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Tires themselves are a bit of an environmental eyesore, even though science is continually searching for alternatives to the rubber tree production process. While they can be recycled and reused, there is question as to the carcinogenic nature of some of the products they can be reused as, such as playground and garden mulch.
With so many question as to the safety of reusing tires, I'd say one of the greenest things you can do beyond maintaining, reusing, and recycling, is to get the most out of each tire before replacing it. This means not only taking proper care of them, but leaving them on a vehicle as long as it can be safe to do so. Here are a few quick guidelines for knowing when you should replace your tires and how you can help extend their useful life.
Tire Replacement Guidelines
Penny Test
One of the most common tests to tell if your tread is no longer providing your vehicle with enough safety is to take the penny test. Take a U.S. penny and place the top of President Lincoln's head between a section of tread on your tire. If your tread covers over the tip of his head, your tires are still good. If it does not, your tire has used up its useful life.
This test should be conducted every 12 inches or so around the tire, making sure to test the outside, middle, and inner portion of the tread. Sometimes an alignment problem on a vehicle can cause tires to wear unevenly, so it is important to identify if certain areas are wearing faster than others. Uneven tire wear can cause a tire to need replacement long before it would normally.
Cracks and Bubbles
A sign that a tire may be destined for failure is deep cracks and/or bubbles on the tread or the sidewall. There are several layers that go into a tire, so minor cracking may not always be a serious condition, although any amount of deterioration should be cause for concern.
Tire Expiration
Many people don't know this, but tires have somewhat of an expiration date. Just what exactly the expiration date should be remains a bit of an argument. The U.S. tire companies state 10 years is a reasonable useful lifespan for a tire, while other countries claim 6 years is more appropriate.
The problem here is not so much that people use their tires for over 10 years, but rather they purchase tires that are several years old to begin with. The date of manufacture of most any tire is indicated by the last group of digits in the DOT manufacture code on the sidewall of the tire. These are normally stamped within a recessed oval on the sidewall. What you should be most concerned with is the last portion of this code, which offers the date of manufacture.
Deciphering Tire Code
Tire manufacturers are not yet required by law to exhibit clearly when a tire was manufactured. In order to gain this information, you are going to need to know how to break their code. For instance, if your tire code says 6DY608, you should focus on the last number digits, which can be read as the 6 (sixth week) of the year 2008. Or, in other words, February 14th, 2008.
If a tire code reads 9PY161, the fact that the last two digits do not start with a zero (such as in 08), tells you that this tire was manufactured before the year 2000. In this case the "1" indicates 1991 and The "16" portion of the code indicates 16 weeks within that year. So, 9PY161, tells you a tire was manufactured on the sixteenth week of 1991, or in other words, March 14th, 1991.
Spare Tire
Just as your regular tires have a limited number of years they can be used, spare tires are no different. Most people don't even think about their spare tire until they experience a flat, but these should be monitored just the same as any other tire on their vehicle and checked for pressure, cracks, bubbles, and replaced as necessary.
Extend Your Tires Lifespan
Tire Storage
The storage of your tires is also important to their ultimate longevity, such as when switching between summer and winter variations. The tire manufacturer Yokohama recommends storing tires in a clean, cool, dark, and ventilated area. They should be placed upright (not laying down) and deflated to about 50 percent of their recommended tire pressure for your vehicle.
Climate Extremes
It is important to note that local climate plays a vital role in your tires longevity. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests that a tire may age must faster when exposed to high ambient temperatures and extreme climates.
This aging process can further be accelerated when tires are exposed to either direct sunlight and/or ozone. Keeping your tires protected from the elements, such as in a covered parking lot or sealed garage, will greatly help extend their useful life.
Knowing when to replace your tires will help you save money, save yourself (and others), and save the environment just by ensuring you're getting the maximum amount of usage out of each tire.
More on tires:
DIY Ice Tires for your Bicycle
G Word Episode: Todd Tires of Recycling
Recycled Rubber from Tires, Ready-to-Assemble Bags by Modulab
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