No but they DO prevent UV damage to tires which is OFTEN the cause of cracking. They will NOT prevent cracking caused by other things. The most COMMON reason for cracking is from sitting still for long periods of time allowing protective polymers to go deeper into rubber, leaving the outside of the tire to dry out. They will do more than applying chemicals to your tires which may make the problem worse.
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR - 2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles) 2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
We have covered our tires on our racing rig/truck for years and have never had any problems with them. It's so easy to put them on and take off and well worth it. One of the first things hubby bought when we got our used Class A. We can't use it often enough to keep the sun off of the tires until hubby retires, then we will be on the move!
Must just be me. I have never put them on anything. I think it's silly. Never put them on my car or truck or Jeep or any of my trailers. How many of you put them on your boat trailers, or on your cars or trucks? Silly.
Quote: Must just be me. I have never put them on anything. I think it's silly. Never put them on my car or truck or Jeep or any of my trailers. How many of you put them on your boat trailers, or on your cars or trucks? Silly.
Barring any scientifically sound proof that covers work any better than Aerospace 303 in stopping UV tire damage ... your comment above makes a lot of sense. THERE IS plenty of proof that UV damages just about everything .... except for maybe titanium .... and my pickup truck's tires which after 9 years of no covers also have no sidewall cracks.
Quote: Because all tires are made of rubber, all tires will eventually exhibit some type of cracking condition, usually late in their life. However, this cracking can be accelerated by too much exposure to heat, vehicle exhaust, ozone and sunlight, as well as electric generators and motors (that have armature brushes). For example, a vehicle parked outside instead of in a garage will constantly expose its tires to the rays of the sun, increasing the likelihood of cracking. Additionally, some sidewall cracking has been linked to abrasion from parking against a curb, or the excessive use of tire cleaners/dressings that inadvertently remove some of the tire's anti-oxidants and anti-ozone protection during every cleaning procedure. Interestingly enough, when sun exposure or excessive cleaning is the cause of the small cracks, the sidewall of the tire facing outward will show damage, while the sidewall facing inward is rarely affected.
The anti-aging chemicals used in the rubber compounds are more effective when the tire is "exercised" on a frequent basis. The repeated stretching of the rubber compound actually helps resist cracks forming. The tires used on vehicles that are driven infrequently, or accumulate low annual mileage are more likely to experience cracking because long periods of parking or storage interrupt "working" the rubber. In addition to being an annoyance to show car owners, this condition often frustrates motor home and recreational vehicle owners who only take occasional trips and cannot even park their vehicle in a garage or shaded area. Using tire covers at least minimizes direct exposure to sunlight.
Tire manufacturers' warranties typically cover cracking for a period of 4 years from the date the tire was purchased (receipt for the new tires or in-service date of the vehicle required) or four years from the date the tire was manufactured.
I agree. I don't use them on my other vehicles because I occasionally drive them. My MH sets for several months during the winter and I always cover the tires, even the three that faces north and never gets sunlight on them. I also have a small utility trailer that sets for weeks as a time and I've never covered the tires and the south facing one has lots of sidewall cracks. In fact, I'm just about ready to buy two new ones for it.
For the price they cost, they're probably worth it. Also, I get the brand (can't remember what it is right now) that uses a spring bar in the cover so no ties are required. Just spread the bar, slip it over the tire and let it go. Even our high desert winds won't pull it off.
Ron
Ron & Sandie
'08 Safari Simba SBD35 CAT C7
Toad: 2011 GMC Terrain SLT2
Tow Bar: Sterling AT
Toad Brakes: Unified U.S. Gear
TPMS: Pressure Pro
Member of: GS, FMCA, Safari Intl, CAT
There ought to be a separate forum for exceptionally lucky folks who never have valve extensions that leak, never use tire covers and never have cracks in sidewalls, use same tires without mishaps for 10 years, get at least 11+ miles per gallon, have good results with extended warranties, and do all their own repairs and maintenance, etc, etc. Every kind of forum has 'em!!
Quote: Your pickup truck doesn't sit for months at a time does it?
It sits a lot since retiring in 2003 (used to commute in it). Now - up to a couple of months at a time after sitting outside in the sun (no garage). Even when driven it's only for as little as 20 or as much as 100 miles. The tire treads are finally about gone, but the sidewalls and inter-tread areas have no cracks. IMHO, this is the way tires should perform - tread going way before any cracking.
BUT ..... the pickup truck carries no, or only light, loads when driven ..... so heat generated from sidewall flexing is practically non-existent.
Offline
