Well, it has snowed abotu 2-4 inches here, and I need to get out of my driveway. My driveway is a fairly steep hill with two turns. My car is a 3000gt sl, which is fwd, and the tires on my fronts are very worn. I can barely make it 10 feet withotu sliding back down. Once i get out of my driveway, i should be fine. I do have two old Kelly Sprinfield tires that came on my car when it was bought. The tires have about 90% tread on them, and look as though i could go off-roading in them as the tread is nearly 1/2 inch. My question is, these tires have been sitting on the car, and in my garage, for the last 8 years. Do radial tires mold or break-down in anyway that would make an old tire fail? What i would do is chain up, get out of my driveway, and go put these other tires on (Kelly Springfield Charger something or other), and use them for the rest of the winter until i buy new ones. would that be safe?

 

tires can dry rot. look them over for dryrot and if there's none you should be ok

 

First off the word is TREAD. Tires that are as worn as you say yours are should be replaced, especially if they are on the front since they are doing both the driving and the steering. Your 8 year old tires are probably cracked or crazed and would more than likely be unsafe. Get new tires and quit being an accident looking for a place to happen and innocent victims.

 

dang...where have you been?

 

If the tire is more than 4 years old I wouldn't use them personally. Yes tires can dry rot and become hard as rocks, which would be safer? Probably neither

The best bet is to get some Pep Boy all season tires. There is a proper way to store tires if you are not going ot use them for awhile.

 

Yes. They also decay through UV exposure, so if you need to store tires, but them in a dark place.

 

i've been around

 

Not just UV but also ozone, evaporation of the oils in the rubber, heat and cold.

This is what decays tires:
Storing them on a cold floor or cold in general
Storing them next to an electric motor
Storing them in the sun
Storing them in a hot garage

The expanding and contracting of the rubber will literally squeeze the oils out of the tire making it hard and not pliable - which is what makes the tire hold the road and stick.

Best ways to store a tire:
In a plastic bag. Seals the tire so it doesn't evaporate as much.
In a controlled environment like a finished basement (I used to stack my tires in my apartment with a board and table cloth over them and used as a table)
With the air pressure around 25psi
Not stacked on top of each other