Tire dating revisited

[Lynn H.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

jack,

I remember seeing an old restorer article saying the DOT code was also used sporadically long before it was required and possibly as early as 67.....does that still make sense ?

Manufacturers were using what was called TIC (tire identification codes) as early as 1966, and there was nothing uniform between the different manufacturers for quite some time. These were followed by the DOT designations. The first uniform code assignments by the NHSB were completed in May 1968, and published in the Federal Register on June 12th of that year. Some of the identity codes were not molded in for some time after this, but some are reported up to 6 months prior. These codes were modified a couple of times before the uniform code in 70-71 came to be. Before this codes were 6, 7, or 8 characters. Any tires with 10 digit codes ARE reproduction tires. From the information I have this all seems to have been VERY complicated in the earliest years of ID. This is a subject I personally would love to learn more about, and would be interested in anything anyone has one this.
Lynn

[Lynn H.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

I am having the same problem with my non-DOT Firestone Deluxe Champion tire. The code is 001SD061, on the bead the number is 15-D-CO-85-S, and next to made is USA is 104-UR-1 BD-36 665. Also on one side a number 12 with a circle and the other side is a 68 or 89 with a circle around it both stamped in a orange color. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

No luck decoding the BFG tire, but the Firestone (the 8 character number is the code) is believed to be as follows:
first four characters represent the manufacturer and the plant where manufactured
fifth character is believed to be the tire size designation
the final three digits are the date code (possibly the 6th week of 1971 with this tire, but if that were true is should carry the DOT ID)
Lynn

[Lynn H.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

One more thing, on May 22, 1971 there was an adjustment of the code to 10 characters. For late model REPRODUCTION tires, the code can contain 11 characters. As I told you it's complicated.
Lynn

[Terry M.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

No luck decoding the BFG tire, but the Firestone (the 8 character number is the code) is believed to be as follows:
first four characters represent the manufacturer and the plant where manufactured
fifth character is believed to be the tire size designation
the final three digits are the date code (possibly the 6th week of 1971 with this tire, but if that were true is should carry the DOT ID)
Lynn

Not necessarily Lynn. I have seen a lot of Goodyear tires, and some in the first quarter of 1971 have the "old" proprietary code and some the "new" federally mandated code. There was apparently some time allowed for the manufacturers to get up to speed on the new code. At least that is true for Goodyear and there is no reason to believe it would be different for any other manufacturer.

Some SAE papers of the time had part of the debate of the manufacturers resisting the federal mandate. They were going on at length about how difficult and labor intensive it will be to change all their molds to accommodate the new standard. I believe, but have never seen the evidence in print, that the manufacturers were given some latitude in implementing the new code.

[Lynn H.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

Terry,
From the information I have that certainly appears to be the case. To quote from Rick Bizzoco's book:
"The final notice covering sidewall specifications did not appear in the Fed Register until late Dec of 1968, and even then changes in the molds were only made when there was some difficulty and the mold would be taken out of service."
It was most likely quite some time before ALL the molds were modified.
Lynn

[John H.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

I still remember the legislation that was introduced which required car manufacturers to record the serial numbers on every tire installed on the car in the assembly plant, including the spare, and to maintain those records for not less than ten years.

This, of course, was insanity, and I recall hosting a group of Congressmen and Senators and touring them through my wheel/tire room at Lordstown in 1972, which processed 550 tires per hour. I supplied note pads and pencils, and invited them to examine and write down five tire serial numbers in 30 seconds; two tried and failed, and the following week we were notified that the proposed legislation had died in Committee and would not be given any further consideration.

[Lynn H.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

I still remember the legislation that was introduced which required car manufacturers to record the serial numbers on every tire installed on the car in the assembly plant, including the spare, and to maintain those records for not less than ten years.

This, of course, was insanity, and I recall hosting a group of Congressmen and Senators and touring them through my wheel/tire room at Lordstown in 1972, which processed 550 tires per hour. I supplied note pads and pencils, and invited them to examine and write down five tire serial numbers in 30 seconds; two tried and failed, and the following week we were notified that the proposed legislation had died in Committee and would not be given any further consideration.

John,
That is truly hilarious, it shows us youngsters that politicians over thinking what is "best" for all of us, is something that will never grow old.

[John F.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

I am having the same problem with my non-DOT Firestone Deluxe Champion tire. The code is 001SD061, on the bead the number is 15-D-CO-85-S, and next to made is USA is 104-UR-1 BD-36 665. Also on one side a number 12 with a circle and the other side is a 68 or 89 with a circle around it both stamped in a orange color. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Adding to the confusion, what I believe is an original Firestone spare on my mid-February built 67 has the following going clockwise:

DELUXE CHAMPION
7.75-15 TUBELESS
REPLACES 6.70-15
4-PLY RATING 2-PLY

MEETS RMA-1 AND SAE J9182

V-1

MADE IN USA

49-UR-1

BD-35671-5

15QL

000080MR

[Michael M.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

John my production date is April 20, 1966 so May is not possible. Henry is on to something when he told me the code could be the 66th week of 1965.

[Henry S.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

John my production date is April 20, 1966 so May is not possible. Henry is on to something when he told me the code could be the 66th week of 1965.

Mike,
For it to be the "66th" week of ANY year the only thing I might be on is the "sauce"!! Terry pointed the typo out to me earlier. I was thinking more the 6th week of 65.

From John Fowler's post with his tire has 6 digits after the BD and yours has 5. In his case it could be the 3rd and 4th digit (67) is the year and the 5th and 6th digit (15) the week. In your case the 3rd and 4th (66) is the year and the 5th (5) is the week.

I have a couple calls in to the oldtimers I know who worked in Final inspection at Firestone back in the 60's, hopefully I'll hear back.

[John F.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

Mike,
For it to be the "66th" week of ANY year the only thing I might be on is the "sauce"!! Terry pointed the typo out to me earlier. I was thinking more the 6th week of 65.

From John Fowler's post with his tire has 6 digits after the BD and yours has 5. In his case it could be the 3rd and 4th digit (67) is the year and the 5th and 6th digit (15) the week. In your case the 3rd and 4th (66) is the year and the 5th (5) is the week.

I have a couple calls in to the oldtimers I know who worked in Final inspection at Firestone back in the 60's, hopefully I'll hear back.

[Lynn H.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

Fifteenth week of 67 is after my build date (February 15, 67), so that’s not it. Perhaps the 671-5 on my tire indicates the 5th day of the 1st week of 67. And for some reason the day wasn’t included on Mike’s (665). Or……….

The information I have states that TIC numbers were NOT that detailed in the 66-68 years to include day, month, and year. Most likely the best you would have is the week, and the year. Possibly the month, and the year. One of the biggest reasons for developing a uniform code was for ID purposes to be in place, in case of a RECALL.
Lynn

[Terry M.]

Re: Tire dating revisited

The information I have states that TIC numbers were NOT that detailed in the 66-68 years to include day, month, and year. Most likely the best you would have is the week, and the year. Possibly the month, and the year. One of the biggest reasons for developing a uniform code was for ID purposes to be in place, in case of a RECALL.
Lynn

AND to remove the mystery from the date codes so we ALL would know when the tire was made.