...buying a 15yr old camper and when you crawl underneath to check the spare tyre you find;
a) it's there b) it has air in it c) it's got tread d) it's not all cracked and e) when you go to unseize the retaining bolts, you find they've been greased and are free running.
That's enough joy for one day. ;-)
Tim
Reminds me of the old dentist joke: "Your teeth are fine but your gums will have to come out", so how about "Your tyres are fine but your hubs are shot"! :-)
Scott
Be careful of old tyres, even if they aren't cracked externally, they could fail, and take you with them.
Yep, aware of this. Would probably only be used as a "get me to the nearest tyre shop" measure.
Tim
Naah. Sorry.
Well, quite. FAR too new.
Maybe I can "retrofy" it? Can you still gas gas light spares? Used to love the hiss of the gas in my parent's old caravan.
Tim
Not sure it would even get you that far - if it hasn't been used, suddenly subjecting it to road stresses means it's more likely to fail shortly after rather than working fine for months and then going.
My spare looked in good condition. Checked the date... 24 years old. Yikes! I changed it pronto.
Theo
"Fine for months"? I'm only talking about a few miles driven carefully.
I changed it
I'll pull it right out and check.
Tim
The new tyres for my car trailer should arrive today. The old ones are mid-80s dated...
Ho hum. The bottom (downward facing) side of the tyre was as smooth as the proverbial baby's bum but the TOP side (against the van floor) had lots of lovely cracks. I guess it's probably a chemical reaction with the camper's under sealant that's done it.
Replaced now.
Tim
Thus showing up a couple of claims in this thread for the bollocks they are.
Given the OP told us this -
a) it's there b) it has air in it c) it's got tread d) it's not all cracked and e) when you go to unseize the retaining bolts, you find they've been greased and are free running.
I'd be quite happy to fit it to my or my daughter's cars.
Steve
OK, the OP's latest contribution to the thread changes that.
Steve
The thing I mean is people buy some old motor they found in a barn and drive it to a garage for an MOT. The tyres, which have been in the same position for 20 years and repeatedly cooked and frozen, suddenly decide that 70mph on the dual carriageway is the perfect time to go bang. They're more likely to do that than work fine then suddenly get a slow leak after a year.
Did you check the date before you replaced it, out of interest?
Theo
I don't think I've ever been aware of that happening. Normally they go hard & have sod all grip.
Tyre shop said they were from 2000 so quite young really. ;-)
Tim
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