How to properly store tires?

[colbystephens]

I've got 38" swamper ss tires on my '73 that's just sitting, waiting to be transfered to my '90 when the build gets started hopefully in January. Do I need to be concerned about dry rot? Should I drive the truck back and forth a few times every so often to make sure they don't sit in one position too long? Currently the truck is sitting on dirt. I have my spare in my office, which has a concrete floor.

 

[blazinzuk]

Keep em out of the sun and weather. In a sunless room is best.

Buddy just took his zuk out of storage been sitting for 8 years, tires are prefectly fine. They stayed inflated but other than that no special care was taken.

Keep em out of the uv rays I think is most important

 

[yellowK20]

Lay them flat on top of each other, every six months or so flip them over. keep them out of the sun they'll be fine

 

[la-zdunck]

I've got 38" swamper ss tires on my '73 that's just sitting, waiting to be transfered to my '90 when the build gets started hopefully in January

do you mean "SSR's" or "SX's" ???

assuming you are leaving the tires on the truck...

the ssr's would be fine sitting over the winter, as they are radial and hold their shape much better.

the sx's are bias ply and will flatspot, so i'd say roll em around once in a while.

any tire left on a vehicle stored for an extended period of time should be rotated periodically. you're only talkin january, so i wouldn't be too concerned.

yellowk20 is right on about storing tires flat and flipping them often. don't stack em 4 high though, thats a lot of weight on the bottom guy. 2 high at the most.

 

[nvrenuf]

yellowk20 is right on about storing tires flat and flipping them often. don't stack em 4 high though, thats a lot of weight on the bottom guy. 2 high at the most.

This ^^

The weight wont hurt the bottom tire(s) but it will make them a sumbich to mount on any wheel wider than about 8".

 

[Fordum]

UV from the sun is the single biggest problem. Check with camper places. Those tires do a lot of sitting still, and they have UV blocking sprays that will help.
That tire cleaner, shine that ArmorAll makes is supposed to have UV blocking properties. Otherwise, try to cover them up with something.

The camper places sell tire covers just for that. They would not work well on your vehicle, but anything you could put over them that will block the UV will help.


Or just buy some spf 50 waterproof sunblock and massage it in well.........

 

[colbystephens]

SSR radials. Are you serious about the sunblock? If so, I'll do it. I'll try to cover them. Fortunately, the truck is stored up close on the north and east side of an L shaped building, so it has protection from southern and western sun. Most always sitting in the shade. I'll see what I can do to cover them up, though.

Truck sat at my house for a couple months and got flat spots before I moved to where it currently sits. Bumpy ride for sure!

 

[Fordum]

Well.........I was partially kidding about the sunblock. The idea is to stop the UV from damaging the tire, and sunblock would help with that, since it does just what it says. Blocks the sun(UV).
But, I don't know how long it would last, or what the various other ingredients for skin softening would do.

I have used this stuff on my camper trailer tires, not sure how effective it is, but it has to help.
http://www.armorall.com/products/view_product.php?product_id=26

In looking around though, it looks like there is some better stuff out there.
This, for instance.
http://www.greatlakescorrosion.com/Sun_Block.php

And, this stuff.

Here is a link to their talk about tire rot.
http://www.303products.com/techinfo/tires1.htm

And here it the link to their solution to it.

http://www.303products.com/shop303/index.cfm/category/65/303-aerospace-protectant.cfm

Of course, anything opaque to UV, like a vinyl tarp, NOT the ones they sell at WallyWorld, will do just as good.

BTW that is the real reason they sell spare tire covers for back mounted spares. Not to dress up your ride.
My camper trailer spare tire was the original under a cover.
It had been on there since the trailer was new back in 83 or so. The tires that were on it, had dry rotted and had cracks in the sidewalls. I replace them, and did not keep up the Armor All treatment.
The "new" tires are also showing signs of cracking, but the 83 model under the cover is fine.

 

[onetonbb74]

Mine sit on the sideyard under a tarp, an old sleeping bag, and some plywood...I was most concerned with the sun.