Re: [T3] In need of TIRES

["Marion McDonald" <mmmpwm@bellsouth.net>]

<x-flowed>    I'll put my two cents in about the the safety old tires.

   I purchased 4 Michelin radials for my vehicle in 1973 after the factory 
tires worn out at 32,000 miles.
These tires remained on the vehicle until August, 1986 when one of the tires 
on the rear failed while driving on the expressway.  The tires at that time 
had 89,000 miles on them, but still had plenty of tread.  The tires over the 
years had developed cracks on the side wall near the wheel and also in the 
bottom of the grooves in the tire tread.  When the tire failed it did not 
deflate, but chunks of the thread surface came off the tire.  I was still 
able to drive the car slowly to the tire store to replace the tire.  I 
purchased two Michelin tires for the rear.  I drove the car with the two old 
tires and the two newer tires until October, 1991, when I replaced the 1973 
tires on the front with two Michelin radials.  The two front tires had 
108,000 miles on them by then and still had some tread, but I was getting 
concerned because they were 18 years old.  I drive the car sparingly on the 
expressway and this coupled with the lack of weight on the front tires 
probably allowed me to go as long as I did with them.  The tires purchased 
in 1986 & 1991 stayed on the car until June, 2004.  Two of the tires had 
37,000 and two had 17,700 miles on them.  They also had developed the cracks 
on the side walls and in the bottom of the tread grooves.   I planned to 
drive up to the Invasion in August and did not trust the tires on a long, 
high speed expressway drive to Hershey.  I placed the Michelin's on my 
Beetle and they will probably stay there for a while.  It's a 36 hp 1960 
model and I don't think I can go fast enough in it to make them fail.

   I'll let the above narrative speak for itself.  I do think there is 
cause for concern as a tire ages.

Marion McDonald
Lawrenceville, Ga.
1971 FB



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