If the tires are in good condition, they will last for between 2-5 years. A 2-year-old tire that has not suffered any damage, patches or uneven wear and has approximately 8/32″ tread remaining may last 5 years. A 4-year-old tire may last for 2 more years if it has 5/32″ tread left and there are no significant cuts or plugs. A used tire’s lifespan is unpredictable so calculations should only be made. Many factors affect the tire’s condition.

What Influences How Long Used Tires Last?

These are the main factors that determine how long a tire lasts.

• Age
• Treadwear
• Repairs and damage
• Maintenance.

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Age

Tires older than 5 years must be thoroughly diagnosed each year, and replaced if there are deep cracks in the tread or sidewalls. If you are looking for a used one, it is best to choose a 2- or 3 year-old tire. Tires older than 10 years can be ruined because the rubber has lost its ability to hold together. The rubber begins to degrade the moment the tire leaves the plant.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration don’t provide an exact tire age. NHTSA published a document in 2014 to show that they are investigating the matter. While vehicle manufacturers recommend that tires be changed every six years, tire manufacturers like Michelin say that used tires can last for up to 10 years.

Determining Tire Age

The tire’s DOT code can be used to determine its age. The last four digits of the DOT code are the year and week the tire was made. If you see a tire code 4708 it will indicate that the tire was manufactured during the 47 ^th week in 2008. This tire is too old to be bought unless it’s in excellent condition and you don’t need it for more than one year.

Learn more about tire date codes in by reading this.

Treadwear

Tires used may have 10/32″ tread, which is greater than 90% of new tires. The legal treadwear limit for used tires is 2/32″, but it’s often considered too low. The braking distance and vehicle response will become worse at this point and tires could fail. For adequate service, aim for 7/32″ or greater. This post will provide more information about treading and other important things to know.

Pay attention to the Uniform Tire Quality Grades (UTQG), rating on the tire. Three aspects are important: treadwear, temperature, and traction. You should search for the word “treadwear” with a three-digit number. The larger the number, the more durable the tires are and the more rubbery they have. Treadwear 400, for example, will indicate that the treadwear 400 is worn every 1/32″. This means that it wears approximately every 8,000 to 10,000 miles. Hard rubber can be quite rough, while soft rubber is more comfortable and provides better control.

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Uneven Wear

Unusual wear may indicate a variety of neglected vehicle problems. There are many reasons why your wheels might be out of alignment, such as a misaligned tire or a faulty suspension. Tires that are worn unevenly will last less. Tire performance can be seriously affected if one tread part wears more than the legal limit. In addition, uneven wear can lead to vehicle vibration, suspension failure, or other dangerous issues.

How Long Winter Tire Tread Lasts

Winter tires should be worn out by 4/32.” Sipes are special, thin grooves that catch snow. These grooves will become less effective at catching snow and the tire will slide. As the vehicle gets older, it will become harder to brake and turn, and you will find it easier to lose control.

Winter tires will last less than winter tires, so be aware of this when you are shopping for tires.

Damage and Repairs

Cuts, holes from plugs and bulges are the most common damage that you should be aware of. Although plug holes are repairable, most other damages are not. Other serious issues are worth noting:

• Exposed cords.
  Steel cords can show up on the surface due to severe irregular wear. This is a serious problem that can lead to tread separation.
• Belt separation.
  Internal damage, such as belt separation, may be indicated by bulges or bumps in the sidewall. This happens when the vehicle is driving at high speeds over large potholes or curbs.
• Bead chunking.
  Tires that have large chunks of rubber missing around the bead are considered dangerous. As the damage grows, the bead could fall off the rim. Additionally, this tire will lose more air than other tires, which could lead to a blowout.
• Liner damage.
  Any damage to the liner could result in air loss, sidewall collapse, and other problems. The tire could just collapse and fail immediately. Rubber dust may also be found in the tire. This is because the sidewalls have been scrubbing off.

Used tires will last longer without repairs. It may still work well if the tire has only one puncture. However, it is important to remember that other damage is not usually repairable. Don’t buy a tire with a cut or crack sealed.

Why Tires Get Damaged

These are some of the causes for bulges, cracking, and other damage:

• Potholes, curbs and obstacles are all possible
• Driving over an object that isn’t a tire can cause a nail/screw to be driven in.
• Extreme temperatures are dangerous
• Excessive exposure of ozone, oil, and other harmful chemicals
• Rapid acceleration, hard cornering and braking
• Under-inflation, over-inflation
• Driving on a flat tire
• Basic tire maintenance is neglected
• Use of street tires off-road or winter tires in the summer is not a good idea. ).

Maintenance

It is crucial that you maintain your tires for a long time. The necessary steps are the same.

• Tire balance
• Tire rotation
• Alignment of wheels

Tire Balance

Tires often have rigid spots around their circumference. You can balance these spots by placing small weights on the opposite side. This can be done at home, or you can take it to a mechanic who will balance the tire using a computer.

This is an essential part of tire maintenance as vibrations can cause at 45 mph or more. This vibration can lead to patch-wear or cupping, which is an irregular wear pattern that looks almost like rubber scoops were removed from the tire’s shoulder. Don’t buy a tire with such wear. It will take a while for the tire’s pattern to wear out, but it could be too late. This tire can also produce noise and vibration.

Balanced tires will last longer than new tires. If you purchase a tire, ensure that you have it balanced before you mount it. Learn more about tire balance and how it is done .

Tire Rotation

Rotating tires is important as it helps prevent uneven wear and prolongs the life of your tires. Due to more weight in the engine and transmission, the weight distribution of the four main tires doesn’t match. Because of this, one tire/pair of wheels is heavier than the other, which causes uneven wear. Tire rotation helps to even out the wear because tires with more mass wear quicker.

Wheel alignment

Each wheel is aligned perpendicularly to the road and parallel to its counterparts. This process is often confused with tire balancing . However, they are entirely different. Camber, caster and toe are the three angles of wheel alignment. Zero camber is when the wheel is perpendicular with the ground. Zero caster is when the steering axis crosses the ground perpendicularly. Zero toe is when the wheels are parallel to one another.

Tires that are not set correctly can cause uneven wear, leading to the above-mentioned issues. Wheel misalignment can lead to suspension failure and premature wear.

NOTE : All these procedures are covered in the NHTSA special education campaign tireWise. You can learn what is important for your tires on the Maintenance page. You can also use the same rules for used tires.

How Long Used Tires Last if Unused

The life expectancy of used tires stored in storage is the same as the tires that you have on your vehicle. It can last up to 10 years from the date they were made. The process of oxidation occurs regardless of how often the tire is used. Rubber does not age independently of its use.

Two factors influence the tire’s life expectancy in this instance:

• Environment conditions
  Rubber will age and become dry from heat, oxygen, ultraviolet light, ozone and ultraviolet light. These factors will accelerate tire wear.
• Conditions for storage
  Tire condition is affected by temperature, light levels, humidity, and deformation. Storage also includes exposure to environmental conditions. The faster a tire ages, the hotter and heavier it is. The faster damage occurs, the more deformation there will be (if tires are in a heap or hang without wheels),

Sometimes, used tires can last longer than new ones when they are actually mounted on a vehicle. The oils inside a tire spin and move, lubricating it from the inside. This prevents the tire from drying out prematurely, which makes it last a little longer. You can also choose tires from other brands such as Hercules and not worry about their service life. This article will provide more information about tire storage.

How to Make Used Tires Last Longer

You can prolong the life of your tires by doing certain things. These are:

• Check air pressure regularly.
  Some recommend checking your tire pressure once every 3,000 miles. Others insist that it be done weekly. It all depends on where you drive and what symptoms your tires are showing. If you notice that a tire loses its air slowly but is losing it faster than others, then check the pressure more often.
  Proper inflation can improve your fuel economy by as much as 3%. The Tire Pressure Monitoring system makes it easy to check the inflation rate. This is required for all vehicles made after 2007.

• Rotate your tires.
  Rotating your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles will prolong the life of your tires. You should also inspect the tires carefully while they are being rotated. You need to select the correct rotation pattern depending on the size and direction of the tires.
• Balance your tires.
  The tread wear rate will determine how often the tires need to be balanced. As the tires wear, the weight distribution around them changes. This requires a new balance. To avoid vibrations and other issues, it’s essential to maintain balance.
• Avoid exposing your tires to UV and/or ozone too often
  To make your tires last longer, some exposure is normal. However, you need to control the temperature in your garage. To prolong the life of your tires, store them in special tire bags. If you are not home, park your car in the shade.
• Wash your tires.
  To get the best results, follow specific rules and techniques for tire cleaning. It is easiest to clean your tires by changing the water each time you wash one or rinse another tire. You can also dry clean your tires before you apply water. Remember that some cleaners can promote tire drying so be sure to choose the right cleaners.

Buying Used Tires: Yes or No?

If you inspect your tires for damage or uneven treadwear before purchasing, used tires can last as long as new tires. You can also save money by buying a set for $200, which is typically $1000. You will also be helping the environment as millions of tires are thrown away each year. You can find more information about the benefits of purchasing used tires .

Keep in mind that used tires are not covered by a warranty so you can’t be certain what you’re buying. Sellers may lie about how the tires were maintained and the extent of any damage. You may not be able to see the tire code, so it is possible that it has been wiped off. Any suspicious sign could indicate a problem with the tire that you’re about to purchase, so be careful. Learn more about the disadvantages of purchasing used tires .

The used tire market, despite all its pros and cons is still flourishing. Each year, about 30 million tires are sold. This is just 10% of the entire tire market.