What Is the Oldest Date Code a Tire Purchased from etrailer Can Have?

Updated 10/12/2026 | Published 10/09/2026

Question:

Looking at st145r12 wheel and tire. How do I know what year tire I will receive? Thanks

asked by: Roger W

Expert Reply:

Hi Roger,

All of our tires will be stamped with production dates from the last three years. They are kept in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment to ensure that there is no deterioration of the rubber.

What trailer are will you be replacing the tire/wheels on?

expert reply by: Claire H

Gary

10/10/2026

I bought the radial tires to use on my Cushman Truckster police model. The front tire would wear pretty rapidly with a standard trailer tire. I figured I’d try a radial on the front. I’m very pleased with it so far, the overall diameter is a bit larger. This is a three wheeled vehicle and the front flexes because you are turning it when you steer around corners. It is wearing better than the standard tires did on the front, so I purchased two more for the rear (driving ) wheels.

Claire H.

10/12/2026

@Gary I had to look up what a Cushman Truckster is and that is so cool! I've never seen on of those in person, only in movies. What do you typically use yours for? Trailer tires have a stiffer side wall to prevent any blow outs that with a wider diameter definitely sounds like it would support this type of vehicle better than a standard car tire.

Mike F.

10/10/2026

I bought this tire for two reasons. #2, it is highly rated among its competition. Far away #1, however, is that a radial is speed rated (i.e., safe) for sustained 81 mph, while the bias ply tires in this size are safe only up to 55 mph. I cruise freeways at 78 most of the time, pass at much higher speeds (it's legal here on two-lane rural highways so we don't hang out in the oncoming lane too long). 55 would get me run over, earn a ticket for blocking the flow of traffic, put me to sleep, and/or just take too danged long to get anywhere. Radials run cooler, last longer, and ride more smoothly. I'll be selling my unused bias ply tires on Craigslist when I find the time.

Claire H.

10/12/2026

@MikeF The speed rating is one of the main reasons why I steer people toward radial tires if they're mostly highway driving. Bias tires have their place, mostly for offroad or uneven terrain where you're not hitting those high speeds, but not ideal for road driving. I'm glad to hear that these tires are serving you well!

Randy

10/11/2026

I own a set of these tires and have been very pleased with them. I would suggest ordering them and inspect the tires on arrival for the four-digit date code. The first two numbers are the week and the second two are the year; since etrailer sells these tires regularly I’m sure they’ll have a xx26 date code.

Claire H.

10/12/2026

@Randy We do sell A LOT of tires here, but even if they have a date code that's not 2026, as long as they're within 3 years, they'll be just fine. If a tire with a date year older than that somehow snuck in there, we'll replace it with a new one.