How to Determine the Age of Your Tires
The Date Code is the last 4 digits of the DOT code.
2307 means this tire was made in the twenty third week of 2007.
Ageing, Weathering & Ozone Damage
- Inspect your tires before each trip, look for signs of aging, weathering or ozone damage.
- As a minimum perform an annual inspection, or at any time after you have driven in rough, rocky terrain.
- This kind of damage shows up as various sized cracks in the sidewalls.
- If the cracks are less than 1/32” deep, the tires are ok to use. Anything larger should be inspected by a dealer.
- If cracks are over 2/32” (1/16”) the tires should be replaced.
Tire Wear Patterns
- Rub your hands across the tread and feel for any feathered wear from “Toe” alignment problems:
- Outside edge wear means too much Toe IN
- Inside edge wear means too much Toe OUT
- Tire wear on the inside or outside of the tire could also indicate improper camber.
- Proper wheel alignment is essential to maintaining even tread-wear.
- Normal wear of moving parts in a suspension system can result in misalignment which can cause scuffing and rapid, uneven wear in your tires.
Proper Blocking of Your Tires
If you need to “block” tires to level the vehicle, be sure that the block is larger than the “footprint” of the tire. No part of the tire should ever “hang over” the edge of the block. This can cause internal damage to the tire.