How old is too old for a spare tire

[HuntForHorns]

I have a 2008 Dodge Mega Cab that I only drive when I am pulling a boat or a farm trailer. I am getting ready to make a road trip this weekend and decided I had better check the spare. It has a manufacture date of 2007. I have never used it but have kept it clean(as clean as it can be under a truck). Other than the road grime it doesn't show any signs of not being a new tire. No cracks or dry rot. Still even has some of the blue on the white letters like new ones do.

After reading the horror stories on the internet and learning I shouldn't be driving on tires more than 6 years old, I decided that tomorrow I will go to discount tire and have them mount the cheapest replacement they have on the rim.

Is this overkill or a good decision?

[Twist]

They dry rot just like any other tire that is or isn’t being used. Personally, by the year range you listed, I’d have it swapped.

It doesn’t even have to be the same make and model tire but one around the same size would be a good idea.

[Smart]

I'd get a new one or at least a new used tire in decent shape. Dry rot is a horrible thing to find out about when you need it.....not to mention when it cuts loose and starts tearing up fender wells.

Discount won't touch them after 8 years....won't even check the pressure on them.

[Bisch]

Discount won't touch them after 8 years....won't even check the pressure on them.

They will replace them though, won’t they???? All they have to do is pull the valve stem and let the air out, then there is zero danger to anyone.

Bisch

[Smart]

They will replace them though, won’t they???? All they have to do is pull the valve stem and let the air out, then there is zero danger to anyone.

Bisch

Yes of course. I mean they won't touch them if you insist on keeping them.......like they won't check them or balance the old tires due to liability.

[eradicator]

Yes of course. I mean they won't touch them if you insist on keeping them.......like they won't check them or balance the old tires due to liability.

One more good reason not to frequent Discount Tire

[Smart]

One more good reason not to frequent Discount Tire

You can have those 8+ year old spares....I played that game once...

[Chew]

I'm 54 and I have one. You do you, bro. YOLO

[geezer56]

Eight years is max. Five is better. My son runs a tire shop, he's seen brand new, never put on the car and run, spare tires blow in the trunk. They can rip the trunk lid off of a Honda Civic. Either put on a year or two old used tire with no patches or plugs, or a cheapie new tire and drive with a lot easier feeling. Don't forget to replace the valve stem when you have it mounted. Check the air pressure on the spare every time you change oil, a flat spare is just dead weight to haul around.

[Mudslinger]

Most places will not replace or fix a tire after 8 years and the rims after 10! found this out years ago when trying to get 2 tires for a homebuilt trailor and had to buy new rims and tires. Some shops may not adhere to this but it all depends on the business.

[Smart]

Most places will not replace or fix a tire after 8 years and the rims after 10! found this out years ago when trying to get 2 tires for a homebuilt trailor and had to buy new rims and tires. Some shops may not adhere to this but it all depends on the business.

Never heard that about the rims...interesting. Lotta old trucks on the road older than 10 years old to have that rule.

They changed tires and spares on my 19 year old F350 rims until I traded it off in 2020. I'd probably have to go somewhere else for fear they were just trying to sell me some rims.

[TPMD Hunter]

I have a 2008 Dodge Mega Cab that I only drive when I am pulling a boat or a farm trailer. I am getting ready to make a road trip this weekend and decided I had better check the spare. It has a manufacture date of 2007. I have never used it but have kept it clean(as clean as it can be under a truck). Other than the road grime it doesn't show any signs of not being a new tire. No cracks or dry rot. Still even has some of the blue on the white letters like new ones do.

After reading the horror stories on the internet and learning I shouldn't be driving on tires more than 6 years old, I decided that tomorrow I will go to discount tire and have them mount the cheapest replacement they have on the rim.

Is this overkill or a good decision?

I would not trust it for more than 20 miles. Tires over 7 years old are not trustworthy. I've got a fantastic set on my F-350 I bought in 2014 but I haven't put 1,000 miles on it since probably 2008 and I won't drive it any further than my place and won't put it on the highway. I've got some F rated ties on my big trailer that are just as old. I'm really dreading having to replace them all because they look almost new but I'll have to before I put either on the Highway again.

[TPMD Hunter]

Eight years is max. Five is better. My son runs a tire shop, he's seen brand new, never put on the car and run, spare tires blow in the trunk. They can rip the trunk lid off of a Honda Civic. Either put on a year or two old used tire with no patches or plugs, or a cheapie new tire and drive with a lot easier feeling. Don't forget to replace the valve stem when you have it mounted. Check the air pressure on the spare every time you change oil, a flat spare is just dead weight to haul around.

I made the mistake of buying some like that for a trailer. They started blowing in 500 miles. I went back to my local tire shop where I bought them and they discovered they were "New" but made over 12 years ago. They just trusted their supplier too much and hadn't bothered to look at the mfg date. They replaced them all at half cost and had the supplier remove every one of them from the premises.

You'll never get better service than from a generational small town family run tire shop. Everyone makes mistakes, how you handle them is where people discover your character.

[tpack]

My 03 Dodge 2500 has never had the spare down and I’m running on 8 year old Hankooks with 37000 miles. Since retiring in 2020 , 90% of the miles are back and forth to deer lease that is 13 miles on a small FM road. I had 2 sets of Michelins for 7 years each prior and no issues but sidewalls had spider crack pretty bad. Probably wait until after first of year to pull the trigger on new ones along with replacing the 7 year old batteries. . $$$.

[Mudslinger]

Never heard that about the rims...interesting. Lotta old trucks on the road older than 10 years old to have that rule.

They changed tires and spares on my 19 year old F350 rims until I traded it off in 2020. I'd probably have to go somewhere else for fear they were just trying to sell me some rims.

This was at a Discount tire store in Temple!