl C.