Purchasing New Tires - 4 Plus the Spare?

RVFun4Us

Well-known member
Will be replacing my Big Horn tires this spring. Think I know the answer to this question but here goes anyways: When replacing the four tires on the rig due to age, should you also replace the spare tire even though it has never been used? My guess is yes based on age (all were manufactured in Nov 2015). What say you?
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I would. Did it when I replaced the OEM’s on ours and did all 7 when replacing the tires on the truck (they get rotated regularly).


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TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
We did all 5, ours had a 2015 date code. Have not got them on the rig yet due to some health setbacks, but I’m considering offering the unused spare to my coworker for a tire swing.


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centerline

Well-known member
my opinion here based on actual tire knowledge, and NOT biased by profits....

replacing perfectly good tires simply because of the expiration date is a personal preference...
prior to the year 2000, tires had a 10year expiration date, but tire technology hasnt gotten worse since 2000, so why did they change the expiration it to 6 years?.... the answer is mostly for marketing purposes, shortening their liability time, and using "safety" as their excuse for changing it....

the statement that the tires need to be replaced after the expiration date is a "blanket coverage" statement that is taught, because the manufactures and OEM dont know how the tires have been used or where, or how much, so rather than detail it out year by year and all the various ways the tire may have been used or will be used, and what to look for, they just put a 6 year expiration date on them....

tire expiration dates are no different than the expiration dates on other products that we consume (and eat)... just because the expiration date has arrived, doesnt mean it has to be discarded, but it means the product is "best used" before this date.


a tire that has never been on the ground and never seen direct sunlight has very little degradation in 10 years.... the effects of increased ozone can cause the rubber to dry out, just like the uv rays do, but the uv also causes some erosion of the rubber... but usually, if the tire doesnt have "age" check marks in it, its most likely safe to run...

as the check marks begin in the rubber, it allows more of the rubber to be exposed to the elements, and sometimes even allowing the elements to get into the belts, which is bad for the tire....

im NOT suggesting that you use a tire that is past the date anymore than I would suggest to you what brand/model of tire you should replace it with, but I am telling you its a personal preference... and that I dont replace tires until I see they are checked, road damaged, or worn down close to the wear bars, and Ive never had any issues.... even after ten years, and I own 5 trailers (different types for different purposes) that some of them have 15year old tires on them, and still going strong....

I do agree that tires can NOT go forever just because they have good tread and have no check marks in them, but I am saying that 6 years is an unreasonably short life expectancy for tires...

and you can bet that when the tire store removes a perfectly good tire, it wont be discarded just because the date is expired, but they will sell it as a good used tire to someone else... and if its good enough for someone else to run, its good enough for me, which over time saves me lots of money..... BUT, I wont buy a used tire because I dont know how its been taken care of or how long it sat in storage since it was taken off, or where it was stored.

I do believe in safety, which is why I check my tires often, but for those who could care less about getting longevity from the tire, or the acute safety issues of them, they should just pay the money for new tires and be done with it... but installing "new tires" STILL doesnt insure that one of the new tires wont develop an issue, either because it has a hidden fault or from a road hazard, before the expiration date ever arrives.... in which case you would have to install your "expired" spare tire so you could continue on your journey.

the tire vinyl covers that some people use to cover their tires with when set up for longer periods arent just for looks, but they do help preserve the tire from UV degradation and slows down the inherent checking that is caused by exposure...

think of the expiration date on the tire as a "recommendation", and not a hard fast rule, and then do what you think works best for your time and budget...
 

danemayer

Well-known member
If a set of 4 tires cost you $1,000 and you keep them for 4 years, the cost of ownership is $250/year. If you keep them 8 years, it's $125/year. So if you replace them at 4 years, you've given up the potential of saving $500 ($125*4) over that additional 4 year period. And of course that assumes you keep the RV that long anyway.

Now, if one of your tires fails at 4 1/2 years with a blowout, you'll spend at least $250 on a replacement tire, and maybe more for someone to come to you if you're traveling. You'll have hundreds in repair costs for body damage and maybe more. If you have full body paint, it'll be a couple of thousand. And worst of all, you'll experience the stress and anxiety of being stranded on the roadside, perhaps on a highway where it's not too safe to be changing a tire. Then there's the stress of getting repairs done. Oh, if you have a Bal carrier holding your spare, good luck. And hope that spare is inflated properly.

Will one of your tires fail between 4 and 8 years? I have no idea what the failure rates might be. The odds are probably in your favor. But I know that a number of us had Goodyear G614 tires fail just after 4 years, including me. I replaced them with GY G114 tires and ran those for 5.5 years. Then replaced them before making a 3,000 mile trip. They still looked new and were probably good for some years yet. But on the other hand, I've had the experience of getting body work and paint done. I prefer to not do that again. And I don't care for being stranded on the side of the highway with traffic going by at 60 mph. BTDT too.

So it is in fact a personal choice, based on what's important to each of us.
'
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
If a set of 4 tires cost you $1,000 and you keep them for 4 years, the cost of ownership is $250/year. If you keep them 8 years, it's $125/year. So if you replace them at 4 years, you've given up the potential of saving $500 ($125*4) over that additional 4 year period. And of course that assumes you keep the RV that long anyway.

Now, if one of your tires fails at 4 1/2 years with a blowout, you'll spend at least $250 on a replacement tire, and maybe more for someone to come to you if you're traveling. You'll have hundreds in repair costs for body damage and maybe more. If you have full body paint, it'll be a couple of thousand. And worst of all, you'll experience the stress and anxiety of being stranded on the roadside, perhaps on a highway where it's not too safe to be changing a tire. Then there's the stress of getting repairs done. Oh, if you have a Bal carrier holding your spare, good luck. And hope that spare is inflated properly.

Will one of your tires fail between 4 and 8 years? I have no idea what the failure rates might be. The odds are probably in your favor. But I know that a number of us had Goodyear G614 tires fail just after 4 years, including me. I replaced them with GY G114 tires and ran those for 5.5 years. Then replaced them before making a 3,000 mile trip. They still looked new and were probably good for some years yet. But on the other hand, I've had the experience of getting body work and paint done. I prefer to not do that again. And I don't care for being stranded on the side of the highway with traffic going by at 60 mph. BTDT too.

So it is in fact a personal choice, based on what's important to each of us.
'

I agree with Dan, the “cost” of a failure during a trip is far greater than buying that 5th tire, for me. Our 4 on the ground needed replacement because they are getting close to the wear mark and I am seeing some cracking.


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Flick

Well-known member
Will be replacing my Big Horn tires this spring. Think I know the answer to this question but here goes anyways: When replacing the four tires on the rig due to age, should you also replace the spare tire even though it has never been used? My guess is yes based on age (all were manufactured in Nov 2015). What say you?

I never replace the spare with a new tire of the same making as the ground tires. The spare is a spare and should be rock solid so it can get you home. Ask the car manufacturers what they think about a spare tire. Lol.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
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Always keep an eye on the spare... this one was only 2 years old by the date code. It had about 400 miles on it because it went on the rig about 300 miles into a 700 mile round trip.


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carl.swoyer

Well-known member
We did all 5, ours had a 2015 date code. Have not got them on the rig yet due to some health setbacks, but I’m considering offering the unused spare to my coworker for a tire swing.


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Well Tigger
I hope your health setback is something that will go away. I too am having some challenges.
Sorry for speaking outside of the post get well.

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driver311

Well-known member
i drive about 150000 per year . i wear out all 5 in about 85-90000 mi. so i buy 5 at a time. only use michelin
 

Mrsfish

Well-known member
We have a fellow Heartland friend who had a blowout of his spare WHILE IT WAS IN THE CARRIER!! Yes - replace the spare. We had another Heartland friend who replaced their blowout with the spare - drove 50 miles and had a blowout on the spare - this one cost them a couple thousand to have repairs done. Yes - replace the spare
 

centerline

Well-known member
09186c62ce8b05caa80fc1911199771b.jpg


Always keep an eye on the spare... this one was only 2 years old by the date code. It had about 400 miles on it because it went on the rig about 300 miles into a 700 mile round trip.


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more important than age in a tire, is the BRAND of tire.... cheap tires may not make the trip, let alone make it to the end of their stamped expiration date.... and a great quality tire, under normal conditions, will last well beyond its expiration date, as long as it doesnt get so many miles on it to wear out the tread first...
 
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