When is tire dry rot acceptable?

[ZackN920]

Hey guys, when is it acceptable for dry rot (many, many little cracks in the rubber) to show in the tread?

My tires on the Wagon appear to be dry rotting in the tread. Every single 1 of them. The sidewalls look good. These tires are all date coded 0217 which equals to the 2nd week of Jan, 2017.
So, the tires aren't even 3 years old and they are getting all cracked up. I just happened to notice this when taking a little break from welding on the frame while laying on the floor.

I usually never wear tires out, they get replaced because of age than due to wear as I only drive a total of around 6K miles a year and that get's spread out to 4 or 5 vehicles. General consensus now a days is that tires should last 6-10 years before being replaced due to age rather than wear. Though, most vehicles that I've bought had 20+ year old tires on them. (I always change them before the vehicle becomes a driver)

Rubber doesn't seem to last good these days, but should this be considered acceptable? Should I try to make some sort of claim? I'm not sure I would be able to as I install tires myself on my tire changing machine. Don't really trust shops anymore, 2 vehicles that I own had shops install tires (one before my ownership, the other before I did it myself) and since new, have leaked.
In the mean time, I'm just going keep on using them. The tires on my Dodge (now that ive checked them) are doing the same thing (same brand and type of tire) but are a little older-date code 2116. No cracks in the sidewalls but the tread sure has got them. No leaking though, I haven't had to add air in like 3 years!

[JeepJeepster]

Ive seen Michelin tires have cracks in the tread after only 2-3 years. Personally I wouldnt worry about small cracks in the tread area.

But I wont be buying Michelin tires agan either.

[wiley-moeracing]

Its acceptable till you blow a tire and rip the fenders apart. Why risk body damage or worse? Put on new tires if your driving this.

[SOLSAKS]

I have seen this same aging,...cracks in the tread area

my parents bought a $ 1,200 dollar set of tires for their SUV
and in 1 to 2 years, looked like they were 25 years old
and it is garaged and driven only 5,000 miles a year or so.

I hear tire retailers are not supposed to sell tires after only a few years
due to aging, liability, etc.

but I have seen folks run tires for decades,....

I am not a chance taker either, and I dont like the cracks, it can't be GOOD, but
not sure how unsafe it is either, prob a case by case basis.

but I don feel the rubber is holding up like it used to either
are they cutting corners?, are some EPA regulations preventing them from making a durable tire ? who knows....

back to the old saying
they dont make em like they used to,.....

dave in NC

[FSJunkie]

The rubber is not the strength of the tire. The strength comes from the fabric plies under the rubber that the rubber protects from the elements. Cracked rubber allows sunlight, water, and oxygen to degrade the fabric and structurally compromise the tire.

The cracks are insignificant unless they are deep enough to reach the fabric plies. Deeper and wider cracks are worse because they allow more degrading elements to compromise the fabric that holds the tire together.

I worry less about cracking on bias ply tires because they have many layers of fabric (4-10 all over) that help them retain their strength and safety even after the rubber cracks. Radial tires on the other hand usually only have one or maybe two layers in their sidewalls. Radial tires often have woven steel fabric belts under their tread that poses a new threat. Salt, water, and oxygen can reach the steel through cracked rubber and rust it. The rust expands and loosens the tread belt from the body plies of the tire and the tread belt separates from the main carcass of the tire. We've all seen a radial tire with the tread blown off. That is how it happens.

If I see anything more than small weather cracks on a radial, especially where the tread and sidewall meet, it comes off my car.

[Ristow]

cracks in the tread

to show in the tread

that is not dry rot. you're getting concerned over nothing.

[babywag]

sets I've bought in recent years did the same after ~1yr.
set still on wife's car(due for replacement) with ~40k+ on them.
I wouldn't be concerned in least about 2yr old tires showing a little cracking.
Tires seem to be lesser these days.

[joe]

Yeah modern tire compounds (synthetic rubber) are constantly changing. If the cracks are in the tread lugs and not in the sidewalls just go drive.

[ZackN920]

Thanks guy's for posting. So, basically speaking I'm ok right now. None of these are deep and it's only in the tread. Still, it's a disappointment to see. I've got tires about as old as me sitting around (not in use anymore) that look about the same. They were replace because generally, it's considered unsafe to drive on 25 year old tires...