Tire cracking issue, need insight

[FraggyA4]

Hey guys,

I'm having an issue with my tires cracking. Not really sure why, considering they are only about 2 years old and have plenty of tread life left. I checked the pressure in all of them and they are what they should be running at.
A couple of things that could be an issue:

I run 20mm spacers in the rear and 15mm in the front.
These are nokian WR tires and they are a softer compound that is somewhere in between summer tires and snow tires. These tires are meant to be run all year long.

Also with this kind of damage what can I expect down the road?

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/7797_10151475819495924_1007081278_n.jpg

Thanks Guys

[audinutt]

Those need to be replaced, that is a safety hazard.
Looks like they will come apart sooner rather than later.


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[Scotty@Advanced]

It's likely those tires have met their useful life. Even though they have been on your car for 2 years, they could very well have been warehoused for who knows how long. The cracking will continue and eventually the tread will separate at the most inconvenient moment.

[aluthman]

Is your car normally parked outside and exposed to sunlight or is it typically garaged? Also, what types of products do you put on your tires?

[CorneliusRox]

That's a real bummer. If you bring them back to where you bought them, they will sometimes give you a percentage of the price towards new ones based on tread

[cheemn]

That's a real bummer. If you bring them back to where you bought them, they will sometimes give you a percentage of the price towards new ones based on tread

X2 and DONT drive with those tires. You can check the manufacturing date of the tire too to make sure the shop didn't sell ya old tires. Either way the shop who sold them BETTER "do something" for ya.

[SinCityA6]

The cracking is indicative of Dry Rot. Normally seen on tires that are stored for a long period of time or on a car that is not driven regularly. As the others have said, do not drive on them! Separating a tread at highway speeds will not only cause you to mess your pants, the rubber will damage the body of the car, you may loose control, etc.

[FraggyA4]

Some bitch, well this isn't the most convenient time to replace my tires. Any body have suggestions on a cheap replacement?

Also do park out side but I drive my car regularly. The only product I put on my tires is the Meguirs tire shine.

I'm thinking these tires sat for a while before they were put on my car. I'll be going back to the place that I bought the tires from. I'm hoping they don't screw me though because I've never had them rotated.

[cheemn]

Not rotating them has NO relationship to what has happened to your tires. As others have stated your pics show a tire that just looks old. Check the manufacturing date stamped on the sidewall before you go into the store.

[FraggyA4]

Well this is happening on all 4 tires...So I will check it out. Looks like I'm pedaling to work this week.

[FraggyA4]

They were manufactured in 2008 making them 3 years old when I bought them. Which makes some of them 5 years old now.

[cheemn]

Hmm odd shouldn't have fallen apart like that so soon but yeah you can make a point of that to your shop. Update us on what they say etc.

here is some info for ya I guess.
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/Tires/Tires+Rating/Tire+Aging

[FraggyA4]

Well Nokians are a different kind of rubber, they use natural compounds so that the tires are greener for the environment. So I guess I could see them prematurely cracking.

[SinCityA6]

Well Nokians are a different kind of rubber, they use natural compounds so that the tires are greener for the environment. So I guess I could see them prematurely cracking.

If the tires sat in a warehouse for 3 years and were not properly stored; Add to that the fact that they are a "greener" rubber..... Dry Rot it is.

[FraggyA4]

yup I think I have a pretty good case to take to the tire place. I would expect to get 50% of my money back towards a new set of tires.

[mcpcartier]

informative thread...I've never had to deal with dry rot so this was all new to me.

[CorneliusRox]

informative thread...I've never had to deal with dry rot so this was all new to me.

Also, if you guys are every goign to havea car sitting, or just for the hell of it because it makes them look new. Spray on this stuff:

Westley's Bleche Wite
http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE3-1189903enh-z7.jpg (https://www.google.com/search?tbm=shop&q=westley%27s+bleche+wite&oq=westley&gs_l=products-cc.3.0.0l2.4823.7349.0.8508.7.6.0.1.1.0.110.545.4j 2.6.0...0.0...1ac.1.16.products-cc.SzqDljJAy2A#q=westley's+bleche+wite&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ei=fR21UfGkAajtiQKxtICwDg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAw&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47534661,d.cGE&fp=d1b72d04d0521783&biw=1920&bih=955)

It doesnt leave your tire shiny, but it makes it look new, and I have used it for sitting trailers before. It really does work great at reconditioning the rubber.

[FraggyA4]

I think I'm going to try and trade out for these

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=135&Cookie=froogle-CPaqz5Cy2LcCFe1AMgodz24ACQ&details=Ordern&typ=R-236879&ranzahl=4&nichtweiter=1&pk_campaign=froogle

[FraggyA4]

Good news, I talked to the store and they are going to give me the the money towards my new tires. Looks like I have about 55% left of the tire so I will be getting my new ones 50% off. Still sucks but I guess I'll have new tires that should last me till I get rid of the car.

[cheemn]

[up] That's good. Seemed like the shop stepped up and at least went half way.

[FraggyA4]

Yup they have proved themselves a worthy shop to work with. [:D]

[schmiesus]

[up] That's good. Seemed like the shop stepped up and at least went half way.
They're doing what's standard warranty practice in the tire industry for manufacture defect. You pay for what you used basically.

[SinCityA6]

They're doing what's standard warranty practice in the tire industry for manufacture defect. You pay for what you used basically.

Dry Rot is generally not covered under a manufacturer warranty since it is not a defect in the manufacturing of the tire but could be claimed that they were not maintained properly after the sale.

OP, good for you on getting half off your new set!.

[schmiesus]

Dry Rot is generally not covered under a manufacturer warranty since it is not a defect in the manufacturing of the tire but could be claimed that they were not maintained properly after the sale.

OP, good for you on getting half off your new set!.

That looks like a seperation from what I can see. Dry rot you usually see it going in many different directions not usually the same all the way around. ALSO is extremely unlikey you would get it on a tire under 10years old with the current rubber tech. Mind you anything is possible and with some of the off shore tires popping up you can get a whole host of new issues from the varying conditions found in the USA alone.

[konarider94]

Well Nokians are a different kind of rubber, they use natural compounds so that the tires are greener for the environment. So I guess I could see them prematurely cracking.

stupid tree huggers

[FraggyA4]

stupid tree huggers

Stupid Finns

[CorneliusRox]

stupid tree huggers

Talk like this is why you were invited to the festivities next week [>_<] ha ha