[DeTomaso] FW: Old tires sold as New Tires

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/4/08 17 57 18, mbefthomas at comcast.net writes:


> Since every Pantera has tires, I figured that was the Pantera content.  I
> had no idea that old tires were this big a problem.  Makes us all stop and
> think.
> 

What I think is that the failures of these tires are almost assuredly 
attributed to underinflation, not age.   An astounding percentage of Americans cruise 
around without sufficient air in their tires; many people don't even know how 
to check the air or add any!

>From the Tire Rack website:

Disadvantages of Underinflation
An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than 
intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle's tires are underinflated by 
only 6 psi it could weaken the tire's internal structure and eventually lead 
to tire failure. Lower inflation pressures will allow more deflection as the 
tire rolls. This will build up more internal heat, increase rolling resistance 
(causing a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%) and reduce the tire's tread 
life by as much as 25% while increasing the probability of irregular treadwear. 
Drivers would also find a noteworthy loss of steering precision and cornering 
stability. While 6 psi doesn't seem excessively low, it typically represents 
about 20% of a passenger car tire's recommended pressure.

Mike


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