[supertinu]

Hey folks, what is the right time to switch to a new set of tyres. I tried searching on the forum but didnt get a specific discussion around this one. I have a 2004 Ikon which has done 51K kms and the stock OEM MRF ZVTS tyres have worn out, though still got some tread on them and probably may last another 5K km or more. Should I continue using them or swap them immediately. My driving is mainly in city plus occasional long wkend trips on highway when I would typically drive in the range of 100-130 kmph.

[VW2010]

My driving is mainly in city plus occasional long wkend trips on highway when I would typically drive in the range of 100-130 kmph.

If your driving is restricted to city and if the tyre has some tread in it, i would continue to drive them and never engage in fast action anytime.

At 100-130 you are almost pushing your luck all the time. 51K is a good life for tyre and its already a right time to make the switch if you want better performance out of the Ikon.

[rjstyles69]

6 years is quite long for a set of tires to be used. The rubber should have gotten hard by now and I don't think that the braking efficiency of the tires will be at its best. I suggest that you go ahead and change those tires at the earliest.

[Johnn]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

6 years is quite long for a set of tires to be used. The rubber should have gotten hard by now and I don't think that the braking efficiency of the tires will be at its best. I suggest that you go ahead and change those tires at the earliest.

yes 5 years is ideal, but 10 is the limit if everything is fine when inspected by a trained tyre inspector.

Regards Johnn

[joshguy]

Supertinu > if budget is not a constraint please go ahead and Change the tyres.

Think from a different angle,why dont you experience a better ride in your ikon?51 k is a very good life for a tyre that too if its OEM.

More over the probability of puncture is more as the life of tyre is more

My swift has done 38k kms and there is enough tread for another 5-7k kms but as many know the skinny tyres of swift D doesnt provide much grip at all.so i am palning to change it after 40k kms.

[MAS]

Well.. I had the same question in mind. I have a 2004 Corolla clocked 32K kms. I am still running it on the original Bridgestone RE88. They still have enough thread on them to last 20K kms (as mentioned by XL tyre point personnel).

My question is that eventhough there is life in the tyre, should I change it just because it is 7 years old?

Sorry Supertinu for posting this question in your thread.

[dhanushs]

6 years, is a long time to keep running OEM zvts, mate. Please change it asap, irrespective of thread.

Rubber should have become more hard, which as rjstyles69 , suggested, will reduce grip, sidewall flex(comfort), increase road noise et al. Moreover, at high speeds, there is rick of rupture, which is too much to take.

[GTO]

Your tyres have already worn out; don't push your luck. At 51,000 kms, the rubber has gotten too hard. Neither is the tyre grippy, nor will your ride quality be any good.

Quoting a post of mine from another thread:

Originally Posted by GTO

Any tyre with 40,000 kms on it is running beyond the optimal performance envelope. The rubber would have gotten too hard (stiffer ride comfort) and the grippier part of the tyre would have completely worn off (poor grip levels). I generally change tyres anywhere between 35,000 - 40,000 kms.

NOTE : Some performance tyres wear out earlier, especially the lousy Goodyear Eagle F1s (Mine were gone in the high 20's).

[VCheng]

I would concur with previous posts: If you can afford to, change the tires as a full set. ALL the systems of the car work through the four small contact patches of rubeer with the road.

[Habanero City]

Originally Posted by supertinu

My driving is mainly in city plus occasional long wkend trips on highway when I would typically drive in the range of 100-130 kmph.

supertinu,
As pointed out by others regardless of the wear, the characteristics and strength of the rubber deteriorates with time and 7 years is quite a long time.
In my experience the OE tires weakened in 5 years and 30k KM.
Keep a close watch on the tire profile and shape along with the pressure and any first sign of deformation/bulging is death knell for the tires.
I would strongly suggest you to replace the tires as you also use the car at high speeds in the highway.

Originally Posted by MAS

Well.. I had the same question in mind. I have a 2004 Corolla clocked 32K kms. I am still running it on the original Bridgestone RE88. They still have enough thread on them to last 20K kms (as mentioned by XL tyre point personnel).

My question is that eventhough there is life in the tyre, should I change it just because it is 7 years old?

Sorry Supertinu for posting this question in your thread.

MAS,
You too need to consider changing the tires considering its age regardless of the tread wear.
If you expect reliability from your car one of the basic thing to take care is the tire especially for the highway trips.

HC

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by supertinu

Hey folks, what is the right time to switch to a new set of tyres. I tried searching on the forum but didnt get a specific discussion around this one. I have a 2004 Ikon which has done 51K kms and the stock OEM MRF ZVTS tyres have worn out, though still got some tread on them and probably may last another 5K km or more. Should I continue using them or swap them immediately. My driving is mainly in city plus occasional long wkend trips on highway when I would typically drive in the range of 100-130 kmph.

The tyres of your Ikon have lived their life, but of course not so merrily under our road conditions.Like all tyres plying on Indian roads, it was a life of struggle!
The right time to replace tyres as fellow members have pointed out is when the automobile has either:-
(1) Clocked the requisite number of kms.For different cars thats a different figure. Like older Scorpios were prone to greater and quicker tyre wear.
OR
(2) The tyre structure is found defective due to bad usage (either the roads or the maintenance i.e. lack of regular air checks).Radials if used on extremely bad roads develop damage/s on the side walls.
OR
(3) The car has not run much but the tyre is older than six to seven years, which is enough under our tropical climate to overwhelm the well being of tyres.
OR
(4) When the tread is 1mm or less thick. Wet roads create havoc for car stability with bald or low on tread tyres.Aqua planning cannot take place with such tyres that creates a havoc with the car's dynamics.
When the Mumbai -Pune Expressway was first opened, motorists got the freedom they had desired all their life and this showed amply, when they were found revving beyond limits to reach 100kmph plus speeds.Many of the cars did not have their air pressures checked.If this is so, the air placed in the gap between the tyre and the tube expands at high speeds, gets heated up unbearably (I am not speaking about tubeless tyres that were rare till a decade back)and with weak tyres, tyre bursts were many. Many fatal accidents had taken place.
A Marathi film actress and her family members died when their Premier 118NE crashed due to a high speed tyre burst.

[Gansan]

The TWI on the tyre is a good reference point. I intend to stick to that for my car tyres. For my bikes I change tyres when ~ 20% of the tread is still visible.

My BIL has a 2004 Alto that has done 25000 KM. It still has the original ZVTS with good tread levels. He has given a free hand to our MASS (MSM) to change the tyres - they stock Bridgestones. But they inspect the tyres during every service and say they are good enough. The SA told "Sir,don't worry about the age of the tyre. We find the tyres to be good upon close inspection,with good treads. The moment we observe signs of cracks/cuts, we will inform you and you can switch to tubeless Bridgestones". Difficult to believe, but there are honest SAs!

Hope this helps.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by Gansan

The moment we observe signs of cracks/cuts, we will inform you and you can switch to tubeless Bridgestones".

It already quite late by the time cracks appear.

Difficult to believe, but there are honest SAs!

Hope this helps.

Maybe ignorant rather than honest.


The rubber in a tire has a very fixed usable life. 7 years on the road is the maximum by which time it has gone quite hard and the grip is considerably reduced. It may still function decently for city traffic conditions. But do you never venture on a highway. When you do are you faster than 80kmph. Now add rain or water on the road.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by bblost

It already quite late by the time cracks appear.

Hmm! May be, may be not! I remember posting this query to Nikhil in some thread, and he also said something along the lines of the SA. I will search and post a link.

But neither me nor my BIL drive faster than 80 - 85 KMPH any way, our comfort zone!

[bblost]

Originally Posted by bblost

But do you never venture on a highway. When you do are you faster than 80kmph. Now add rain or water on the road.

Originally Posted by Gansan

But neither me nor my BIL drive faster than 80 - 85 KMPH any way, our comfort zone!

Ok, so add a buffalo, a tractor coming on the wrong side and a large poster with Katrina Kaif that has just distracted you for a minute. Use your imagination.

Do you want to add suspect tires to the above? The choice is yours.