The Ford Barn - View Single Post

Daves55Sedan · 12-26-2019, 07:11 PM

Back in the '90's, I carried a 40 plus year old spare in my '55 car. One evening, I pulled onto the highway on my way home from work and ran over something that caused a front passenger side flat. No problem, I pulled to the shoulder and changed it with my ancient spare. (Man you never seen worse dry-rot and cracking on a tire sidewall). As I let the jack down, the spare was flat also.
An old man and his wife in an '85 Crown Vic stopped just ahead of me on the shoulder at that same moment. He had a battery powered air compressor and lent it to me. I aired up the old spare and it wouldn't take more than 23 PSI, so I drove it home like that. Man, that tire was squirrely going down the highway, 60 MPH (much slower than I usually go). But when I got home, it hadn't lost any air.
I had always ran my tires bald before they got any age on them, and was always disappointed that the tread didn't last longer. But I was driving minimum 15,000 miles/year on 710X15 tires with 4 inch tread width.
I got radials on my car for the very first time over ten years ago. The tread is worn down pretty good now, but I am keeping them till long after they have gone bald. Darned good cheap chainstore tires and they still look good.

12-26-2019, 07:11 PM	#12
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: Replace any tire over 6 years old. Back in the '90's, I carried a 40 plus year old spare in my '55 car. One evening, I pulled onto the highway on my way home from work and ran over something that caused a front passenger side flat. No problem, I pulled to the shoulder and changed it with my ancient spare. (Man you never seen worse dry-rot and cracking on a tire sidewall). As I let the jack down, the spare was flat also. An old man and his wife in an '85 Crown Vic stopped just ahead of me on the shoulder at that same moment. He had a battery powered air compressor and lent it to me. I aired up the old spare and it wouldn't take more than 23 PSI, so I drove it home like that. Man, that tire was squirrely going down the highway, 60 MPH (much slower than I usually go). But when I got home, it hadn't lost any air. I had always ran my tires bald before they got any age on them, and was always disappointed that the tread didn't last longer. But I was driving minimum 15,000 miles/year on 710X15 tires with 4 inch tread width. I got radials on my car for the very first time over ten years ago. The tread is worn down pretty good now, but I am keeping them till long after they have gone bald. Darned good cheap chainstore tires and they still look good.