Morris Minor Owners Club

This tyre business, how critical is the so called expiry date ? It has occurred to me that I put 4 new radials on after completing my restoration, many years ago, the treads are fine.

If a tyre reaches ten years old then it should be replaced. If an expiry date is quoted (I have seen only date of manufacture) then it should be observed. Materials do deteriorate over time.

Thanks, I wonder if an MOT would pick up on a ten year old tyre.

They didn't when I had my MOT last year (Jan 2024), they were just on 10 years old then. I replaced them all in Aug despite all having >3mm tread depth.

The new set of 165s cost me £260. Remember your excess in the event of an accident is likely to be at least £100.

I don't think you compromise on tyres and brakes.

Rather disappointing having to replace tyres that look virtually new. Another thought, how old are ‘new’ tyres. I’d have thought there would be some giveaway signs of dangerous tyres.

It's not just tread depth. Rubber perishes and cracks. Once you start seeing small cracks that's a sign of perishing. Also the steel braid inside can corrode, and you won't see that until the tyre starts bulging.

I thought the ten year rule is a recommendation not legal requirement or an mot requirement.

The tyre could be newer but poorly maintained, run under pressure, parked for long period with weight on, poorly repaired etc etc

Agreed, if they look a bit dodgy, of course replace them.

I wonder how old the casings were in the days of when we could only afford remolds
On trucks when the tread wore down, you re-cut the tread, oh the smell of burning rubber and throwing the rubber worms at your mates

The concern pertains mainly with passenger car radial tyres because the side walls are very thin with minimal reinforcing where a crack can suddenly be a rapid loss of air. Bias plys and truck tyres have much stronger side walls.

Bill_qaz wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 9:50 am I wonder how old the casings were in the days of when we could only afford remolds
On trucks when the tread wore down, you re-cut the tread, oh the smell of burning rubber and throwing the rubber worms at your mates

Remould or Retread tyres are still available in certain sectors, especially aviation. So when your 150 tons of holiday flight is landing, it's probably doing so on 8 tyres, that may be on their 7th or more retread...

This is of course a full remoulding on the carcass, not some guy with a hot wire just cutting new groves in it.

Neither is that how it's done in the automotive industry these days.
Informative 2020 video here about the Truck Tyre industry and retread statistics : https://youtu.be/q_UtVzXY6_w

But back to car tyres.....

les wrote: ↑Wed Dec 10, 2025 4:11 pm Thanks, I wonder if an MOT would pick up on a ten year old tyre.

As of 2021, under The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 :
It is illegal for the front (steering) axle or axles to use tyres aged more than 10-years on the following:

• goods vehicles with a gross mass more than 3.5 tonnes

• buses

• coaches

• minibuses and also to the rear axle, or axles, unless equipped with twin wheels

There is an exemption for Historic vehicles which are not being used commercially.
Anything else is just advice or recommendations.
So no, it's not a part of the MOT.

A great many tyre retails will 'lay it on' about tyres being 'crazed' to try and sell you more tyres, but unless they are actually Cracked or Split rubber, to the point of seeing any cords, they are perfectly legal and, more importantly, 'safe'.
Tyre rubber does age and suffer with surface crazing, often within a year or two of leaving the factory.
I changed Basil's tyres in 2023, not because they were worn, nor because there was some crazing and 'micro-cracking' in the tread groves, but because I felt they were a little harder than I felt they should be due to old age.
They were so old they only had a single year code, so making them pre-2000, I forget the actual digit, but I suspect they may have been fitted at his refurbishment around 1998/99.

This very morning, I've taken my wife's Corsa to have the front's changed as I already knew they were getting near changing and they were the only advisory from the MOT on Monday.
The Tyre establishment gave me 'tyre advice' that while both rears are 'perishing' with 3.5mm of tread remaining, one of them is 11 years old
They annotated their checklist as it needed reinspecting in another 2,500 miles, whist it's younger compatriot could last 5,000 before inspecting.
I acknowledged that I had put the spare on it a few years ago when the rears were near changing, hence why a difference in age.
But that fact aside, the tyre is serviceable.
This is their 'perishing' just 0.01mm or so of the surface of the side wall pattern...

Not a problem with a Morris but using power steering when stationary can split old weakened tyres down to the carcass.

Don't ask me how I know...

You’re not the only one to make that driving error, it’s a bad habit in any vehicle. I see it all the time, it makes you wonder if driving instructors tell their pupils.