Black Circles confirm they aim for tyres within 2 years of manutacture.. but can supply up to 5 years
I wont use them again
I wont use them again
What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?
- Thread starter dave
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What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?
Apparently depending on storage conditions shelved tyres can be kept for up to 10 years before fitting.
But I would still wonder if once exposed to air and weather if they would all react the same. Would a tyre stored 5 years be the same as one made weeks before?
I suppose one of the advantages of getting a common tyre size is this sort of thing is unlikely to happen as stock turnover should be high.
Could be worse, my Dad has recently contacted me about the Focus tyres...(It needs to be towed out to sea and sunk with gunfire at this point) so last time I saw I read the date codes off the tyres. Newest one is 2017...oldest 2015 all showing signs of cracking. But 4 tyres is about 50% of total vehicle value at this point.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
EXPENSIVE car. Our Seat is worth less than 1 tyre!
Always Good when you devalue nice new parts by combining them with the rest of the car
Sorry for being late picking up on this but we've been "busy" of late what with our trip down south and other family stuff.
Aye Steven, Storage conditions are of paramount importance for tyres. Dark and cool are the two main prerequisites but not too damp either - such as in a cellar for instance. Would a tyre stored 5 years be the same as one made just weeks earlier? No. But for everyday use it will be quite satisfactory if correctly stored - Problem is how are you ever going to know?
Absolutely regarding having a car with a very common size of tyre. Back in my younger days (1960's/70's) cross ply construction had largely disappeared and 145, 155 and 165 by 13 radials (all with an aspect ratio around 80 to 85% whereas the old cross plies were 100% ) were very common and fitted to a great number of manufacturer's models. Today it seems that nearly every car has a unique tyre size! (I'm exaggerating of course) but the range of sizes now is vast compared to when I was young and I find myself questioning if we really need such a wide range with such small differences in size for common everyday cars? The most common size today is, apparently, 205/55R 16 which, luckily, is what fits my boy's Astra! I've noticed when we buy tyres for it that they are always virtually straight out the factory door.
This website has some very interesting info for folk who might want more: https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/vintage-tyres.html
Look on the bright side - his car may be appreciating in value if it has a full tank of fuel.Always Good when you devalue nice new parts by combining them with the rest of the car
Indeed devalued my car significantly with a trip out today
We've discussed it before I fear but yes do love 205/55 R16..they are on the C3 and every mid range VW and Ford and VX product for the last 20 years...so you can turn up at any tyre shop any day and likely have a wide range of fresh tyres to choose from at reasonable prices.
At the other end of the scale I was thinking maybe I'd swap the C3 for a C4...however discovered it's fitted with a 195/60 R18. Which has to be the most ridiculous tyre size I've ever encountered on a mainstream car. Assume they've done it to lower the rolling resistance on the electric one. Literally 4 tyres to choose from in total at most places and no winter or all season options at all.
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This set me to thinking about cars with unusual size tyres I've owned and my old Citroen Dyane immediately came to mind. It was one of the cheapest cars to run I've ever owned and, once you got your mindset right, it was a hoot to drive! Just looked up the tyre prices 135R15 - glad I'm not running it now! https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/citroen/dyane.html. My wee lightweight trailer runs on 145R10 tyres - same size as the "original" Mini and I got a bit of a shock when i came across some the other day - luckily I don't need any right now but it looks like they are becoming more difficult to find - mind you I suppose there can't be that many Minis/Reliant Robins (or Kittens)/ Bond Bugs around now?
Strange day so far. Started by cleaning up the cat sick.
Then we have the poo. Once past a certain age, every two years a little package arrives, inviting a poo sample for bowel cancer screening. Catching a poo and scraping it with the special stick is a strange task. But today, it was my partner's turn. As she's wheelchair bound, this is not something she can do herself. Sorry, your imagination is now running in a direction you don't need. Not as bad as you have now imagined, it involves an old plastic bowl in the loo to catch the sample. Then scrape and insert the stick into its special tube, ready for posting. Not pleasant, but something all parents are probably accustomed to.
Brings a smile when I post the package in the postbox. The NHS is actually requesting that we post poo into a postbox. It's a strange life.
Then we have the poo. Once past a certain age, every two years a little package arrives, inviting a poo sample for bowel cancer screening. Catching a poo and scraping it with the special stick is a strange task. But today, it was my partner's turn. As she's wheelchair bound, this is not something she can do herself. Sorry, your imagination is now running in a direction you don't need. Not as bad as you have now imagined, it involves an old plastic bowl in the loo to catch the sample. Then scrape and insert the stick into its special tube, ready for posting. Not pleasant, but something all parents are probably accustomed to.
Brings a smile when I post the package in the postbox. The NHS is actually requesting that we post poo into a postbox. It's a strange life.
On a much lighter note, I received a marketing email from ALDI advising of this week's special buys. Scrolling down the list, I came across a "Frozen Drinks Maker".
Surely, if it is frozen, it is not yet, or no longer, a drink. Once liquid, and then a drink, it is no longer frozen.
Surely, if it is frozen, it is not yet, or no longer, a drink. Once liquid, and then a drink, it is no longer frozen.
Back to Mexico tomorrow and possibly bye bye to my vacation before the end of June. I want to punch the entire management team down to, and including, my own boss because everyone in my department told the nitwits that the machines sent to Mexico weren't ready to be shipped. Our illustrious company president said, "I guess we made a mistake." Um, no, moving to South Carolina in 2017 was a mistake. This current fiasco in Mexico is an effen disaster caused by your own stupidity and putting trust in the wrong people.
I'm not totally PO'd, though, because this gets me out of having to deal with the jerks in DC. Is it bad that I'd rather visit another country than to spend time in my nation's capitol?
I'm not totally PO'd, though, because this gets me out of having to deal with the jerks in DC. Is it bad that I'd rather visit another country than to spend time in my nation's capitol?
Is there a world record for the number of times and reasons a sitting Prime minister has ruled out his own resignation?
If not...there is now surely, and it'll stand for all time, hopefully as warning.
If not...there is now surely, and it'll stand for all time, hopefully as warning.
It really is now getting all a bit "silly" isn't it? I could make a lot of comments, especially about the conservatives - who I could never vote for, but it's pointless because the problem is I can't see anyone out there who can do any better. Sadly, above all else, what it's done for me now is to completely destroy any faith or ability to believe anything which is said by those in political office. I've never been a "political animal" and avoided contact with such wherever possible. I think now I shall spend the rest of my life disengaged from politicians and trying simply to negotiate my way through their mayhem to the best advantage of me and mine.
...I could rant for days..but "Silly" covers it.
Although I think in terms of finding a better candidate I hear the Dulux dog is currently at a loose end and he is at least house trained.
On Wednesday, off I went to a job, about 20 miles away. 2 miles in, and the car beeps at me. (Fabia) Check right front tyre pressure, it says, as if the world is about to end. Luckily, I'm approaching a large lay-by, so in I go. Tyre looks OK, so any pressure loss is slow. Pressure is 1.95bar, instead of 2.1. Car last driven on the previous Thursday, so either just collected somehting small and sharp, or loss is very slow. Decided to continue. Arrived, tyre still looks OK, so walked away, as had an appointment.
Returned to the car 6 hours later, tyre still looks OK. Pressure now 1.85bar. Attached compressor, put it up to 2.2, drove home. Put the spare on. Inspection of tyre showed no obvious issue.
Busy yesterday (Thursday). So today, lifted it out of the boot, now down to 0.8bar, definitely losing air.
Pumped it up to 4bar. Checked the tread, bit by bit, all around, twice. Water sprayed onto every little nick, poked a small screwdriver into a few larger nicks, no bubbles, no noises. Water on the valve, no bubbles. Water onto the bead, all around, both sides, and in the well of the wheel where the rim and centre are welded together. (Steel wheel) This area can be a leak point on very old wheels, but this is not old, and no rust. So no leaks there either. Getting silly now. Don't really want a puncture, but would prefer to find a hole, than not find anything.
Checked the pressure again, noted, and left it. The sun got it, so 3 hours later, pressure was up 0.1bar. No leak? Best guess, is the valve core was leaking, and inflating it to 4bar from big compressor sealed it. Changed the core, set it on 3.0bar. 3 hours later, still at 3.0bar. Could be a winner. Will check again tomorrow morning. Hopefully no tears.
Returned to the car 6 hours later, tyre still looks OK. Pressure now 1.85bar. Attached compressor, put it up to 2.2, drove home. Put the spare on. Inspection of tyre showed no obvious issue.
Busy yesterday (Thursday). So today, lifted it out of the boot, now down to 0.8bar, definitely losing air.
Pumped it up to 4bar. Checked the tread, bit by bit, all around, twice. Water sprayed onto every little nick, poked a small screwdriver into a few larger nicks, no bubbles, no noises. Water on the valve, no bubbles. Water onto the bead, all around, both sides, and in the well of the wheel where the rim and centre are welded together. (Steel wheel) This area can be a leak point on very old wheels, but this is not old, and no rust. So no leaks there either. Getting silly now. Don't really want a puncture, but would prefer to find a hole, than not find anything.
Checked the pressure again, noted, and left it. The sun got it, so 3 hours later, pressure was up 0.1bar. No leak? Best guess, is the valve core was leaking, and inflating it to 4bar from big compressor sealed it. Changed the core, set it on 3.0bar. 3 hours later, still at 3.0bar. Could be a winner. Will check again tomorrow morning. Hopefully no tears.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
My trailer too and I think it will be cheaper to change mudguards, hubs, bearings wheels and tyres if any more are required. I bought some a couple of years ago and I think they were then about £65 each.
'Morning PB. I've mentioned elsewhere that my youngest boy has, for some time, had a slow leak in his O/S/R tyre - on the Astra. He recently, within the last year anyway, got a "too good to refuse" offer on a set of 4 very nearly new Michelins through a friend who works at one of the local large tyre fitting stores. I'm not keen on part worns but these really do look "the biz" and we know this lad well as he's a follower of my boy's you tube rapping songs (can you call them songs?) so I don't think he would "stitch" him up. This tyre has slowly deflated since fitting. He took it back a few months ago and I though it had been fixed but about a week ago I caught him pumping it up with the electric inflator I recently gave him and he then told me hes had it in to two other garages, including his local wee garage who are usually very good, to try to get it fixed but it's still going down - only looses a pound or two per day. Then he went on to say it seems to vary, sometimes it looses almost nothing and others it can be 5 psi per day. When he'd finished pumping it up I put some spit on the valve and it blew bubbles at me! I think he's got the same problem as you and I've got my box of valve cores in the boot of my car ready to fit a new one next time I get the chance. What you're saying above I find very interesting because it's likely that the garages are pumping the tyre up to quite a high pressure when looking for the leak - maybe this is enough to "seat" the valve so that it's not leaking but when reduced again to "running pressure" perhaps it's then leaking again?
I left it Friday evening at 3.0bar. Ignored it all day yesterday, and most of today. Arouond 3pm I checked it again. Now reading 2.96bar. (A quite expensive digital gauge)
Obviusly the loss is very slight, and a significantly lower rate than before. That slight drop could be down to ambient temperature. For now it appears 'fixed'. I'll check again tomorrow around midday.
Monday 3pm, still at 2.96. New valve core sorted. Crisis averted.
I finished up two twelve hour days of sealing the wood deck off the back of the house. I don't think the previous owners ever sealed it. The deck is over 200 sq ft in area. Add in the posts, railings, and steps and it's closer to 250 sq ft. A one gallon can of sealer is supposed to cover 200-400 sq ft. The wood was so dry that it took 2.5 gallons.
At least it's done. It won't need to be done again for four years and I'll be seventy by then, so my grandsons will be earning a few extra bucks then.
I also picked the two hottest days of the year to do this.
At least it's done. It won't need to be done again for four years and I'll be seventy by then, so my grandsons will be earning a few extra bucks then.
I also picked the two hottest days of the year to do this.
