mtsao

I purchased this vehicle recently and discovered that the full-size spare tire has never been used (mint ). It's a Dunlop D80. It appears that it had never even been touched, and naturally it was deflated, so I pumped it back up to spec. I've not yet checked to see that it's still holding the air, but I did notice something that worries me.

I had to handle the tire to flip it and access the valve and I noticed when I touched the rubber surface, small smecks of rubber shavings would come off in my hand. They were like eraser shavings, but even smaller, almost as small as beach sand. It seems that it's just the top surface layer, because I continued to rub and after maybe 5 seconds of rubbing a location with my fingers, it wouldn't shed anymore and it seemed like normal rubber.

What is the shelf life of a tire that has remained in the trunk well for 13 years? There are no signs of water stains in the trunk and my guess is that the tire has never even seen the light of day after it was put in. The tire jack and crank handle show no sings of having been used, and the tire still has the colored markings on the tread and the rubber nibs. I need to know whether this tire is reliable and safe to use.

All thoughts are appreciated,
Mike

persian451

i have the same thing.. its never been mounted or touched.. I'd say its safe man.. if it looks good and preserved in a trunk for 12-13 years.. then it prob is good

mtsao

Persian451,
I'm glad someone knows what I'm talking about. But I still feel kinda unsure. I like peace of mind, but I also don't want to throw away a tire that >looks< so pristine. Do we have any rubber specialists here who'd like to chime in with a scientific perspective on the degradation of rubber over time?

Mike

mtsao

Come on, I know someone here must know something about the useful life of tires . . .

persian451

why dont you just take it to a tireshop then? you do have one nearby.. i'm sure they could tell you

mtsao

Yeah, I could do that, but I'm thinking they would say anything to try and sell me a tire. Oh well.

damon

I appreciate your quest for safety.

Another group is very conscious of the condition ot their equipment ( even things you hope never to have to use! ) are Pilots. I once read in an Aircraft Forum that a modern tire should last 25 years if it is kept out of the sun.

I had to break out a 9 year old , never been on pavement , Goodyear Eagle spare on my LS 400 the other day & it did it's job with no problems & went back in the trunk when I bought four new Kumhos.

Perhaps the rubber you encountered is on all tires as a result of mfg. & we just never see it on our 4 "rollers" ?

damon

mtsao

Damon, I appreciate the input and it definitely puts my mind at ease that you didn't have any problems with your 9 year-old spare. Thanks!