What causes rubber cracks on tires and how to prevent them
Tires are subjected to precipitation, brake dust, chemicals, sunlight, and temperature fluctuations from summer to winter. While tires contain anti-aging chemicals to help protect them, prolonged exposure to these elements can cause the rubber to lose its elasticity, causing the surface to age and crack. Tires should last five to seven years under normal conditions, but as they age, they begin to rot, and it's only a matter of time before the cracks become dangerous. Here's what causes rubber cracks on tires and how to prevent them. WHAT CAUSES TIRES TO CRACK? Cracks in tires, also known as weather checking, weather cracking, and ozone cracking, are typically small and develop in the sidewalls or at the base of the tread grooves. These are indications that the rubber in the tires is beginning to degrade. Cracks typically start on the sidewall and progress to the outer part of the tire beneath the tread. As the rubber's flexibility decreases, larger cracks form, and it