A novice question, right? But I've never owned a vehicle long enough to cycle through tires...

I have an '03 4Runner 4wd v6, we bought it with 11k, and its got 55k now. The tread looks good, but each tire has at least one plug, and it looks like the sidewalls are "drying" out. Question is, should tires be changed every so many years just because of there age?

And of course, any recommendations whould be appreciated, mostly just driving these San Antonio roads...

Thanks all

 

idk its up to you. If you inspect them and they don't look safe, then get new ones! Personally, guys around here run them till they are slick! lol

 

So these are the original tires with 55k on them? You could probably use new tires. It would be preventative maintenance if you don't want to risk one blowing on the road.

Rob

 

Most people say 3/32" of tread left is the end of the life. Take a penny and put it in the tread. The shortest distance from the end of the penny to the top of Lincoln's head is about 3/32"

 

3/32" of tread or 7 years old is when I'd replace them.

 

That certainly isn't good advice...

There are certain things to consider. Tread depth is one thing, but by no means is the only thing.

If a tire looks weathered on the outside, there is a chance that the effects of that weathering has weakened the tire itself. I've had a tire that had well over 2/3 of it's tread left totally disintegrate because it was so weathered that it just couldn't hold together.

A tire like that is a ticking timebomb.

Even tires that are "new" at a tire dealer may already be a couple of years old. So even before they are installed the rubber may have already began to degrade.

Same thing with tires on a new vehicle sitting on a new car lot. The tires may have sat around a while before they were installed at the factory, and then there's the length of time it took for that vehicle to make it to the dealer, and then the length of time for that vehicle to be sold.

By the time the vehicle gets sold, the tires may very well have already began to degrade significantly.

When I bought my '06 Tacoma, it was less than a year since it was sold new and it had about 15,000 miles on it, yet the sidewalls of the factory tires were so weathered that they looked like they were at least 5 years old.

Another thing to consider is tire damage. Things such as gouges and bruises on the sidewall can compromise the integrity of the carcass. If there's a bubble anywhere on the tire, or the tire is visibly deformed, remove it from service immediately.

Tires are something that many people don't take very serious, and yet neglecting them could be deadly. If I were you, I would seriously consider replacing them.

 

feelin lucky?

I'd make sure your spare is servicable.
most light truck tires are rated 60k. miles

 

Mine aren't yet but I'm working on it.

Personally, if your tires are showing signs of cracking around the tread blocks, or on the side walls, I'd get rid of them ASAP. If they are just getting a little bit bald, don't rush it, but you should start shopping around to find a good deal on some pretty soon.

 

i was wondering the same thing, mine are getting close and I'm upgrading so i need to be thinking about it soon. good thread. and thanks for the responses.

 

Yea about that running them slick, yea its stupid, i wouldn't do it.

Mine are still okay, but ill probably buy one at a time so when they do need replacing, at least ill have some new ones!

 

I've never owned a vehicle long enough to need new tires either, in fact once, I owned a truck for a little over 24hrs.

Who here sells their tires at 60% and uses the money towards new tires? Is it worth it?

 

No. the most you can hope for is a small percentage of what you paid for them. Some tire companys let you trade in your old ones and they give you credit toward your new ones. But you have to have all the paperwork, or be in their computer to do that. I've sold tires at 60% tread life, but I didn't use the money to buy new ones.

 

There are usually state laws that govern how much tread has to be on the tire to be legal. A few hairline cracks in the sidewall just means the tire sat for a while without being run & isn't that big of a deal unless they're really bad. I run tires until they feel dangerous; I know...not the best thing to do but I get my moneys worth out of 'em.

Oh, if you have one that looks good just blow out on you, replace them all. Mind you I don't mean go flat, I mean blow out.

 

Yeah, replace them. I have Yokohama Geolander H/T's on my Prerunner and love them. Great gripe in dry and wet roads. Gonna get a set for my wife's CRV when her tires wear out.