318ti.org forum - Tire Age

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- - Tire Age - ? (http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40601)

I've finally got settled in to NC enough to start driving my M52 conversion ti. However, I'm still suffering from a steering wheel shake from 60-70 mph. Drive-train is smooth as can-be, no vibration at all in shifter or brake pedal. Most of the front end is new, control arms, lollipops, strut mounts, tire rods, rotors, pads, etc. No noticeable bearing play. The car was aligned after all the suspension work.

The one thing I've never done anything with is the tires. They are unknown age, unknown history. The rims have definitely seen a few curbs by the look of them.

They are General Evertrek HP 205/55 R16 tires, mounted on E46 rims (cheap tires I think). Lots of tread life, but I know that doesn't tell age. I suspect the car sat for an extended period at one point in it's life (axles show more corrosion on one side than the other).

Anyways, I understand the basics of how to read a date code on a tire.

However, on these tires it has "DOT 650F 3W2". That doesn't tell me anything, as it is usually, month than year. Some other numbers on the tire "06-3081-6", "077956"

I don't want to bother paying to balance the tires, if they are junk and I'm going to need to replace them anyway.

Thanks!

Glenn

look on the inside sidewall of the tire, if it is not listed on the outside i believe it will be on the inside.

Rotate the tires first, front to back, and see if that makes a difference. If it makes no difference at all, then the vibration is probably not the tires. If it does lessen the vibration, then get all 4 tires balanced (imho). John

Sorry for the complete lack of response. Working too much at the office and still fixing issues with the new house.

The issue appears to be pretty random. Sometimes it's there sometimes it's not. I have tried the front to back swap and it didn't make too much of a difference. Sometimes there sometimes not.

I need to find time crawl under the car and see if the DOT age is on the inside.

I am wondering the tires might have flat spotted when it sat for an extended duration.