[T3] Tire Date Code

[Gary Forsmo]

Jim A. wrote:
Also, the date marking on tires just has the last digit of the year,
so an 8 there could mean '78, '88, or '98, or did this get changed in
the last few years?

Yep Jim, changed.

Prior to January 1, 2000, tire mfgs. realized that their date code could
mean the tire was produced in several decades.  It was a 3 digit code.
 Ala, 469.  That code COULD mean it was built in the 46th week of 1979,
1989, 1999.  (The first two numbers indicated the week it was produced;
last number was the year it was produced.)  It was confusing.

Since 1/1/2000 tires have a 4 digit code.  Ala 4600.  That tire was
produced in the 46th week of 2000.  A newer tire that has a code 0112 was
manufactured in week 1 of 2012.  This system is meant to identify tire age
for 100 years.

Most of us full time RVers know and understand tire date codes.  Because
the "normal" RVer doesn't wear out tires, they become unreliable because of
age.  We tend to drive a little and "sit" a lot.  But the tire "ages"
whether we're sitting or driving.  And actually, the rubber compound in
tires today, age slower when they are driven, than when they sit.

Gary "Frito" - '69 Variant, FI, MT
Rockport, TX (winter)
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