MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Tyre date markings

I have just been watching The One Show on BBC1 (UK TV) which had a piece on the dangers of using old car tyres. The advice is to replace tyres which are 10 years old, even if the tread is still good, as the rubber deteriorates and could result in a high speed blow-out. Allegedly, all tyres have a date of manufacture stamped on them, in a 4-digit format such as 4512 (week 45, 2012). Needless to say I've just been to look at the A's tyres, but can't find any date ref, which probably means that they are even older than I realise and should be replaced! I've got Federal Super Steel 715s at the moment. Has anyone else got these and can you find a date code on them?
Robert Sinclair

All tyres since 2000 have to have by EU law the date code - but it's only on one sidewall. From 1990 to 2000 it was just a 3 number code ( two numbers for the week, one for the year so 308 is week 30 1998)- but it may well be that it was a voluntary code in those years. No code means it is pre 1990.
I replaced my tyres with a code 352 in 2011 ( 19 year old tyres with loads of tread and noticed a dangerous lack of grip on a damp road).
Cam Cunningham

Robert

It has often been discussed here and 10 years seems a generally agreed age. One of our posters is Neil Purves, an engineer with Bridgestone, and he has described the coding a number of times. This one from the archives gives a bit more detail. The date coding changed in 2000: http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=6&subjectar=6&thread=200707261334428425

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed on 27/08/2013

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.