My dry-rotted tires? (pictures)

[Top_Fuel]

This Aerospace 303 looks worth a try. It's $120/US gallon up here vs. $52/gallon on Amazon US.

It looks like Walmart is the cheapest bet for a gallon...even in Canada.

[Wallythacker]

It looks like Walmart is the cheapest bet for a gallon...even in Canada.

This is interesting, at Walmart.ca it appears that Aerospace 303 is supplied by a 3rd party and fulfilled by Walmart, ala Amazon. This is the first time I've seen this. There are two choices for a gallon, both the same ultimate price but one is $69 with the balance made up of shipping cost.

[craigq]

If Walmart is out of stock a couple of the online Canadian detail shops carry it. I usually order enough supplies for free shipping (CarPro IronX is good for iron-based fallout, the orange blooms you see especially on white vehicles).

https://www.oldetownautospa.ca/produ...518fb3b4&_ss=r
https://www.eshine.ca/collections/30...ace-protectant

[Mirageman38]

This Aerospace 303 looks worth a try. It's $120/US gallon up here vs. $52/gallon on Amazon US.

All these posts about prices makes me want to start a business reselling amazon crap to people in Canada. Get in on the highway robbery....

[Wallythacker]

If Walmart is out of stock a couple of the online Canadian detail shops carry it. I usually order enough supplies for free shipping (CarPro IronX is good for iron-based fallout, the orange blooms you see especially on white vehicles).

https://www.oldetownautospa.ca/produ...518fb3b4&_ss=r
https://www.eshine.ca/collections/30...ace-protectant

Huh. Both these places are local to me. The Thorold one is a 5 minute drive. Thanks for the links.

[benwerks]

Ummm...I'm at a loss of words for MacClyver's tires...

Attachment 15769

thats just extra traction

[MacClyver]

No that wasn't extra traction, lol. It was pretty hard rubber, retroactive LRR anyone? Also, as I later noticed the sidewall had a slight bulge in one spot... I will say I only ever dared go over 60 a few times because how it felt above.

Did I place myself under unnecessary risk, sure. It was even on mounted this spring when I retrieved it from storage, then 24 y/o. I replaced it with a 13 y/o full size spare I had brought with me to get the car home.

But, don't worry about me, my era of junk tires is over. Both cars I bought this year, the Mirage and Metro sedan both came with great tread, I've got new tires for the LSi, and I have yet another lightly used set.

Just after my experiences I have seen just how durable tires really are even at the ragged edge. 5 or 6 year recommended replacement cycles seem to be blatant scaremongering to waste resources and drum up sales. 10 years is reasonable, but they can continue holding on if given the chance.


If your tires look like this they will surely be fine till you have worn them down as far as you wish to.

[MetroMPG]

I have a fair amount of experience with dry rot too - don't drive enough to wear out tires before they start doing that. I wouldn't worry about those ones popping or coming apart. Traction is another issue, though.

[Basic]

Resident Tire Engineer checking in here... I sometime hesitate to comment on topics like these as they are typically similar to opening a very large can of worms... BUT... as I was asked, I will provide some insight.

The appearance seen in fc321's pic commonly known as "dry-rot" is really Weather Checking which is really Ozone Cracking. It is seen quite early in these Enasaves because they are indeed a LRR compound (see how it is almost solely in the tread?) To get the LRR coefficient, you unfortunately give up a lot in terms of the robustness of the compound. What happens is, the wax and oils in the rubber compound (mostly the wax) leach out of the rubber (you can actually see this as a whitish haze on your tires) due to many factors (temperature swings, sunlight exposure, etc) but the most common reason as Loren and Darin mentioned is LACK OF EXERCISE. Tires are very much living creatures and need to move!

But Darin brought up the most important part of this. Are the tires going to come apart because of this? Not likely for a good long while. But will your performance be hindered? YES. No ifs ands or buts about it. The performance of the rubber is permanently altered. And is this the reason manufacturers recommend replacing at a maximum of 10 years? YES. To put a relatively recent and famous reality to this, this is what killed Paul Walker. Period. I have no doubt in my mind. The Carrera GT is a hairy car from jump. On almost 10 year old tires that have little to no miles on them? Deadly.

Now is the Mirage a Carrera GT? Obviously not. But can other factors play into exacerbated forces? Yes. (Low air pressure most importantly.) MacClyvers insane post about suicidal Bonzai runs in his Metro on tires with cracks the size of cigarettes exudes bravado and builds false security, but honestly, is it worth it? I carry my kids in my Mirage regularly, but equally importantly, I pass an unknown amount of kids in every single car I go past on every road every single day. Are you going to blow a tire out and kill them? Probably not... Are you going to be able to live with yourself if you knowingly did? PROBABLY NOT...

Tires are cheap, relatively speaking. Protect yourself and others....

[Eggman]

Thanks for the helpful insight, Basic.

One more quick question - can this Ozone Cracking be slowed or stopped by using treatments? I've heard that treatments are ineffective, but then some manufacturers can come up with very compelling product marketing that makes it look like I can't live without buying their stuff.