Tire reassurance.

I've had a tire with similar cracking blow out on the side wall on my F150 recently. Brand name tires, plenty of tread left, but aged by the sun out here.

Those are not safe

I concur with others it is time to replace them. I have had great luck with continental tires on my Ford. They don't seem to age at all and I have got very good ware out of them.

I would not trust those long distance/high speed. Might be ok for another year on the farm truck that never goes over 55mph or 50 miles from home.

spitfirebill wrote: I quit buying Michelin truck tires because two sets cracked along the raised white letters. I filed a complaint and the answer was they were fine. No more michelins for me. Later tire dealers could not understand why I didn't want white letter tired. I don't care that you can turn them in. Now I'm lucky to find anything in the right size.

White letters aren't the problem, Michelin's rubber that dries out stupid fast is. I don't know how they make a tire that will last for 100,000 miles yet dry out in 4 years, but they do.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: White letters aren't the problem, Michelin's rubber that dries out stupid fast is. I don't know how they make a tire that will last for 100,000 miles yet dry out in 4 years, but they do.

Really really hard rubber with a lot of aromatic compounds to get the grip back? The aromatic part evaporates, making the rubber shrink and crack.

It's an interesting question and the two characteristics are probably related. I did read somewhere that the first half of tire wear is mostly from evaporation, not actual wear, which is why tires seem to go from awesome to crap when they are half worn, and they wear really fast at first. then take forever to wear from, say, 7/32 to 4/32.

After I learned that, I toss tires when they get down to 6/32. On the other hand I also drive enough that I wear tires out before they age out.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: I would not trust those long distance/high speed. Might be ok for another year on the farm truck that never goes over 55mph or 50 miles from home.

spitfirebill wrote: I quit buying Michelin truck tires because two sets cracked along the raised white letters. I filed a complaint and the answer was they were fine. No more michelins for me. Later tire dealers could not understand why I didn't want white letter tired. I don't care that you can turn them in. Now I'm lucky to find anything in the right size.

White letters aren't the problem, Michelin's rubber that dries out stupid fast is. I don't know how they make a tire that will last for 100,000 miles yet dry out in 4 years, but they do.

These were old XCH4 tires in the late 80s. The Michelin rep told me the white rubber was reacting with the black rubber, forgetaboutit.

KyAllroad wrote: It's just that new tires would be something like $600 and funds are never quite there.

Averaging all annual vehicle maintenance requirements into the monthly household budget as a mandatory expense, and setting the funds aside for when they're needed, can help alleviate this problem. If done right, and adjustments are made as necessary, this can typically even absorb most unexpected repairs without causing any critical funding shortages.

Thanks guys. New tires are on the way.

Right choice. Funny you couldn't get any takeoffs. 'Round here (south Texas, of course) you can find nearly new tires on factory alloy rims all over Craigslist for the cost of a new set of tires or less. Seems brodozer builders get rid of the factory stuff before they make the first payment.

I wonder how many of those are sets of four stolen spares. Like the one I just discovered was missing from under my truck...

Keith Tanner wrote: I wonder how many of those are sets of four stolen spares. Like the one I just discovered was missing from under my truck...

I'm sure some of them were stolen right off of a truck in someone's driveway.

I've woken up twice to seeing my neighbor's 2013 Silverado on blocks. After the second time, he replaced the factory chrome 20s with the less flashy cast aluminum 18s.

Basil Exposition wrote: Right choice. Funny you couldn't get any takeoffs. 'Round here (south Texas, of course) you can find nearly new tires on factory alloy rims all over Craigslist for the cost of a new set of tires or less. Seems brodozer builders get rid of the factory stuff before they make the first payment.

Oh I can find them locally. But it seems around here the guys taking them off have rather ambitious ideas of what their factory rims/tires are worth.

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I know that everyone was concerned for my well being so there is the proof of new sneakers on the 'burb. $630 installed brand new. Should last for a while.

In reply to KyAllroad:

Let me know how you like them. I had a set on a truck once and I have to say I wasn'tsad to see them go.

You guys made me decide to pull the trigger on new tires for the truck as well. Tires were Michelins with less cracking than KyAllroad's, but they were showing the signs of 6 years of high UV close to the bead. So now I'm rolling on a new set of LTXs with new wheels, and one of my old wheels is now my new spare.