Sidewall cracking, how urgent is it?

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My Escape has 2 different sets of Cooper Discoverer H/T tires on it. It has 2 on the rear that are about 4.5 years old and 40k+ miles on them. Still lots of tread (~8/32") left on them. The two on the front are about 2 years old and only 20k miles on them (they have always been on front tires and rotated side to side every 5k miles).

The rear tires have developed some sidewall cracking (large sidewalls due to 225/75/15 size) about 1" off the wheel. Similar to the location shown here

tires-sidewall-cracks-2-300x200.jpg


It is very small cracking like this other than where mine is cracked is only about 1/2" wide all the way around the outside of the tire.

Tires007_s.jpg


I'm not sure why this has developed. It might be due to the fact these two tires have been on the rear exclusively since the new tires were installed on the front. I think maybe there hasn't been enough weight on these tires to flex the sidewalls enough and keep the anti-cracking compounds in the rubber active. Other than that, I have no idea. It is kept in a garage at home when not at work.

So back to the original question, are these urgent type issues or can I safely wait a year or so before getting new tires?

Thanks.
 
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I wouldn't worry about the second picture. The top picture would concern me and I'd consider near immediate replacement within reason of schedule and convenience (as in I wouldn't take the day off work for it but I'd probably get tires that weekend). I'd just keep an eye on it for now and keep a close eye on inflation pressure.
 
Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
I wouldn't worry about the second picture. The top picture would concern me and I'd consider near immediate replacement within reason of schedule and convenience (as in I wouldn't take the day off work for it but I'd probably get tires that weekend). I'd just keep an eye on it for now and keep a close eye on inflation pressure.


Second this.

The top photo is of a tire that is dangerous.

Don't carry any heavy loads and maybe even drive with both hands
grin.gif


That is surprising to see on a tire of that age. Are the ages you listed based on purchase date or date stamp on the tire sidewall?

andyd nailed it--chronic underinflation.
 
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ok, let me clear up some confusion about the pics. I dont have pics of my tires.

1) Pic number 1 is ONLY to show approximate location on sidewall with respect to the wheel. The cracking is about 1" off the wheel like the picture. The cracking does not look like this picture.

2) The cracking that my tire does have is very small like the 2nd picture and is in a 1/2" wide band all the way around.

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Curious about your rotation schedule. escape is fwd right?


Tires have been rotated side to side every 5k. Normal rotation patterns will resume when front tires are wore down to the same level as rear tires. Right now, the front tires still have about 2/32" more tread than the back.
 
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We have an escape at work and fleet replaced the OEM michelin tires for looking like the #2 picture.

I would replace them if they look like the #1 picture, but the #2 picture maybe wait a little longer.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
ok, let me clear up some confusion about the pics. I dont have pics of my tires.

1) Pic number 1 is ONLY to show approximate location on sidewall with respect to the wheel. The cracking is about 1" off the wheel like the picture. The cracking does not look like this picture.



Oh...now you have spoiled it...this thread was alot more fun when we thought the top photo was of your actual tires.
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
I wouldn't worry about the second picture. The top picture would concern me and I'd consider near immediate replacement within reason of schedule and convenience (as in I wouldn't take the day off work for it but I'd probably get tires that weekend). I'd just keep an eye on it for now and keep a close eye on inflation pressure.


I might even stop on the way home ...
 
It could go several years like that or it could blow out the next day. I've seen one guy in town that leans big pieces of cardboard up against his tires to block the sun when his truck is parked at home.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
It could go several years like that or it could blow out the next day.


Sure, but the probability of the latter option is quite a lot less.

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

I've seen one guy in town that leans big pieces of cardboard up against his tires to block the sun when his truck is parked at home.


Quite popular here, though that might be partly to stop dogs [censored] on them.

OP, if you wan't "how urgent" answers, you really have to post pictures of the tyres in question, (and even then it'll be arguable).

The technology is cheap, and its probably less trouble than searching for roughly comparable pictures.
 
Originally Posted By: Ducked


OP, if you wan't "how urgent" answers, you really have to post pictures of the tyres in question, (and even then it'll be arguable).


I tried. I don't have a camera or camera phone that can properly focus close enough to get clear shots of the cracks. They are tiny.
 
Do you have a "macro" setting on your camera? Sometimes that does the trick. Alternatively: take the pic, but from a distance. Use a high resolution. Then on your PC, open the pic, zoom in, and use the Windows snipping tool to grab what you want to show.
 
After seeing a UPS truck with michelins that were not only very checked but also had large chunks missing from smacking curbs i dont worry about it as much. I could see belts coming out of the holes in the sidewall and it was still being used. The exposed belts had rusted too. Tire was still about 7 or 8 32nds as near as i could tell from the next lane.

Definitly keep an eye on it but it should be ok.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
Originally Posted By: Ducked


OP, if you wan't "how urgent" answers, you really have to post pictures of the tyres in question, (and even then it'll be arguable).


I tried. I don't have a camera or camera phone that can properly focus close enough to get clear shots of the cracks. They are tiny.


If they're too small to photograph, they're too small to worry about. (IMO, naturally.)
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I think i'll start the savings fund now for some Kumho Solus TA11 replacements so that I can get them done maybe next summer or the fall of 2018.

I just get paranoid about tires because they tend to fail catastrophically instead of gradually like most car parts.
 
I got a new phone and now I have pics. Seems like the cracks are spreading. I think this is getting to the point I should no longer wait.

any thoughts?



 
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