12 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

The danger of old tyres.......

 

Three people returning from the Bestival music festival died after a coach tyre that was 19-and-a-half years old blew out, an inquest heard.

The 52-seat coach crashed as it headed north on the A3 in Surrey, travelling to Merseyside from the festival on the Isle of Wight last September.

Driver Colin Daulby, 63, and passengers Kerry Ogden, 23, and Michael Molloy, 18, were killed.

 

Tyre expert David Price said several of the six tyres on the coach were old, with the tyre that burst being "abnormally old".

Another dated back to 2001 and the spare was 14 years old.

The burst tyre had a dot code giving its age and caused the accident as it finally failed, he said.

The coach crashed through a fence and into a tree

He said the tyre had been falling apart internally for months.

Mr Price said it was only half worn so had either been a spare or in storage for many years.

"This is one of the oldest tyres I have encountered failing," he said.

He said recommendations from manufacturers said tyres should not be fitted to cars if they are six years old, and should be replaced if they are 10 years old.

He said that this was not a legal requirement and that it did not apply to coaches or lorries, which was "frustrating"

http://www.bbc.co.uk...ngland-23320526

 

 

[Merryck]

Bloody hell, that's terrifying!

 

I've just put an MG Midget through an MOT with tyres that are at least 12 years old, probably closer to 20. First thing I'm doing when I get it home is taking the wheels off, cleaning them up and putting four brand spanking new tyres on. I can't wait - it's going to be so satisfying seeing nice new rubber on it!

 

The guy at the garage said 'nah, they're fine' when I mentioned them. People just don't understand how important tyres are!

[Andyagl]

I was doing up a old bmw cs. Tyres looked ok, but could tell they were old. Pumped them up as it had a slow puncture, just turned to walk away and it blew up.
Put normal pressure into it. Couldn't imagine if it was being driven. Went off like a bomb, neighbours came out thinking there was a crash or something. I got some stones next to the driveway and it blew a totally clean patch for about 6 foot, throwing the stones across the road.
Changed the Tyres straight away, didn't want to touch them after that.
I see people driving on Tyres with slight cracking and say, change them now!
The side walls are very thin, and rubber perishes.

[firstforward]

My  mini 1996 had original tyres on, the car only recorded as having done 10,500 miles when I got it. Started using it as a daily and at 18K miles did a long journey of 400 miles and noticed the tyre looked strange on the drivers side. It had actually started to break up all over, with gaping big cracks. On inspection they all looked the same, I was very lucky that somehow they were still inflated. Not only do they break up but the rubber hardens and as a result the grip especially in the wet is very poor to the point of dangerous.

[mk1monster]

my land rover (thats the orange thing in my signature) takes a really odd tyre size (9.00x16) which can now often only be found in agricultural speed and load ratings, which makes it hard to find tyres.

 

often new old stock tyres will come up but the trouble is they are often 15-20 years old unused!!!

[Cooperman]

If a tyre has been stored indoors with no direct sunlight on it then it will still be fine after many years. It's sunlight which causes the cracking and breaking up on a stored tyre. On a rim & inflated, whether it's used or not, the life is as stated.

Take no chances.

[Tamworthbay]

I have seen two blowouts on the motorway. One on the M42 when it was quiet thankfully and the driver held it despite going from the inside to outside lane and back again. The other was on the M6 on a landrover towing a big caravan. It was total carnage bit thankfully no serious injuries. The motorway was shut for four hours. Both very scary to follow and pant changingly scary to be in I would think.

[mab01uk]

A report about this on TV news last night mentioned that low annual mileage cars, little used classic cars, caravans, trailers and horse boxes as being important to check the tyre 'date codes' as the tyres may become dangerous long before the tread is worn out.......and the code is not checked for MOT.

 

A tyre date code found on a tyres sidewall will tell you what month and year the tyre was manufactured in.

The date code is made up of four numbers (or three and a triangle if made before the year 2000, the triangle means 1990′s and the single number means the exact the year of manufacture in 90′s the first two numbers will mean the same as before, the week of manufacture)

Basically the first two numbers represent the week it was manufactured in and the second two numbers represent the year it was manufactured in.

http://www.puretyre....tyre-date-code/

 

Mechanic killed by car he treasured
Classic car fan Keith Lester died after his treasured MGB flipped onto its roof when one its 25-year-old tyres burst on a motorway.
http://www.mancheste...reasured-988730

Danger of old tyres
http://www.pistonhea...old tyres&mid=0

Edited by mab01uk, 29 August 2013 - 08:34 AM.

[Mk1Dave]

We had a 8 year old ford ka at work the other day. Which had been fitted with a second hand tyre that was about 20 years old. Don't think it's worth the risk buying second hand tyres

[charie t]

Why do people think that the mot test is some sort of critical test?

It is a just a 'check' for the minimum legal allowance for the road.

[Merryck]

I'm going at lunch to get new tyres for the Midget. It was stored in a garage with very little sunlight, but you can tell the rubber is perished. Touch wood the 2 miles between here and there are incident free!

 

It amazes me how little attention people pay to their tyres, my sisters all drive around on half flat tyres. Whenever they park too close to the garage I sneak out and pump them up on the compressor. Like some kind of air elf or something.

[Carlos W]

I'm going at lunch to get new tyres for the Midget. It was stored in a garage with very little sunlight, but you can tell the rubber is perished. Touch wood the 2 miles between here and there are incident free!

 

It amazes me how little attention people pay to their tyres, my sisters all drive around on half flat tyres. Whenever they park too close to the garage I sneak out and pump them up on the compressor. Like some kind of air elf or something.

 

Giving them better fuel economy, along with all the other reasons

[MIGLIACARS]

Women and tyres!!!!!!

 

I came out the house the other day with to say bye to my better halfs friend, I glanced down at her tyres!!!!!!!!!!!    gasp !!!!!!!!!!

 

 

no tread at all.   I said you need two front tyres....   

what she replied as she put both kids in the car      why how do you know that!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

in amazement i replied because there bald and showing canvass. look at the rears thats how they should be.

 

Oh she replied, well im skint so they will have to wait till I get paid. as she drove off the get her bikini wax and nails done.

 

 

 

unbelievable