Cracks in tyre sidewalls

[Station]

Small cracks won't get worse, they just won't!

If you've got a deep cut maybe, but bulges in the side wall must be one of the main reasons for blow outs.

[Parky]

Those superficial cracks are usually an indication that the rubber is aging. They seem to occur much sooner than they used to, proof that modern tyre compounds are rubbish for longevity.

Ideally, you should get new tyres. I wouldn't, but I'm an idiot who's willing to risk his life for the sake of £80.

Agree with this comment about the compounds. Parky Snr has a Citroen Nemo and while checking his tyre pressures I noticed that the slightly raised Michelin lettering was actually lifting away from the sidewall. Closer inspection showed all four were starting to crack really badly. These tyres were about four and a half years old with plenty of tread of them (he doesn't do much mileage). Could it be the silica that new tyres seem to incorporate for lower rolling resistance?

[Parky]

With some Corvette owners originality is the holy grail and on the forum a couple years ago there was a mid-60's one the owner was crowing still had the original whitewall tyres. A total waste of a car, currently unusable.

And I bet his wife is still a virgin - after all originality is the holy grail, right?

[spike60]

I bought a car that all the 7 year old Kumho's were cracked on the ouside wall but fine on the inside ones, is sunlight a main factor in cracking? I recently bought a car with a 17 year old Michelin on the back starting to go the same way.

[plasticvandan]

my 88 Polo was parked in an open carport/garage type stylee, its been sat for 12 years. the passenger side tyres had cracked due to being on the side with the windows,the drivers side hadnt cracked.Those however had bulges,as i knew they were a min of 12 years old,i replaced all 4,thanks to a heads up on here about etyres,had 4 falkens fitted here at work for £157 inc balancing etc,which i thought pretty good.

[Christine]

I bought a car that all the 7 year old Kumho's were cracked on the ouside wall but fine on the inside ones, is sunlight a main factor in cracking? I recently bought a car with a 17 year old Michelin on the back starting to go the same way.

 

Nah, it's dog piss.

[Des]

It definitely seems that sidewall cracking is a big problem with modern tyres, every tyre of recent history be poo. Well that's pneumatics for you, Bit of cracking was considered a good thing when we were rolling solids, those ones would lay a far superior doughnut, but we all had to rush out and buy the latest thing.

[Jim Bell]

Nah. The most important thing on a car is the engine, which must have loads of POWAH.

And MPG's.

[Jikovron]

i tend to out of habit have a quick visual skim over the wheels etc and rectify as needed when ever i drive cars just because as the police would say with probable smugness that ignorance of the sidewall bulge or cracks/insecure bazzer/light out etc situation is no excuse and as such i wouldn't like to be in the 'shouldn't have been driving it in the first place' club should motoring go wrong and face a whole host of liability and pointing fingers.

[willswitchengage]

 

This happened to me on a French motorway. A bumping sound accompanied it for the previous few hundred miles, so I reckon the most serious blowouts can be identified beforehand. The tyres were the originals on a 1991 car.

[RichardMoss]

I don't piss about with tyres - whilst small sidewall cracks may be permissible for an MOT, they are NOT, in my opinion, acceptable for use.  I have had several tyres let go on me in recent (tyres that were on the cars when I bought them) and won't take chances with them.

[Taff]

the whitewalls on the Galaxie have a fair few cracks in them, but they have genuine 1959 air in them, so they are staying for now.