I wouldn't use them on anything on the street. I had a pair of 30+ year old bias tires that I thought I was being smart by putting them on the little luggage trailer that weighs almost nothing and pulling them behind my 32 sedan. On a trip to Louisville with a buddy riding along shotgun, we heard a loud "BANG". Looking wide eyed at each other, we thought we had been shot at. We went a few more miles (just in case) and pulled over to check and found that one of the bias tires had thrown off the tread and hit the back of the card beside the rear window leaing a big dent.
Back in the day I got a set of 20 year old wide whites, threw them on my 49 Chevy, and drove 300 miles to Vegas. Don't fucking do it!!!
My tennis shoes are over twenty years old and I still find them quite comfortable .... I think I will take a nap now.
I had new 4 x WW radial tyres on my '66 Fairlane when imported into Oz many years ago. The car sat around over the following two (2) few years as it went a full restoration. When registered and I commenced driving the belts in one (1) tyre individually separated within weeks. I took all four (4) of, cut the sidewalls with a knife and threw them away buying 4 x new radial WW tyres locally. These were new tyres and had done 0 miles as the car was only a roller when imported. Too risky to compromise when it comes to safety.
REVIVE ::: Read a bunch of threads here on old tires. Here's my scenario: my dually truck's tires were a matched set, have like-new tread, decent flexibility, but have 'dry rot' cracks in the rubber. I believe they are from circa 1970. These are 10-ply nylon bias ply Atlas tires (equivalent to Load Range E), and the truck they're going on tops out at 45 MPH max… so IF I were to use them, it'd be local, low-speed driving for shorter distances. Truck is a cab/chassis, so the weight is low for 10-plys. Anyone have any further opinions on this specific scenario and very limited, low-speed usage?
Old tires can be great for burnouts, but if you run em, you not only put your passengers lives at risk, but also other people on the road. I wonder where the tires in question here originally in 2012 ended up?
I agree with this one and to ad that they use compounds now days not 100% natural rubber like they used to. Not sure when they went to mixed compounds but I would guess somewhere after the sixties ? The seventies brought in all kinds of fake stuff.
You really have to ask? There is always some one who drove 30 year old tires with no problem. There are people who drove drunk and made it home, so what! Pat
If you're asking this question regarding having your son drive it, you must know the answer. How long and what speed will he get it up to in your DRIVEWAY?
Bias ply tires do not come apart like radials. Run tubes, keep the pressure on the higher side but not full blast, and they're just fine for local driving. if it sits a lot, move it a little so they don't get flat spots. Hell, I even towed a trailer back home 13 miles that had tubes in and one tire had a great big hole in the side. I went easy and kept it to 45 tops and got it back just fine. The hole grew a little, I probably wouldn't have gotten too much further, but the tire didn't fall apart or go flat either. Radials, if they're old, forget it. Every tire I've ever had blow out on me, at speed, was an old radial. 7, 8 years tops, any more is pushing it, they'll go off without any warning even if they look like brand new.
It would be a far easier question to answer if -say- these were 2-ply tires on a car going out on the highway @ 55-65 MPH. IE; tires are spec'd to that usage scenario. 35-40 MPH on local roads, with 12,000 less pounds than it's registered weight is clearly a low-pressure scenario. Still mulling it over.
I think I have a pair of pre war ribbed tires. They still appear as new. I got them on a car in 70. I actually drove them a little in 91. They still hold air but I don't think I will try them again. I think they are natural rubber.
I had 8 yr old Goodyears on the 40's front end and lost a chunk out of the one on the drivers side at about 65 mph on a bridge. Didn't lose control but it scared hell out of me. So NO---I don't recommend running old tires except maybe as shop rollers.
Squirrel, You said it, i'm the same way from observation of failed tires, to me the ply casing holds the bias ply together and on a radial the rubber holds them together. bias will seperate but it takes alot of abuse to do it. usually stting flat for years or being over fifty years old. all of our farm equipment tires are over thirty years old and usually no probems. andy
If you have ever been up on two wheels in your 31 roadster going sideways at 65 because of a blown 30 year old rear tire with lots of tread left your question will be forever answered................. don't even think about it........
I would trust them before I would a 3 year old radial. Ivedrug in hendreds of vehicles with the wrecker. Many times they are sitting on flat tires. If there sitting on flat radials forget it. Even inflated radials are iffy. however if they are bias ply We would inflate them and most time they made the trip. Ive even had some tubeless bias ply that wouldn't inflate because of leaking around the bead. Ive got a rig that lets me fill them with water and the water will inflate them. My 66 ford F 600 had recap bias that where on the truck before I was married. and ive been married 41 years. still going and have hauled some very heavy loads. Proper inflation has more to do with tire failure than age. I just acquired a set of 16 inch 6 hole split rims. I installed some aged 14 ply tires on them and put them on my tilt top trailer. Hauled my backhoe 100 miles no problem. what to do for your son is have your wife get in the car with it not running mash the gas to the floor. Then you adjust the throttle linkage to where it only opens the carb 2/3 of the way. Poor mans governor.
I wonder why bias-ply don't seem to dry rot like radials do?[/QUOTE] Radials have steel belts, steel and rubber/nylon do not like to stick together.
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