How can I tell how old the tyres are on my TR5?

[MikeThomas]

Hello guys

 

I've just been fortunate to acquire a TR5 which has only done 1,500 miles since 2007 following a restoration in the 90s. The tyres look great but I've been told they should be changed every 5 years or so.

 

I have three tyres with the same code MICHELIN DOT FNTB A4MX '023' and one tyre, identical letters, but the DOT code is '362'

 

Looked up on the net that understand that if the coding was '0213' then that would mean the tyre was made in the second week of 2013. That said I only have three digits, does this mean the tyres I have were made second week of 2003 and single tyre, thirty sixth week of 2002?

 

Thanks in advance, if i have to replace then looking for tyre recommendations and best place to source.

 

Mike

Edited September 1, 2017 by MikeThomas

[Austin Branson]

Hello Mike, I've no doubt there is an expert out there who will confirm/deny your assumption. My brother is a member of the Porsche drivers club, their latest advice is that as long as the type looks healthy (no splits, no bulges, no missing chunks and plenty of tread that holds pressure), it probably is OK. I change mine at 9 years. I just don't want to give Insurance companies ANY excuses. Good luck with the '5. Austin

[Bodiam]

I believe 3 digit date codes indicate that the tyre was built before 2000. My Goodyear Eagle NCT5's were lethal at 9 years old, no grip at all in the wet even though the treads were hardly touched and no cracking or separation. Rubber was hard as iron, though.

 

A new set of tyres has transformed the handling of my 6 and there are a number of threads and as many opinions on the TR6 forum as to which tyres are preferable. I have gone for Vredestein T-Trac 2's in the original size of 165x15.

 

John

Edited September 1, 2017 by Bodiam

[Alec Pringle]

023 followed by a suffix triangle symbol equates to week 2 1993

023 without a suffix triangle symbol equates to week 2 1983

 

Similarly 362 equates to week 36 1992 with triangle, or week 36 1982 without triangle.

 

Utterly unfit for road use - DO NOT DRIVE ON THEM !!!

 

The only potential use is as winter garage storage tyres on spare rims, which saves your road tyres from flat-spotting, or for rolling about a rebuild project in the garage.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[Marc R]

If it can help;

- 3 digits without a triangular sign, manufacturing during the '80, 2 first digits = week number, 3rd digit = year of manufacturing. Example 456 = W45 year 1986

- 3 digits without a triangular sign, manufacturing during the '90, 2 first digits = week number, 3rd digit = year of manufacturing. Example 456 & triangular symbol = W45 year 1996,

- 4 digits, manufacturing within 2000 years, 2 first digits = Week number and 2 last digits = year of manufacturing. Example 4507 = W45, year 2007

 

Regards

Edited September 1, 2017 by Marc R

[TR5tar]

Hi Mike,

 

Congratulations on the TR5 purchase. I hope you have lots of fun with it.

 

From what those above have said, your tyres are well past their use by date, so best safe than sorry. My rule of thumb with important things like this is, if I don't know if it's safe, I change it.

 

Cheers, Darren

[Sapphire72]

Here are two examples:

 

The 1st photo is a Coker Redline- 3107 indicates a manufacturing date of week 31, year 2007.

The 2nd photo is a Michelin Redline- 477 followed by a raised black triangle, indicating date of week 47, year 1997.

 

Before my car went up on stands a couple years ago, it would break free of adhesion and slide sideways through any corner at 25-30 miles per hour.

 

The tread was great!

I didn't fear the tyres would blow (although they might) but in an avoidance-braking situation, all would be lost.

 

I had bought the car 5 years ago, totally ignorant of tyre date codes. They really are pretty important to heed.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Sapphire72

[Alec Pringle]

Tyres of 20 years old or more do not, generally speaking, just blow . . . . that's far too gentle an expression.

 

Under stress of cornering, or simply of heat generation in a straight line at speed, the tread outer section unpeels slowly from the carcass before the tyre explodes.

 

Net result can be substantial body damage to the area around the wheel/tyre, and/or if the tyre hangs up on the mechanicals it can jam or even rip off the suspension and/or steering, and/or at the rear diff mounts. I've seen all of those in various combinations.

 

A singularly expensive exercise, even without the likelihood of departing into the scenery and enjoying an unexpectedly close encounter with the local armco, ditches, walls, whatever . . . . . not to mention the distinct possibility of a jammed wheel provoking a rollover finale.

 

Caveat emptor . . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[MikeThomas]

Hello Mike, I've no doubt there is an expert out there who will confirm/deny your assumption. My brother is a member of the Porsche drivers club, their latest advice is that as long as the type looks healthy (no splits, no bulges, no missing chunks and plenty of tread that holds pressure), it probably is OK. I change mine at 9 years. I just don't want to give Insurance companies ANY excuses. Good luck with the '5. Austin

 

Thanks Austin, understand entirely about how insurance companies will look for any reason not to pay out. Mike

[Cew]

The tyre is your only contact with the road surface, not much more then four large male footprints, and as Alex has alluded too they do not give way in a controlled fashion.

 

Insurance claims would be the least of your worries.

[Alec Pringle]

" their latest advice is that as long as the type looks healthy (no splits, no bulges, no missing chunks and plenty of tread that holds pressure), it probably is OK "

 

In which case, that merely confirms my long held impression that the average Porker Pilot is a blithering idiot . . . . . whose opinion isn't worth the effort that he's just made to express it.

 

The advice is utter cobblers, and potentially lethal.

 

Mike, your tyres are death traps waiting to kill you. That simple.

 

As for insurance . . . . as Clive correctly observes, the least of your worries.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[mike3739]

Hope you don't travel too far on those tyres!! An accident waiting to happen.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[Keith66]

Hi All

 

I completly agree with changing tyres on age if not worn.

 

They are our road contact point and are vital for safety and on my family carriage always choose a quality tyre.

 

But it does highlight an unpleasant point. If you go for a Michelin 165R15 they come in at close to £200 each, budgets are say £125. Which is fine unless you only do a very limited mileage.

 

Say we can push the limits to 10 years, some cars may not have even done 10k in that time, some alot less, so we end up throwing away alot of old but unworn tyres.

 

So the mesage is get out and drive it and wear those tyres out!!!

 

or can we organise a tyre share scheme, lol.

 

Cheers

 

Keith

[Alec Pringle]

The remarkably good, in my experience, Vredestein TTrac2 tyres come in at around £50 apiece delivered from Camskill, plus fitting charge at your local tyre bay . . . . and at that sort of price it's not a hardship to change them every 5 or 6 years. Plus you can probably pass on part-used to someone else with a more pedestrian saloon, not so concerned about grip, for another 3-4 years motoring.

 

Comparing them to Sprint Classic at twice the price, an absolute bargain . . . . assuming that you (and your insurer) can live with a T rather than H speed rating, a more modern appearance tread pattern, and a good deal more wet weather capability than the traditional tread design . . . .

 

Cheers

 

Alec

[MikeThomas]

Hello everyone, I've got the message clear, change the tyres, it would appear they were added in 93 when the restoration was carried out.

 

Thanks Alex, going to look at the Vredestein TTrac2 tyres and do as Keith66 suggests, wear the tyres out in about five years so you have to get another set.

 

I'm new to the TR world and have found this forum very helpful, informative and just fabulous and really appreciate all your input.

 

Cheers.

 

Mike

[Alec Pringle]

Hi Mike,

 

in all probability your insurers will be quite happy with good quality T speed rating as per TR4/4A rather then the original H specification for TR5/6, but it is worth running it past them first to be on the safe side . . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

Edited September 2, 2017 by Alec Pringle

[Motorsport Mickey]

Good decision Mike, you only have one life, we'll let you fit the tyres before mentioning some of the other fitments which will very much increase your chances of living if/when something horrible happens.

 

Mick Richards

[kcsun]

I note that some of you are saying that insurers won't pay out if you have old tyres????

 

Is there an actual law that states you cannot drive on tyres that are older than..........

 

Is it an MOT failure to have tyres that are just too old but meet all the other checks???

 

(before you flame me, I am driving all my cars on newish tyres, I understand that tyres deteriorate and are useless after 20ish years etc etc)

 

 

kc

[Alec Pringle]

There are currently no specific age restrictions on car tyres, but there is the potential for argument about roadworthiness under existing legislation.

 

No MoT requirement for tyre age inspection yet, although a conscientious tester can and should advise accordingly . . . .

 

Forget 20ish years, you cannot be serious . . . . !!

 

Modern ultra high performance tyres deteriorate very quickly indeed - the difference between 6 months and 3 years old translates to seconds per lap on a track day, for example . . . . . and at 5 years old you wouldn't want to even try a track day, they've become ditchfinder generals.

 

Tyres of more conventional, traditional construction will last longer, I've seen no evidence to suggest any significant fall off in safety until towards the 10 year mark (obviously varying between brands), but for sure performance in terms of grip and response, especially in the wet, can and does reduce increasingly from around the 5 year mark.

 

From my experience, overall performance and therefore I'd suggest safety also generally plummets with increasing rapidity after the decade mark has been passed.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[Steves_TR6]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum!

 

On my last tr6 i had the ttrac2 tyres and when i bought this one in 2012 ( complete with rock hard zero grip 10+ year old Hankooks.....) i went to my local garage for another set of vredesteins

 

The garage , who ive used for all sorts of vehicles for many years, recommended the Sporttrac 5 flavour of vredestein.

 

These have privided great grip for 5 years now, so perhaps consider these too.

 

Steve

[pfenlon]

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

 

a good source of info for anyone.

[Sapphire72]

That's a very informative site, Pete. Thank you for posting that.

[Alec Pringle]

And another observation re the rapid degradation of modern tyres . . . . .

 

Yesterday we collected the Jag - rear tyres 6 years old, 3mm tread, so due for replacement but looking fine otherwise. Well respected middle of the road brand high performance tyres, 245/40/19Y, not top premium but certainly not budget.

 

A brisk run home and unstick the rear a time or two, lots of torque going through the tyres . . . .

 

On the ramp today, both have split to the cords between the inner tread bars . . . . .

 

That is why you don't use ageing tyres . . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[MikeThomas]

Thanks Alec

 

Your input and that of others on this thread have been really helpful and informative. It's only hitting home I could have wanged it around the M25 at 70 on 25 year old tyres. Getting them done next week.

 

Best wishes,

Mike

[DRD]

Crikey, I thought my Vedrestein Classic Sprints were fairly new. I've just checked the date markings (when I eventually found it) and they appear to be around 25 years old!

 

Just ordered up a new set of tyres now. Could have done without that extra expense.