The best time to retire a tree swing is when you notice signs of degradation. This can be a number of things like: high stretch, fraying of rope, weakening of rope, rope discoloration, loss of shape, creaking or snapping sounds, etc. If you notice any of these signs or a combination of these signs, then it’s likely that you need to retire the tree swing. After you remove the tree swing, check out the branch to see if the tree is strong enough to house another one. If the branch looks weak or brittle, relocate the new swing.