TireVan Blog

At TireVan, we are often asked about how a consumer can tell the exact age of a tire. Well, believe it or not, the answer to this question is written on the tire itself. Just like Budweiser, each tire comes with its “Born-on” date or DOT number (commonly used term in the automotive industry) stamped on the sidewall.

It’s All In The “TIN”

Like most products, tires have serial numbers which are also known as Tire Identification Numbers (TIN). Unlike the serial number for a car or an MP3 player which are individually unique, the TIN comprises of codes that identify the batch of your tires. The TIN begins with the letters – DOT (Department of Transportation) and are then followed by ten to twelve letters and/or numbers. These numbers identify the manufacturer, the location where the tire was manufactured, the tire size, and the week and year the tire was manufactured. Over time subtle changes have been made to these codes so here are some specific tips on how to decipher the age of a tire.

For Tires Manufactured After 2000

For tires made after 2000, the last four digits of the TIN are  the most important. Of the four digits, the first two digits identify the week the tire was made and the last two digits determine the year. For instance, if your TIN was “DOT U2LL LMLR3609,” that would mean the tire was manufactured during the 36^th week of 2009.

For Tires Manufactured Before 2000

For tires produced prior to 2000, a similar concept applies but only the week of the year is  stamped on the sidewall. To find out when the tire was manufactured, you would have to look at the last three digits. The first two digits represent the week of that year and the third number represents the year of the decade in which the tire was created. This can be a bit problematic because in most cases there is no way to determine the decade of production. In some cases, tires produced in the 1990’s may have a small triangle after the TIN.

Average life of a tire – When should they be replaced?

The life of a tire depends on various factors including exposure to sunlight, local climate, frequency of use and quality of care.  Since these conditions and factors can vary significantly from location to location and driver to driver, there is no hard and fast rule on how long a tire should last a user or when they should be replaced. Having said that, studies conducted by Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA) & British Rubber Manufacturer Association (BRMA) suggest that tires should be carefully evaluated after five years of usage and tires more than 10 years old should be replaced as a safety precaution. An NHTSA study concluded that thermo-oxidative degradation (aging) in tires caused reduction in adhesion, increased hardness of most rubber compounds, decreased strength in steel belts and increased rate of cracking. Therefore, it is TireVan’s recommendation that tire buyers carefully look at a tire’s age before having it installed on their vehicle. If the tire you want is more than two years old then request a more recently manufactured tire. This will allow you to enjoy the maximum life of a tire. Also, in the interest of safety, it is recommended that you should consider replacing a tire that has been in service for 6 years or more.

We hope this article has been helpful and has increased your knowledge of proper car and tire care. Please remember to click “+1” if you found this information to be useful.

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Tire Codes On The Sidewall – What Do The Numbers Mean and How to Read Them?

Tire Tread Patterns – Symmetrical, Asymmetrical and Directional

At TireVan, we often get asked, “Can I buy two tires instead of four and if I only buy two will they go in the front or the back?

In this video, as part of TireVan’s Educational Series, we explain why new tires should be purchased in pairs and why they should always be installed on the rear axle.

Watch the other videos in our educational series to learn more about tire maintenance.
Visit TireVan at http://www.tirevan.com

At TireVan, we often get asked how important accurate tire pressure is for a vehicle and how to find the recommended tire pressure?

Tire pressure is one of the most important factors to ensure the longest life out of your tires, as well as maximum gas mileage and optimal vehicle performance.  Let’s take a moment to understand how each of these factors affects tire pressure and how to find the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle.

Tread Life

Tires are expensive, and most of us would like to find ways to maximize the value of our investment. Unfortunately, inaccurate tire pressure can significantly reduce a tire’s life. Under-inflation and over-inflation each lead to a tire’s deformation and inconsistent performance.

Under-inflation causes the vehicle’s weight to be unevenly distributed on the sidewall and leads to excessive shoulder wear. It also causes heat to build up rapidly in tires, which can lead to quicker breakdown of rubber and eventual tire failure. On the other hand, over-inflation causes the weight of the vehicle to be unevenly distributed towards the center of the tire and can lead to the center of the tire wearing out quicker than the rest of the tire. Over-inflation also reduces your tire’s “footprint,” which can lead to less than optimal traction.

Gas Mileage

One of the primary concerns on a driver’s mind today is the cost of gas. As you may already know, change in tire pressure can measurably impact gas mileage. Under-inflated tires create higher-than-average drag on a vehicle, which leads the engine working harder and an increase in the rolling resistance of the tire. The outcome of this scenario is a lower than usual MPG (miles per gallon) average, which means a higher than usual expense.  Therefore, keeping your tires properly inflated can help keep your fuel expense in check.

Ride Quality

Ride quality can also be affected by inflation.  Under-inflation can cause the vehicle to feel like its riding on gelatin.  The tire is unable to maintain its shape, and this situation can also lead to less than optimal steering precision and cornering ability. Over-inflation can lead to a “stiff” ride, because tires are unable to tackle road irregularities effectively. However, over-inflation can improve cornering and steering up to a point, which is why some automotive enthusiasts who race on tracks tend to operate their vehicles at a higher-than-recommended inflation level.

Another question we are commonly asked at TireVan is, “How do I find the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure for my car?”

Some people mistakenly believe that the tire pressure information stamped on the sidewall of a tire is the manufacturer-recommended tire pressure for that tire. In reality, that is the “Max Pressure” that you can safely put in the tire.  It’s important to understand that the maximum pressure does not mean that you should operate your tire at this pressure or that it’s even safe to do so for your vehicle.

Another misconception in the marketplace is the belief that inflating your tires to their maximum pressure will allow you to carry more weight in your vehicle.  This is also NOT true! More often than not, your vehicle’s maximum load carrying capability is actually based on the strength of its chassis and/or suspension rather than the tires.