How old is too old for tires?

I have a set of hankook w401 hp zovacs I got for free. Tread is good. It's a studded tire. I have looked up the way to tell a manufacturing date off a tire and this one does not have the usual imprints. Anyone here a pro at Korean tires? I'm assuming 5mf6 means "fifth month" but have no idea if that second part is 2006 or what.

Wait! I found info! So 5m means it was made in Korea. The last three of 247 means "24th week of 2007 or 1997.... either way these tires are old... so, 9yrs at best. Maybe...

Edit: the four digit date code started in 2000, so these tires are older than that. Yikes.

If they're from 2007 and have been stored inside they should be fine. From 1997 would be less good.
I had a friend just finish wearing out a set of rally tires date coded to the 80's. They held air until they wore out on the RX course, so....success?

I would want to look at the tires be for casting an opinion. Also how have they been stored? What are you going to use them for?

For a good while, most reputable tire companies have said 10 years. I'm pretty sure all W401 Zovacs were made in the past 10 years, so I'd say those are 07, or still good until the 24th week of next year.

Food for thought.

Trackmouse is correct. I believe that tire was made the 24th week of 1997. I thought perhaps Hankook continued using the old 3 number system but a quick search shows they're using the 4 number most companies have used since about the turn of the century. I would NOT use them on a street driven car on highways etc. Not worth loosing a quarter panel if it blows, it's almost 20 years old and no matter the storage, it's dried out. http://www.lynnwoodtires.com/site/blog/2011/11/15/tire-specifications-and-dot-markings-hankook-tires/

Definitely from 97 as stated 4 digit date codes started in 2000.

Most manufacturers say 10 years some say 8. Too old to run on the street.

Driven5 wrote: Food for thought.

Hey friend, I read that. Thank you.

Trackmouse wrote:

Driven5 wrote: Food for thought.

Hey friend, I read that. Thank you.

Ditto. Any idea who wrote that? It was a good read.

ShadowSix wrote:

Trackmouse wrote:

Driven5 wrote: Food for thought.

Hey friend, I read that. Thank you.

Ditto. Any idea who wrote that? It was a good read.

Matt Farrah of The Smoking Tire is the author

Excellent article. I guss the tires I have had for a project for more that 10 are going to be burn out fodder. I came across a deal for wheels and tires I couldn't pass In 06. I though inside storage in dark room they would be ok. Guess I was wrong.

Driven5 wrote: Food for thought.

That's a good article.

I made that mistake once. I was short on cash, and took the tires off the van sitting in my back yard and put them on my street driver truck. They looked fine, but the van had been sitting for years. 30 minutes into my ride, I had a blowout at 70 mph.

Bought 4 tires that day. Thankfully, I didn't have to buy a coffin for me or anyone else.

Three things cause me to replace my Blizzaks with new ones.

1.age. Almost 10 yrs. 2. Less traction, Noticed that last winter. 3. Rubber is harder, about 10 points on the Durometer scale.

The tires were stored in relatively warm temperatures and covered.

Driven5 wrote: Food for thought.

I read this a while ago. Street tire technology has changed so much in the past 20 years, yet consumers have not idea about tires other then they keep the car off the ground. Some tire shops attempt to educate, but it is often perceived as up selling/ripping people off. About 5 years ago a customer brought in a set of G70 x 14s. Hard as a rock and he was very upset when I refused to install them.

stan_d wrote: I guss the tires I have had for a project for more that 10 are going to be burn out fodder.

Yep, even though they're unused, mine will probably be around 10 years old before I ever finish my project. When I first read this article, it really hit home the fact that they should really only be used for design/mockup purposes, and maybe the first few low-speed shakedown trips around the block as the car is still being finished up...Well, and the obligatory smokey send-off.

Every tire on every one of my cars gets replaced when they hit three years from DOM. Yes, I will throw away a tire with 10/32 tread at the three year mark. Yes, I can perceive the loss of stickiness at two years versus one year.

WildScotsRacing wrote: Every tire on every one of my cars gets replaced when they hit three years from DOM. Yes, I will throw away a tire with 10/32 tread at the three year mark. Yes, I can perceive the loss of stickiness at two years versus one year.

I installed Artics on the Tacoma and Blizzaks on the CX 5. Wife commented on the increased traction after driving both on separate days. And I thought she wasn't aware of handling characteristics!

I ran a set of I think Barum tires on the e30, they were date coded at the limit of what discount tire had listed as the safe age for them. Ran them for a year or two, and then my daughter drove it about six months. The sidewalls of one tire completely disintegrated after she hit a pot hole.

I'm sure mfg quality plays a part, but I am now a believer in heeding those age limits.

For general street use?

As long as there's no visible dry rot . . . go for it.

Yeah, my dad's '66 Mustang has the same Michelin whitewalls he put on it in 1997 (back when you could still get whitewalls from a major brand at a regular tire store). They look more or less good as new.

Bumping this back to the top, got some free Toyo RA1 that have a few spec Miata weekends on them. They were then taken inside and stored in a basement in trash bags. Car was sold and now checking the date code, they're from 2005. Any use in getting them mounted and take out for HPDE?

no

Max safe age will vary widely. It depends on the tire, how it was stored, etc. I've seen 15 year old tire still in great shape, not hardened or cracking, etc. And I've seen 3 year old tires with dry rot starting on the sidewalls...

Ive ran old polyglass take offs from the 70's, right now the rear of my car has 18 year old coopers on it for fun. if your doing more then burning them off i wouldnt risk it.