I've been preemptively shopping around for snow tires and noticed that Hakkapeliitta R2's can be had for VERY cheap in the size I need (205/60r16). However, I ordered a set and noticed that the date stamp was from 2013. This made me nervous because I know that the compound and quality of the rubber can degrade over time. So they were unused "sticker" tires, but the age made me nervous.
I compared them to a set of Hakkapeliitta 8's I have on the shelf with a 2017 date stamp and they felt similar with me just poking at them with my fingers. However, ambient temperatures are pretty high right now and I'm wondering if they'll still feel/perform the same when temperatures drop.
Anyone have experience running really old snow tires? Are my concerns justified? Should I go for it, or swap out for something else that might not be AS good of a snow tire, but will be fresh?
With a 2013 date code, if you're expecting to put a ton of miles on them quickly and finish them off in a winter, I'd run them. If you expect to get a few years out of them, tell the place you ordered from that they're way too old and make them take them back.
The bigger problem here is not the compound but the carcass. As the tires age out the carcass becomes brittle and the plies find it easier to de-laminate. I would run them, but only with lots of spares readily available to swap out. Yes for rallycross, but no for stage rally where you could be miles from service.
I'd be putting them on a daily driver and running them for multiple years.
How cheap and where did you get them if you don’t mind sharing. I need some for this winter.
I've purchased some cheap ones from Simpletire.com. I got Nokian Nordman 5s for ~$50 each with a 2014 date code. I run them on one of my Volvos and haven't noticed any issues yet but I don't put a whole lot of miles on them.
Are you bright enough to look at your tires occasionally? If you were driving, and the steering wheel developed a bit of a shake that got worse over a couple of weeks, would you investigate?
Grip might not be as good as a fresher set, but they won't sneak up and kill you in the middle of the night.
mtn
MegaDork
7/18/19 2:39 p.m.
I'd have no issues with putting them on my car with your description IF they were cheap enough that I'm happy about replacing them next year.
I'm not saying they'll only last a year, but I would just want to go into it with that mindset.
I had a set (4) Blizzaks that were ten years old. They had some tread left and was soft. Since I wanted new ones for ice racing. I posted them on our message board with full disclosure for free. A fellow picked them up. He was so happy that he wanted to pay me something. I refused.
I never heard any more about them.
In reply to Aaron_King :
Link
Less than $300 shipped to my door.
I'm just wondering if its worth having their age on the back of my mind every winter or if I should just go to the local discount tire and pick up a set of Yokohama IceGuard IG52c tires for about the same price and have that piece of mind. If anyone has experience with the Yokohamas, please feel free to chime in on whether or not you liked them.
