Aged Tyres: How Old Can Tyres Be For Repair?

When you have a damaged tyre, the question is whether you should repair it or replace it. Whilst some tyre damage can be repaired well and quickly, certain factors will determine whether or not a repair is or isn’t appropriate. One important factor is the tyre’s age. Old tyres pose a risk on the road, and any repair on an aged tyre might not be ineffective.

When we consider tyre replacement vs repair at Jim’s Mobile Tyres, we not only visually assess the tyre damage, but we also look at other factors, such as the tyre’s age, the type of driving you do, and your budget. All of these factors come into the decision about whether to proceed with a tyre repair or a tyre replacement.

Let’s look at the various issues related to a tyre repair, and when we would recommend to repair or replace the tyre.

When can tyre damage be repaired?

Jim’s Mobile Tyres specialists will assess a tyre for bald patches, uneven wear, cracks and bulges. We also observe a tyre’s age, as well as how its mileage. We can repair a damaged tyre if:

• The tyre lifespan has not yet been reached (it’s less than 10 years old, or hasn’t clocked in excess of 40,000 kms)

• The tyre tread puncture measures less than 6 mm

• The puncture is on the tread only, and there are no punctures on the sidewall of the tyre

• The tyre hasn’t already worn beyond the tyre wear indicator bars.

In any other situation, we would perform a tyre replacement. Let’s look in more detail at the reasons why we wouldn’t repair a tyre.

Reasons why we would replace, rather than repair, a tyre

1) The tyre is too old: Tyre safety and age limits

Tyres have a maximum lifespan of ten years, whether or not they are driven on, and whether or not they appear to be in good condition. A tyre is made from rubber compounds that naturally degrade over time, even if the tyre is not actively used. This means that the spare tyre in your boot, or that tyre sitting in your garage, will degrade, and should be responsibly discarded after ten years of life.

Driving on old tyres is dangerous because tyre rubber hardens and loses flexibility over time. This leads to reduced grip, longer stopping distances, and an increased blowout risk. Cracks and perishing can develop in the tread and sidewalls, while worn tread reduces water dispersion, making hydroplaning more likely. Even if a tyre looks ok, age-related deterioration can cause sudden failure at high speeds, putting you and others at risk.

If you try to fix an old tyre, it may not work, for the following reasons:

• The rubber has degraded: When tyres age, their rubber dries out and hardens. It may develop small cracks (UV exposure and oxidation accelerate this). Even if you patch these tyres, the weakened rubber may fail under pressure.

• Invisible structural damage: Structures within an old tyre may be damaged, and yet it won’t be visible on the surface. There may be separation of cords, belts or plies within the tyre due to its age, and these can’t be repaired externally.

• Loss of elasticity: Tread areas and tyre sidewalls lose flexibility over time. This means that a repair patch or plug may not bond effectively.

So, if your tyre has passed the 10-year mark after its manufacture, a repair isn’t appropriate, as old tyre puncture repair will likely be either ineffective or unsafe. Any tyre over 5 years of age should also be assessed by a professional at least annually. (Jims recommend an assessment every 2-3 years, or sooner if you have accelerated wear due to driving large distances.)

How do you check a tyre’s age?

Refer to the 4-digit code next to the DOT label on your tyre. The first two numbers of this code represent the week your tyre was manufactured, and the second two numbers represent the year of manufacture. So, if the number is 1620, it means your tyre was made in the 16th week of 2020.

2) The damage is in an unrepairable area of the tyre

Only the tread area of a tyre (the part in contact with the road) may be repaired. If the damage is on the sidewall of the tyre, we can’t repair it, for the following reasons:

• It may cause structural weakness:

Tyre sidewalls are designed to flex as the tyre rolls. Therefore, they’re thinner and more malleable than the tread region of a tyre, which is reinforced with steel belts and made from a thicker rubber. A repair on a sidewall will likely not hold under stress.

In addition, if there’s damage to the sidewall (which contains cords and plies), the entire structure of the tyre may be compromised. No plug or patch can restore this type of damage.

• The repair may not hold: Tyre sidewalls are designed to flex and bend with each rotation, and they’re also able to heat up. With this amount of movement and temperature change, a repair would likely fail, and there would be a risk of a tyre blowout.

• Sidewall repairs are prohibited: Strict industry standards apply to tyres, which forbid the repair of tyre sidewalls. Tyres may only be repaired on the central tread area (the ‘crown’), and potentially on the tyre’s shoulder, depending on the type of damage. (Most tyre shops will refuse to repair this area.)

3) Tyre habits have accelerated tyre wear

How you drive, where you’ve driven, the distance you’ve driven, and your tyre maintenance habits all impact tyre wear. Here are some habits that may accelerate the wear on your tyres.

There are a range of poor driving habits that don’t do any favours for your tyres. These include:

• High-speed driving: Driving fast means more tyre rotations and increased tyre heat, which results in accelerated tread wear.

• Approaching corners aggressively: Hitting a corner can impact the shoulder of the tyre, and reduce its lifespan.

• Hard braking and acceleration: These habits place unnecessary stress on the tread and may lead to uneven tyre wear.

• Regular stop-start driving: When driving in the city, you’ll be required to stop and start in traffic often. This causes friction and strain on your tyres, and can exacerbate wear.

• Driving on damaging surfaces: Potholes, uneven and rough surfaces all pose a risk to tyres. Your tyres may get cut, chipped, or you may get fast tread loss.

In addition, if you’ve experienced a driving incident, (e.g. you’ve hit a pothole fast), not only may the tread edges and sidewalls be damaged, but the tyre may be internally damaged. In this instance, it’s vital you let your tyre specialist know, as a replacement may be essential.

• You’ve towed or carried heavy loads: Carrying extra weight can stress your tyres and lead to uneven tyre wear.

Tyre Maintenance & Vehicle Factors

• Inappropriate tyre pressure: If you’re not diligent about keeping your tyres at optimal inflation, they will wear faster. (Underinflated tyres tend to wear more on the edges, and overinflated tyres wear faster in the centre.)

• You haven’t rotated tyres regularly: Where tyres are positioned on a vehicle will impact how wear develops. Therefore, to maintain even wear, it’s important to rotate tyres routinely. If you haven’t had regular tyre rotations, your tyres might not last the distance.

• Vehicle issues: A range of vehicle issues can impact tyre wear. These include poor wheel alignment, worn suspension components and imbalanced tyres. Therefore it’s vital to sort these issues out in order to protect your tyres. A tyre expert will be able to identify these issues, and a mobile tyre repairer can usually balance wheels on the spot.

4) The tyre tread is overworn

There’s a minimum allowable tyre tread depth in Australia, of 1.5 mm. Anything less will deem your vehicle ‘unroadworthy’. If you drive on unroadworthy tyres, you face potential fines in your State or Territory.

You can check tyre tread depth a few ways. You can:

• Check the tread wear indicators (the blocks that sit within the tyre tread). If the indicator is level with the tyres, it tells you the tyre has reached minimum depth.

• Place an Australian 20c coin in the tyre tread groove. If the platypus’ bill can’t be seen, it means the tyre tread is deeper than 3 mm, and you have no worries for now. If you can see the platypus’ bill, you know it’s time to get the tyres assessed, and likely, replaced.

• Use a tyre tread depth gauge (available at auto retailers).

Note that, though the minimum tread depth is 1.5 mm, you should get your tyres assessed if the tread depth is anything less than 3mm.

Why does tyre tread depth matter?

When you drive on wet roads, tread dispels water from your tyres, meaning you can stop quickly and safely. When tyres have minimum tread depth, tyres can slide on the road, which is unsafe.

5) Your full set of tyres is due for replacement soon

If you have one damaged tyre of a set, and all tyres need replacement soon, it might be worth replacing them a little earlier, rather than spending on the repair. Of course, it depends on your budget. If you can’t afford to upgrade all your tyres straight away and a repair is viable, then you might choose tyre repair in the meantime. In saying that, it’s essential to replace tyres before the ten year mark, at a maximum.

Don’t forget that spare tyre! Like your in-use tyres, the spare also needs to be assessed for bulges and cracks that may indicate it needs replacement prior to ten years.

6) You’ve clocked up too many kms

While we’ve talked about a 10 year maximum limit on tyre use, a more accurate estimate of when tyres should be replaced is when you’ve driven on your tyres for 40,000 kms in ‘normal’ driving conditions. What’s normal?

• Driving at average speeds (no aggressive or high-speed driving)
• Driving on decent roads (no off-road driving or hitting potholes)
• Driving with light loads (no towing or carrying heavy loads).

If you’ve violated the above, you’d be wise to check those tyres sooner than every 40,000 km intervals.

How to check tyre kms:

1. Refer to your car’s service log book and note down when your tyres were last replaced.
2. Note down what the odometer reading was at the time your tyres were replaced. Add 40,000 kms to that reading.
3. Check your car’s current odometer reading to see if it has exceeded this number. If it has, it’s time to consider a replacement.

This calculation should be done for each individual tyre, unless you last had them replaced as a set.

(Note, when you have regular tyre assessments with Jim’s Mobile Tyres, we send you a reminder for our professional tyre checks and tyre rotations.)

Ultra Convenient Tyre Repair and Replacement – Jim’s Mobile Tyres

Age, tread wear, how and where you drive your vehicle, and experiencing a driving incident, are all factors that will influence whether or not it is best to repair or replace a tyre. Driving on tyres that are too old or overly worn can compromise your safety on the road, and therefore replacement might be the right choice.

If you’re wondering how old can a tyre be to repair, or whether a damaged tyre should be repaired or replaced, Jim’s Mobile Tyres can help. We come to your location and assess the age and the state of your tyres. If we can sort out a tyre puncture repair, tyre pressure adjustment, or a tyre rotation, we’ll certainly do that for you. If those options aren’t appropriate, and a tyre replacement is the only safe option, we can supply you with new tyres and a tyre fitting on the spot.

FAQs

Why is it unsafe to repair an old tyre?

Old tyres

Rubber degradation: As tyres age, the rubber hardens, dries out, and develops tiny cracks (oxidation and UV exposure speed this up). Even if patched, the weakened material may fail under pressure.

Loss of flexibility: Tyre sidewalls and tread areas lose elasticity over time, which means a repair plug or patch may not bond properly.

Hidden structural damage: Old tyres are more likely to have internal separation of plies, belts, or cords, which can’t be fixed by external repair.