Tire cracking and ozone generator
 

I seem to have continuous issues with the sidewalls of my tires cracking around the 5 year mark. My cars are in a climate controlled garage, and never sit out in the sun. Somewhere I believe someone posted that if you do welding the ozone generated by that could cause these issues. I don't weld, but I do run an ozone generator in my garage periodically. Could this be my problem? My 58A is needing tires now, right at the 5 year mark, and my 89 911 also just got replaced at the 5 year mark. Thanks for any input.

I can't speak to how much ozone your machine generates, or if you run it often enough for it to matter, but I can tell you that ozone degradation is one of the biggest factors of aging in rubber, along with heat cycling and UV exposure (other chemicals can degrade rubber significantly also, but that is another story). There are additives included in the rubber compounds to address this, but high performance tires (i.e. "sticky" ones) have a less included (they are more "pure" compounds, especially with higher concentrations of natural latex). Dryness is also a factor. Tire dressing helps, but will not stop the process.

I didn't know that the ozone generators can do that to tires.. I'll try to use it less then. I mean the tires could deteriorate from anything.. if they are too old, too used and so on. I'm pretty sure though that ozone generators weren't the reason. If you're interested in what they can and cannot do check this out https://www.damagecontrol-911.com/guide-to-removing-odors-with-ozone-generators/ and you'll see that they couldn't damage the tires..

Should drive it more often so that you actually need to replace your tires after 5 years from wear, not cracking.

All electric motors generate some ozone which degrades rubber. We knew in the 80’s to store our motorcycle slicks in a cool dark closet for best longevity. Next to an air compressor is bad...

Tire deteriorate over time. I believe Michelin recommends replacement after 5 years. That may be marketing FUD, but I have noticed my low mileage tires getting harder and riding worse as they get to that age.

I wonder if the brand of tire has something to do with it? I had a car in storage with tires on it that were well over eight years old. The car got driven regularly (to exercise it) though spent most of its time in a very hot storage unit in Phoenix. The sidewalls never developed any cracking, not even tiny, little cracks.

They were Continentals.

Is it humid where you live? My cars have always been in a dry climate and the tires have never seen any cracks. Not sure if that has anything to do with it.