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Replacement of wheels > < Storage of tyres

Polo Mk4

Aging of tyres
Aging of tyres
The tyres get old due to chemical and physical processes that damage their function. The tyres stored without use for a long period of time get hard and fragile quicker than the tyres that are permanently used in a vehicle. Old tyres may present aging cracks with the thickness of a hair. The plastifier in the rubber is activated due to flexion process in those tyres that are continuously used, thus avoiding the hardening and crack build-up.
This way, attention should be paid to the tread depth and to the age of tyres in the spare tyres, storage tyres and other tyres. The age of the tyre can be read on DOT designation. It includes de tyre production date, among other things.
Example of a DOT number until 12.31.1999
   
DOT......509[lt ] 
     means 199_
    year of production, last figure
  number of calendar week

In this example, the manufacturing date is the 50th week of 1999.
Example of a DOT number up from 01.01.2000
   
DOT......0100 
    Year of manufacturing, last two figures
  number of calendar week

In this example, the manufacturing date is the 1st week of 2000.
Recommendation
t  We recommend the use of tyres that are more than 6 year-old only in case of emergency and with careful driving.
t  In case of new tyre assembly, the spare tyre may be used if it is in perfect conditions and if it is not older than 6 years-old. The age of the tyres influence the strength when driving the vehicle fast. The arrangement of a spare tyre with new tyres is possible, but it may influence the behaviour of the vehicle while driving it.
t  The tyres take a constant evolution, and this fact shall lead to small differences in the mix of the rubber, including when it is a product of the same brand, dimensions and floor.
t  All VW vehicles have plant-installed four similar wheels and tyres.
Front-wheel drive vehicles:
t  For safety reasons, during the driving, in the same axis, tyres of the same brand and with the same tread shall be used.
Integral-wheel drive vehicles:
t  The integral-wheel drive vehicles shall be equipped with four wheels and tyres with the same dimensions, type of construction, tyre tread and brand.
Change of tyres
The tyres shall be always changed, if:
l  the legal minimum depth of 1.6 mm for the floor is reached,
l  there are visible damages due to mechanical action,
l  if the tyres are older than 6 years.
   

Replacement of wheels > < Storage of tyres