BajaNomad

Road hardening and tire chunking

Sharksbaja - 3-11-2006 at 01:36 AM

I have a graveyard of big off-road tire from the last 30 years off two vehicles. I was looking at some of them recently as some are still useable. I noticed the chunks missing from some and remember back when I acquired some of them. What I soon realized and have thought for years was that although every tire had thousands of miles on them, most of the big chunks missing were from the days to weeks after installing them new.
It can't just be coinsidence that these tires all seemed to show much less "chunking" after thousands of miles. But, it seems some brands get much harder or maybe tougher is the correct adverb with age and use.

Anyone else see this with theirs?

Packoderm - 3-11-2006 at 06:38 AM

It seems to me that newer tires break off little chunks while on older tires, the whole tread breaks off like what happened on my last trip south.

Bruce R Leech - 3-11-2006 at 08:09 AM

I think ou are on to something Sharksbaja.

Ken Cooke - 3-11-2006 at 09:35 AM

With the Goodyear MT/R tires my Jeep came with, tread chunking was a big problem - as with the BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires. I switched to BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires and had the exact same problem. With Interco Super Swamper tires, no longer a problem - or as much of a problem. That's why I run them at this time.

After 3 yrs., the chemicals in the tires sidewalls migrate out, leading to sidewall failure. So, I'd avoid a tire that's been sitting around if I were you. :O

backninedan - 3-11-2006 at 11:42 AM

With millions of vehicles and billions of tire miles run. Where does all the rubber go that wears off??????

pappy - 3-11-2006 at 11:44 AM

tires have many different rubber compounds in their structure, with the softest generally in the tread area which provides for better grip but terrible for durability.the compunds in the casing and sidewalls are stronger/tougher which contibutes to the extended use/life of the tire. soooo, that is why you had chunking when the tires were new...

Ken Cooke - 3-11-2006 at 07:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pappy
tires have many different rubber compounds in their structure, with the softest generally in the tread area which provides for better grip but terrible for durability.the compunds in the casing and sidewalls are stronger/tougher which contibutes to the extended use/life of the tire. soooo, that is why you had chunking when the tires were new...


Generally, with the TrXus MT (pictured right) the chunking did not appear until much later in the life of the tire - say, 20,000 mi. or so. Perhaps a more firm (higher durometer) rate of compound has to do with this as you wear the tire down...Not sure.