Question - can old tires that we have lying around be dated in any way - I do know that they have numbers on them, the companies used these to determine dates I think, but has anyone ever seen any of this infor?? I have a full set of old Wards Riversides, that I wish I could determine how old they are. I was using them until recently, the tread was great, but they were dry rotted, inside the rim liner was red. The tube was a black all american brand, and had been patched. I just wondered as I demounted this thing today, how old it really was. Im 56, I bet it is older than me.
DETERMINING TIRE DATE CODES
How old are the tires on your vehicle? The date of manufacture is indicated by the last group of digits in the DOT manufacture code on the sidewall of the tire. The number is often stamped in a recessed rectangle. The DOT code tells who manufactured the tire, where it was made and when. The last group of digits in the code is the date code that tells when the tire was made.
Before 2000, the date code had three digits. Since 2000, it has had four. The first two digits are the week of the year (01 = the first week of January). The third digit (for tires made before 2000) is the year (1 = 1991). For most tires made after 2000, the third and fourth digits are the year (04 = 2004).
In the photo above, the date code is 8PY0806. The 8PY is a manufacturing shift code, and the date the tire was actually made was 0806, which is the 8th week (08) in the year 2006 (06).
The two front tires on my old 8N tractor(1952) were made in 1954. They are still in pretty good shape.
Yep, TIES can be studied and dated. They seem to come into and out of style, just like tires. Wide ties used to be the norm. Then, they shrunk to 2" in width. Now, they're back to almost the width they were at their widest point. Let's not forget about the color and pattern changes that they have gone through over the years. Meanwhile, wide whitewalls were popular at one time. Then they shrunk to about 1" in width. Then they went to only about 1/4" in width. During the seventies, RED line tires were popular. Now, most buyers have nexed color on the tires and blackwalls seem to be the most popular.
Thanks fellows! (yes I left out the R in tires) I have to code on the TIRE, so I just need to de-cypher - it is 0298xto67 - so that is 1967??? they are wards, so Was Wards actually making them or is it someone else for Wards?
Terry - I got two for the price of one this way - lesson on TIES, and a lesson on TIRES!
Jack - that is cool! Im sure there are many old tractors that way! those tires are older than me by one year! I was hoping these Wards were older. They are good tires, but once I ever get a flat, when I dismount them they are so hard that the clincher bead gets pretty ratty. I hate that, I dont like to discard anything.
DOT tire markings began in 1968 I think.
The real problem was that, with just one digit for the year, there was no was to tell if the tire was made in 1968, 1978, 1988 or 1998. Normally, the tires in daily use would not last over 10 years.
John, I'm glad you took my post humorously. I didn't mean to be a smart @$$. I forgot to mention though, that it is strange that cars started out with large diameter wheels and tires (Ford 30x3 and 30x3 1/2). Then, over the years, shrunk down to 13" (some foreign, maybe even 12"). Now, they're back up to 22" and maybe even larger.
I don't think the tires I just bought last month for the T had DOT markings, but I could be wrong.
Perhaps tires made out of the USA may not have DOT markings on them??
I don't think they can sell tires in the U.S. without the date markings.
I just bought an old low mileage car with tires dated with 3 numbers.
I was not sure if they were made in '88 or '98 since the car is an '84.
I found the warrantee papers on them in the car. They were installed in '98.
Since they were on the car 14 years and I almost hit two cars because of sliding on dry concrete I got rid of them. They were almost like new Michelins.
Never trust a tire over 5 or 6 years old at high speed. especially the ones made in the last 15 or 20 years.
Just Got my NOS Lester 30 x 3 tires and they are marked made in India and stamped CE528510.
Anyone know when these were made?
Thanks,
Howard Dennis
I missed a letter It reads FCE528510
Howard Dennis
I just got off the phone with Universal Tire and they said the tires are at least 25 years old.
Howard Dennis