Tiny cracks around the bead/rim of the tire

Nomadcat · 07-12-2011, 12:02 AM

I'm running Michelin ATX-LT2 tires and generally have liked them. Great wear and decent handling. Load Range E, around 20,000 miles, but they have developed tiny cracks all around the inside where the tire meets the rim. It's probably nothing, but it kind of bothers me. I have only seen that on really old tires.

1. Do any of you have this condition? I was thinking of blaming it on the rims, but that seems ridiculous. I took them to where I got them and they didn't think it was a big deal, which is odd because you'd think they'd want to sell me new ones, but maybe they just didn't want to have to replace these, so their opinion is suspect.

2. I was thinking of replacing them with Goodyear Duratracs.

Anyway, if I can get photos tomorrow, I will, but they are really small cracks, hairline, that go all around close to the rim?

Am I being nuts here?

jage · 07-12-2011, 04:06 AM

Tires sometimes sit on the shelves, so your new tire isn't so new. I'd look into deciphering the manufacture date and talk to Michelin before doing anything.

Nomadcat · 07-12-2011, 08:13 AM

I'm going to get out the old macro lens and go walk the dog. I'll see if I can get some shots, get the tire codes, and then get on the phone with michelin. We shall see.

Nomadcat · 07-12-2011, 12:12 PM

Michelin just told me, of course, to bring it to a dealer and have them inspect it, then to have the dealer call them. I suppose that's reasonable.

In the meantime, here are photos, with lead weights for scale, but the cracks go all around all the tires.

Nomadcat · 07-12-2011, 12:15 PM

Googling around, it appears to be "ozone cracking." I now have to see what that means in real terms.

jage · 07-12-2011, 04:54 PM

In the pics you can see they go up into and past the PSI text...

woodbee · 07-12-2011, 05:30 PM

Hello Nomadcat,

How old are the tires?

Woody

bettyford · 07-12-2011, 08:21 PM

I would go to a Tire dealer that handles Michelin Tires and show them, i wouldn't expect them to replace them,

However they will report them to Michelin they can have a rep look at them for you,

you may get some money back from Michelin. This may take awhile but I have done it with Goodyear and Michelin for

customers who have had tires go bad.

My 2cents

Ron

Nomadcat · 07-12-2011, 10:50 PM

There's a local Michelin dealer here - as with most automotive stuff in Manhattan, I don't really like them - and he said he'd inspect them, but that "we hate to get involved in insurance and stuff like that."

I pointed out that he only had to tell Michelin the shape they were in. He may work with me.

The second Michelin rep I got on the phone was really great and said they tried to "work with people" and make sure things were satisfactory.

We shall see. Another process begins. Now to find the time to take the sucker in.

REF · 07-13-2011, 09:13 AM

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/ ... ?techid=11

Check out the above link, in short you will be able to tell the age of the tire by the series of numbers following the dot stamp on the sidewall. The last 4 (if newer than 2000) will be week followed by the year of manufacture.
Depending on when you had these installed, you may have a case as tire shops are not supposed to sell you tires after a certain age, and may even be illegal, as this is what happens. Tire manufacturers warrantee thier products for up to 4-5 years after purchase, depending on if you still have that reciept. You might want to look that one up, but older tires develop these cracks around the rim and sidewall as the rubber dries out, weathers and becomes brittle. when left unchecked this can lead to leaks, and far worse, blowouts. At the least, keep an eye on them, but I would'nt take those on any sort of road trip in that condition, my .02

Check the dates before leaving the lot on all those new sets of tires we all get, some shops try to pass off any old inventory they have had laying around for a while or have bought up from other sources clearing out as new, while unused these are certainly not new. Can't recall exactly, and it might be in the tire rack link, I remember reading somewhere that tires older than a certain number of years should be replaced, regardless of wear.