In a recent article, I referenced Michelin Canada’s website about how to store your tires and rims when not in use and received a fair amount of feedback, of course with some disagreement. I decided to research the matter further.
The primary reasoning for any discussion on proper tire storage is to alleviate tire deformities during their off season, hopefully extending their life span.
The Michelin site states that if your tires are mounted on rims, you should hang them or stack them horizontally, but should not store them standing up. If they are not fitted on rims they should not be stacked or hung, they should be stored vertically, standing up.
And then there is the Continental tire website that says, if possible, store tires vertically rather than storing horizontally to reduce stress and tire distortion with no mention of being mounted on rims or not. Which would appear to me to be the opposite of what Michelin says.
Next up is the Tirecraft webpage storage tips, which says if your tires are not on rims they should not be hung under any circumstances, nor should you pile them, they should be stored on racks off the floor. Tires on rims should be hung or piled, but you should reconfigure the pile every 4 weeks.
I could go on, but I think you get the idea, like so many other things in life, there is no clear standard. Just too muddy the water even more, here are my thoughts.
While no one left their vehicle unattended for an extended period, the early pandemic period saw numerous vehicles sitting outside for more than a year without being driven or even moved. When the time came to get rolling again, most people complained their brakes were noisy, but no one mentioned anything about flat spotted tires.
This got me thinking that there is no clear-cut answer to the mounted tire/rim storage orientation question because in most cases we are over thinking it and it really doesn’t matter. Humbly, I believe tires mounted on rims should be able to sit for a single season with little attention paid to orientation as long as they are inflated properly and stored inside.
Tires not mounted on rims however need a bit of attention regarding storage. I agree that they should never be hung from a hook. I think the best orientation would be standing vertically, however once again, experience dictates that most who store horizontally will never notice anything awry at the end of a season. But if I had a choice, I would store them vertically in a rack, mounted on the wall, up out of the way so as to maximize floor space.
Additionally, if you really want to up your tire storage game here are some bonus round points to consider. Give your tires a good scrub prior to storage to remove any nasty, oily road debris. If you can, after you clean them, place individually in bags that you can reasonably seal. The tire storage bags that you get from your tires shop at your time of the seasonal switchover may not be big enough to effectively close up and you may need to go looking for extra-large lawn care bags or such. If possible, squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing them up. Store in a cool, dry location and if you feel inspired, change their orientation a couple of times per season. If you do store horizontally place them on a piece of wood to get them slightly up off the ground. Also, do not store near devices such as electric motors that emit ozone and of course, keep out of direct sunlight.
Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. Have a question about maintenance and repair? E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing “Lou’s Garage” in the subject line.
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