How to store tires correctly

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Follow these simple guidelines and your tires will last more than one season.

1. Label each tire

Before removing the wheels from the car, be sure to label each of the tires. In the next season, you can easily replace them in their places and can avoid premature wear due to uneven wear of the tread.

Write on the tires with a marker, chalk or stick stickers to them, indicating which of the wheels they stood on. For example, “LP” is the left front, “RZ” is the right back, and so on. If you use special storage covers, they usually already have the corresponding tags. In this case, the main thing is not to confuse.

2. Clean the tires from dirt

It doesn't matter if you are going to store tires on disks or without - they must first be put in order. And the point here is far from perfectionism, but the fact that prolonged exposure to abrasive particles from dirt, stuck stones and other foreign objects damages the tread and accelerates the aging of rubber.

Take a coarse brush and wash off all dust, salt residues and other dirt that has accumulated inside the tread grooves. Examine the tire surface for deep cuts and cracks. Remove any jammed screws, nails, and pebbles.

Dry the tires after water treatment so that all moisture completely evaporates. Otherwise, mold may form on the tire, and corrosion centers on the rim.

Don't forget to restore the marks if they wash off!

3. Place the tires in the covers

To preserve the properties of the rubber, it is advisable to cover the tires to protect them from sunlight and high humidity. As covers, both special purchased options and ordinary plastic bags or cling film are suitable.

Textile covers are made of breathable material that allows air to circulate. If you have one, just put them on your tires. When constructing an impromptu protection from bags or cling film, leave small gaps to ensure natural ventilation. Otherwise, condensation may form inside and damage the tires.

4. Select a location

You cannot store tires anywhere. According to GOST, which regulates the handling of all types of tires, they should be stored in rooms with temperatures ranging from –30 to +35 ° С and humidity within 50–60%. And also away from heaters, fuels and lubricants and ozone-producing devices.

In domestic conditions, the main enemy of rubber is ultraviolet radiation. The sun's rays dry out the material, which reduces its elasticity and leads to cracking. High humidity is also dangerous, but rarely occurs in everyday life. And it is not so difficult to provide insulation from containers with oil, gasoline, solvents and other chemicals.

The best option would be a garage, if there is good ventilation, a basement will do. A balcony is the least preferable, but if there is no other way out, then at least reliably protect the tires from the sun.

5. Place the tires in the correct position

In addition to storing tires, their placement also plays an important role. There are several options for the correct placement of tires, depending on whether they are on the rims or not.

Tires with disks

Place the assembled wheels on a flat surface in a stack on top of each other. You cannot place any objects on them, using as a table or stand. If free space is barely enough, hang the wheels along the walls, hooking them with hooks on the rims of the discs. In both cases, deflate the tires, reducing the pressure by about half.

Tires without rims

If you do not have a second set of discs and you store the tires in a disassembled state, then fold them strictly vertically, placing them in one row. At the same time, once a month or so, remember to turn each tire a quarter of a turn to change the fulcrum and prevent deformation.

Checklist for the correct storage of tires

1. Mark the location of each tire.
2. Clean the tires from dirt and stones.
3. Place tires in casings or cover with foil.
4. Find a place protected from ultraviolet radiation.
5. Fold the wheels in a pile or hang them up, and put the tires vertically.