Hello everyone. I have a 1999 Lincoln town car that has dry rotted tires and I don’t have the budget to replace them right now. They don’t leak and the tread is still good, but the sidewalls are spider web cracked all over. Is there any way to temporarily fix this to make them last longer? I heard a guy on YouTube recommend flex seal but he might have been joking. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Dry rotted tires are completely unsafe to drive on, especially to that extent. Nothing can fix dry rotting - it's a result of chemical degradation in the rubber that eventually goes completely through. It's not something like a nail in the tread that can be repaired. The only safe option is to replace the tires, either with brand new ones, or quality used ones if you really can't afford new.
There is literally no way to repair or band aid fix dry rot. You'll need to get them replaced ASAP and I would drive at reduced speeds and only as absolutely necessary until you can replace them.
Listen to the others.
Your tyres are the only points of contact between you & the road. Don’t be callous with your safety & the safety of others.
Another related thread -
https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/10-year-old-tires-safe/#post-112630
I made the tires sound a bit worse than they are. They do have cracking in the sidewall, but not quite “all over” as I said before. They are bad and they need replacing, but i currently can’t afford to buy a set of tires. The cracks aren’t substantially deep as the tires hold air just fine. But don’t worry, I will have them replaced as soon as financially feasible, and currently the car doesn’t see too much use other than the occasional cruise.
All the best & please keep your speed down.
Will do, and thank you. All the best to you as well.
"Dry Rot" is triggered by UV light from the sun. A good UV protectent for tires is always a good idea. It should stop the progression of the problem until you can replace them so at least it's not getting worse. No one can tell you it's safe to continue using damaged tires. Lives, limbs, and other body parts are at stake, so don't expect to hear it!
Discount Tire has financing on tires. I don't know if that would be an option for you.
