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DOT date codes [message #326862] Thu, 07 December 2017 16:51 Go to next message
Tom Lins is currently offline  Tom Lins   United States
Messages: 372
Registered: February 2004
Location: St Augustine, FL
Karma: 1
Senior Member
I have been trying to find out what date the tires on the GMC we just bought.
The date code seems to be C3J
Which does not seem to make any sense.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64095-img-09563.html

The reason I ask is that one of the tires has developed a problem since we got home.
I could swear this tire was fine when we first got home yesterday.
Obviously it is getting replaced immediately but is it a defective newer tire or way too old tire.
See the picture below.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64096-img-09573.html



Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, Aluminum Radiator Quad-Bag Suspension Solar Panel
Manuals on DVD
YOUTUBE Channel: GMC Dealer Training Tapes
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
Re: DOT date codes [message #326866 is a reply to message #326862] Thu, 07 December 2017 17:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
C Boyd is currently offline  C Boyd   United States
Messages: 2629
Registered: April 2006
Karma: 18
Senior Member
Sir: The numbers you are looking for are branded 4 numbers on one side of the tire only. First 2 numbers is week, second 2 numbers is year.
Usually for some aesthetic reason they are installed on the inside.




Tom Lins wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 17:51
I have been trying to find out what date the tires on the GMC we just bought.
The date code seems to be C3J
Which does not seem to make any sense.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64095-img-09563.html

The reason I ask is that one of the tires has developed a problem since we got home.
I could swear this tire was fine when we first got home yesterday.
Obviously it is getting replaced immediately but is it a defective newer tire or way too old tire.
See the picture below.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64096-img-09573.html




C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes [message #326867 is a reply to message #326866] Thu, 07 December 2017 17:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GMC.LES is currently offline  GMC.LES   United States
Messages: 505
Registered: April 2014
Karma: -2
Senior Member
Tom,
Tires are usually only date coded on one side. The photo you show is of the correct area, but wrong side. The other side will show show similar info, but will also contain the 4 digit date code.

Les Burt
Montreal
'75 Eleganza 26'


> On Dec 7, 2017, at 6:27 PM, Charles Boyd wrote:
>
> Sir: The numbers you are looking for are branded 4 numbers on one side of the tire only. First 2 numbers is week, second 2 numbers is year.
> Usually for some aesthetic reason they are installed on the inside.
>
>
>
>
> Tom Lins wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 17:51
>> I have been trying to find out what date the tires on the GMC we just bought.
>> The date code seems to be C3J
>> Which does not seem to make any sense.
>>
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64095-img-09563.html
>>
>> The reason I ask is that one of the tires has developed a problem since we got home.
>> I could swear this tire was fine when we first got home yesterday.
>> Obviously it is getting replaced immediately but is it a defective newer tire or way too old tire.
>> See the picture below.
>>
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64096-img-09573.html
>
>
> --
> C. Boyd
> 76 Crestmont
> East Tennessee
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

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Re: DOT date codes [message #326868 is a reply to message #326862] Thu, 07 December 2017 17:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
Tom Lins wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 17:51
I have been trying to find out what date the tires on the GMC we just bought.
The date code seems to be C3J
Which does not seem to make any sense.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64095-img-09563.html

The reason I ask is that one of the tires has developed a problem since we got home.
I could swear this tire was fine when we first got home yesterday.
Obviously it is getting replaced immediately but is it a defective newer tire or way too old tire.
See the picture below.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64096-img-09573.html

Tom,

That C3J is probably a plant code. Many manufactures use that as the tire tooling can get moved around.
That tire will have a date code. Sometimes they are hard to find.

That tread stripped out is scary.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes [message #326869 is a reply to message #326866] Thu, 07 December 2017 17:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
k2gkk is currently offline  k2gkk   United States
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
Senior Member
Whenever you have tires installed, you SHOULD have them mounted with the date code showing. That MAY not be possible with white wall tires if you want the white to show.


D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com


________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Charles Boyd
Sent: Thursday, December 7, 2017 17:27
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes

Sir: The numbers you are looking for are branded 4 numbers on one side of the tire only. First 2 numbers is week, second 2 numbers is year.
Usually for some aesthetic reason they are installed on the inside.




Tom Lins wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 17:51
> I have been trying to find out what date the tires on the GMC we just bought.
> The date code seems to be C3J
> Which does not seem to make any sense.
>
> https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gmcmhphotos.com%2Fphotos%2Four-newest-gmc%2Fp64095-img-09563.html&data=02%7C0 1%7C%7C45c550e742bb4f732dcf08d53dca3a16%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636482861117253812&sdata=Ai4tTv8VGHRW5esbXUQJpMHr1syOqofhK%2F 2daKfD%2F9I%3D&reserved=0
>
> The reason I ask is that one of the tires has developed a problem since we got home.
> I could swear this tire was fine when we first got home yesterday.
> Obviously it is getting replaced immediately but is it a defective newer tire or way too old tire.
> See the picture below.
>
> https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gmcmhphotos.com%2Fphotos%2Four-newest-gmc%2Fp64096-img-09573.html&data=02%7C0 1%7C%7C45c550e742bb4f732dcf08d53dca3a16%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636482861117253812&sdata=1LGd%2BDC%2F5mr30WdCA4PrNVZdrG%2F1hm eJyvGEz3o%2FmsQ%3D&reserved=0


--
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee

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Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes [message #326871 is a reply to message #326867] Thu, 07 December 2017 17:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Tom Lins is currently offline  Tom Lins   United States
Messages: 372
Registered: February 2004
Location: St Augustine, FL
Karma: 1
Senior Member
Les Burt[1
wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 18:33]Tom,
Tires are usually only date coded on one side. The photo you show is of the correct area, but wrong side. The other side will show show similar info, but will also contain the 4 digit date code.

Les Burt
Montreal
'75 Eleganza 26'


> On Dec 7, 2017, at 6:27 PM, Charles Boyd wrote:
>
> Sir: The numbers you are looking for are branded 4 numbers on one side of the tire only. First 2 numbers is week, second 2 numbers is year.
> Usually for some aesthetic reason they are installed on the inside.
>
>
>
>
> Tom Lins wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 17:51
>> I have been trying to find out what date the tires on the GMC we just bought.
>> The date code seems to be C3J
>> Which does not seem to make any sense.
>>
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64095-img-09563.html
>>
>> The reason I ask is that one of the tires has developed a problem since we got home.
>> I could swear this tire was fine when we first got home yesterday.
>> Obviously it is getting replaced immediately but is it a defective newer tire or way too old tire.
>> See the picture below.
>>
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64096-img-09573.html
>
>
> --
> C. Boyd
> 76 Crestmont
> East Tennessee
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

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That is the correct side of the tires. The other side of the tires have the same information minus the C3J.
That is what has me confused, everything I have ever seen about the date codes say they are 3 characters prior to 2000
and after 2000 they are 4 characters but not letters only numbers.

I intend to call Cooper Tires tomorrow to see what they say. These are supposedly "new" tires



Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, Aluminum Radiator Quad-Bag Suspension Solar Panel
Manuals on DVD
YOUTUBE Channel: GMC Dealer Training Tapes
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes [message #326885 is a reply to message #326871] Fri, 08 December 2017 07:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GMC.LES is currently offline  GMC.LES   United States
Messages: 505
Registered: April 2014
Karma: -2
Senior Member
Tom
Most tires will show the oval "mold lines" surrounding the production codes found on the sidewall. Looking at the photo of your defective tire, i can see an "empty" oval after the C3J, indicating the position where the date code is normally found. The opposing side should be identical, but including a 4 digit code in the last oval. If your tire doesn't have that date code, it might be a faulty batch where the plant FORGOT to add the date.

The local Goodyear tire plant used to sell cosmetic blems like this to their employees at a highly discounted price.

Les Burt
Montreal
'75 Eleganza 26'


> On Dec 7, 2017, at 6:56 PM, Tom Lins wrote:
>
> Les Burt[1
>> wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 18:33]Tom,
>> Tires are usually only date coded on one side. The photo you show is of the correct area, but wrong side. The other side will show show similar
>> info, but will also contain the 4 digit date code.
>>
>> Les Burt
>> Montreal
>> '75 Eleganza 26'
>>
>>
>>> On Dec 7, 2017, at 6:27 PM, Charles Boyd wrote:
>>>
>>> Sir: The numbers you are looking for are branded 4 numbers on one side of the tire only. First 2 numbers is week, second 2 numbers is year.
>>>
>>> Usually for some aesthetic reason they are installed on the inside.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Tom Lins wrote on Thu, 07 December 2017 17:51
>>>> I have been trying to find out what date the tires on the GMC we just bought.
>>>> The date code seems to be C3J
>>>> Which does not seem to make any sense.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64095-img-09563.html
>>>>
>>>> The reason I ask is that one of the tires has developed a problem since we got home.
>>>> I could swear this tire was fine when we first got home yesterday.
>>>> Obviously it is getting replaced immediately but is it a defective newer tire or way too old tire.
>>>> See the picture below.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/our-newest-gmc/p64096-img-09573.html
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> C. Boyd
>>> 76 Crestmont
>>> East Tennessee
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> GMCnet mailing list
>>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
>
>
> That is the correct side of the tires. The other side of the tires have the same information minus the C3J.
> That is what has me confused, everything I have ever seen about the date codes say they are 3 characters prior to 2000
> and after 2000 they are 4 characters but not letters only numbers.
>
> I intend to call Cooper Tires tomorrow to see what they say. These are supposedly "new" tires
>
>
> --
> Tom Lins
> Elkton, FL
> 77 GM Rear Twin
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

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Re: DOT date codes [message #326888 is a reply to message #326862] Fri, 08 December 2017 07:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jhbridges is currently offline  jhbridges   United States
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
Senior Member
Any tire which does not have a 4 digit date code someplace close to the rim is far from new.

--johnny


Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons. Braselton, Ga. I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
Re: DOT date codes [message #326891 is a reply to message #326862] Fri, 08 December 2017 08:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ray Erspamer is currently offline  Ray Erspamer   United States
Messages: 1707
Registered: May 2007
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Karma: -3
Senior Member
That tire could be a factory "blem" where the date code was missed. I'm pretty sure the C3J is the plant code. Tires usually have the DOT then something like the UP11, then the plant code and then the date code. Looks to me like the date code is missing.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a4047/how-old-are-your-tires-15441034/


Ray Erspamer 78 GMC Royale Center Kitchen 403, 3.70 Final Drive Holley Sniper Quadrajet EFI System, Holley Hyperspark Ignition System 414-484-9431
Re: DOT date codes [message #326896 is a reply to message #326862] Fri, 08 December 2017 09:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bullitthead is currently offline  Bullitthead   United States
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Registered: November 2013
Karma: 5
Senior Member
As someone said, no date code means it is an old tire, regardless of when the P.O. purchased and installed it(or them, check the others). I have seen this type of failure many times in the tire shop, and several of my old tires have done this, even with very low mileage and excellent tread left to burn. All were old, but 2 of mine were spare tires and one was stored inside and never used and separated while in the basement. One of a set of 4 used tires on the rear of the GMC did it too, but fortunately we were just out of the driveway and I was able to drive back home at 1 mph without damaging anything. If it had happened at speed it would have taken out the inner fender and air lines at the least. Cost me $600 at once to replace all four, but was well worth the price. The GMC is hard on those rear tires on sharp turns, as something has to give way to accomplish any change in direction except reverse.

Terry Kelpien ASE Master Technician 73 Glacier 260 Smithfield, Va.
Re: DOT date codes [message #326897 is a reply to message #326891] Fri, 08 December 2017 09:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Tom Lins is currently offline  Tom Lins   United States
Messages: 372
Registered: February 2004
Location: St Augustine, FL
Karma: 1
Senior Member
Ray Erspamer wrote on Fri, 08 December 2017 09:18
That tire could be a factory "blem" where the date code was missed. I'm pretty sure the C3J is the plant code. Tires usually have the DOT then something like the UP11, then the plant code and then the date code. Looks to me like the date code is missing.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a4047/how-old-are-your-tires-15441034/








i have to apologize for not investigating more carefully, lying on ground in the rain made me hurry. I took the wheel off to get the tire replaced that the tread had seperated and I found a date code on the back and it is 1705 so it appears the tire in question and probably the rest of them were made around the same week in May of 2005.



Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, Aluminum Radiator Quad-Bag Suspension Solar Panel
Manuals on DVD
YOUTUBE Channel: GMC Dealer Training Tapes
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes [message #326901 is a reply to message #326897] Fri, 08 December 2017 10:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
k2gkk is currently offline  k2gkk   United States
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
Senior Member
At an age of over 12 years, that tire was WAY BEYOND its claimed service life!


D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com



________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Tom Lins
Sent: Friday, December 8, 2017 09:41
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes

Ray Erspamer wrote on Fri, 08 December 2017 09:18
> That tire could be a factory "blem" where the date code was missed. I'm pretty sure the C3J is the plant code. Tires usually have the DOT then
> something like the UP11, then the plant code and then the date code. Looks to me like the date code is missing.
>
> https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popularmechanics.com%2Fcars%2Fa4047%2Fhow-old-are-your-tires-15441034%2F&data =02%7C01%7C%7C558914debdad4ab6899308d53e5256bc%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636483445715583575&sdata=JSpDsaZO3dYikc2q4O7p1GBNzoFbd 504FXakuSnKcrI%3D&reserved=0








i have to apologize for not investigating more carefully, lying on ground in the rain made me hurry. I took the wheel off to get the tire replaced
that the tread had seperated and I found a date code on the back and it is 1705 so it appears the tire in question and probably the rest of them were
made around the same week in May of 2005.


--
Tom Lins
Elkton, FL
77 GM Rear Twin


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Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes [message #326914 is a reply to message #326867] Fri, 08 December 2017 13:40 Go to previous message
powerjon is currently offline  powerjon   United States
Messages: 2446
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 5
Senior Member

I have no idea what the C3J code is but it might be the factor code.
Here is how the read the data code. Some time have it on both sides
but most have it on one side.
https://www.wikihow.com/Read-a-Date-Code#Reading_Tire_Date_Codes_sub
JR WrightMichigan ( On location in Tucson)

-----------------------------------------From: "Tom Lins"
*
To:
Cc:
Sent: 08-Dec-2017 15:42:50 +0000
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] DOT date codes

Ray Erspamer wrote on Fri, 08 December 2017 09:18
> That tire could be a factory "blem" where the date code was missed.
I'm pretty sure the C3J is the plant code. Tires usually have the DOT
then
> something like the UP11, then the plant code and then the date
code. Looks to me like the date code is missing.
>
>
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a4047/how-old-are-your-tires-15441034/
/>

i have to apologize for not investigating more carefully, lying on
ground in the rain made me hurry. I took the wheel off to get the tire
replaced
that the tread had seperated and I found a date code on the back and
it is 1705 so it appears the tire in question and probably the rest of
them were
made around the same week in May of 2005.

--
Tom Lins
Elkton, FL
77 GM Rear Twin

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/>
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J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMI
78 30' Buskirk Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
Re: DOT date codes [message #326957 is a reply to message #326897] Sat, 09 December 2017 22:24 Go to previous message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
Senior Member
So it is 2.5 years past recommended replacement. It is a funny way to fail
timed out or not.

I am dealing with some right now on a rescued coach coach that are 23
years old. They are being replaced prior to highway use. Four already done.
Two more to go.


Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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