Tire Storage...

[professor229]

Where I live in Minnesota we have a storage problem.... I am looking into all possibilities and have two sets of tires for most of my vehicles... summer and winter tires.... right now I have two sets of tires in an Arrow metal shed but need the room in that shed. My idea was to buy two waterproof tire storage bags and store these on a wood platform behind my garage for the winter.... Then I read all about this and mostly from tire stores that say "don't do it...." and give a bunch of reasons relating to winter weather in Minnesota etc.... and then you start to maybe out think this a bit... if tire storage in waterproof/sunproof bags is bad, then why aren't the same conditions bad for my two trucks that sit outside all winter long? The tires on these are exposed to the sun/cold all winter long... I would seem to me that tires in a protective "bag" stored outside would be that much better... Am I missing something? And if anyone stores their tires outside in the winter, can you tell me if there is a bag from Amazon or Ebay that is better than others?

 

[superj]

i think since the tires on the vehicles roll, it works them and keeps them pliable but i would think if your stored tires are laying stacked on their sides, they would be fine. my stored tires sit on their sides in the garage for who knows how many months at a time

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah that makes no sense to me either.
Storing tires in bags keeps the tire rubber from outgassing as much (this is what creates the "tire smell" you invariably can detect whenever you walk into a tire store), which is what causes the rubber to degrade and harden over time. I have not done it myself with fullsize (1:1) vehicle tires, but I have done it with radio-control model tires.
For awhile I kept the RC model in my garage, and discovered the tires would rot out & crack much the same normal vehicle tires do, but at a much faster rate since they are smaller (about two years time). I put the model away for several more years before I sold it to a friend, but this time I had removed the tires and put them in ziploc bags. Seven years later, they looked good as the day I bagged them up.

Keep in mind, tire stores also have an incentive to sell you new tires sooner rather than later.
I would say bag them, but keep them away from moisture & condensation. They should be fine.

 

[professor229]

Hey..... Read enough about this and you will hear just about every idea and opinion, which is becoming the norm these days.... I suspect there is truth in every statement to a degree. So my plan is to find some individual tire wrap bags, and bag each tire to prevent that air problem and then cover them with a couple of Menard's cheap tarps to keep the weather from affecting them too much. I was hoping to find a Rubbermaid kind of shed large enough to hold two sets of tires but the price of them is just too much these days... and I found three of them on Craigslist but was too late... typical. I also have decided not to stack them and they will sit on a wood platform...... It's the same old thing though.... research, You Tube videos, and talk to people before making decisions and try for the best solutions..... Thanks for you input.... it is greatly appreciated... Today, I make arrangements for U Joints.... the last mechanical problem the Ranger has...

 

[sgtsandman]

I’ve stored my tires stacked flat for decades and never had a problem. Storing them raised off the ground and covered should be perfectly fine. It might be a good idea to store them higher off the ground than a pallet but I’m not an expert and I’ve always stored mine in a shed. Perhaps building or buying a small shed to hold them might be a better idea.

 

[professor229]

I agree with you 100% and have bought two sheds in the last five years.... a Rubbermaid shed and an Arrow metal "lean to" shed...... Menards... but the prices have gone out of sight now.... so I have been looking for a Rubbermaid outdoor storage cabinet... I live in a town where there are "rules" too.... and I have maxxed out how many "outbuildings" I can have on my property.... Thought about extending my garage for two more "bays" also..... but then saw the estimates on pricing and that isn't in the budget either.... So I am committed to finding some storage bags like Discount Tires put my old tires in for storage...and these would almost be considered "disposable" but they sell them 100 at a time in a roll or box... don't need 100!!!! So will probably find some 55 gallon garbage bags to seal the tires in and then set them on the pallet and cover them with some cheap plastic tarps and hope for the best.... Been looking for two lugger snow tires for my Ranger... Craigslist and either 225 or 235 and yes, I already have two extra rims that I have refurbished.... they look new... but finding snow tires these days??? Maybe they are a thing of the past? Oh well.... have a good one...

 

[Shran]

https://www.amazon.com/Heininger-5392-Large-GarageMate-TireHide/dp/B00XXO86Y2?tag=959media-20

Stack them on a pallet and put that over the pile.

I just stash them on pallets behind my shop in stacks of 4 or 5 high and cover them up with an old tonneau cover... just to keep water out of them.

 

[sgtsandman]

I agree with you 100% and have bought two sheds in the last five years.... a Rubbermaid shed and an Arrow metal "lean to" shed...... Menards... but the prices have gone out of sight now.... so I have been looking for a Rubbermaid outdoor storage cabinet... I live in a town where there are "rules" too.... and I have maxxed out how many "outbuildings" I can have on my property.... Thought about extending my garage for two more "bays" also..... but then saw the estimates on pricing and that isn't in the budget either.... So I am committed to finding some storage bags like Discount Tires put my old tires in for storage...and these would almost be considered "disposable" but they sell them 100 at a time in a roll or box... don't need 100!!!! So will probably find some 55 gallon garbage bags to seal the tires in and then set them on the pallet and cover them with some cheap plastic tarps and hope for the best.... Been looking for two lugger snow tires for my Ranger... Craigslist and either 225 or 235 and yes, I already have two extra rims that I have refurbished.... they look new... but finding snow tires these days??? Maybe they are a thing of the past? Oh well.... have a good one...

Most winter tires get taken off the market until closer to winter. They are still around, you just have to wait.

One thing I’m definitely not liking is that they are getting away from unidirectional tires and offering mostly unidirectional ones now. Fine if you only run 4 tires but you may or may not be out of luck if you need the spare. Traction is going to be different running backwards and you can’t rotate with the spare in the mix unless you now get 6 tires instead of 5.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Yeah that makes no sense to me either.
Storing tires in bags keeps the tire rubber from outgassing as much (this is what creates the "tire smell" you invariably can detect whenever you walk into a tire store), which is what causes the rubber to degrade and harden over time. I have not done it myself with fullsize (1:1) vehicle tires, but I have done it with radio-control model tires.
For awhile I kept the RC model in my garage, and discovered the tires would rot out & crack much the same normal vehicle tires do, but at a much faster rate since they are smaller (about two years time). I put the model away for several more years before I sold it to a friend, but this time I had removed the tires and put them in ziploc bags. Seven years later, they looked good as the day I bagged them up.

Keep in mind, tire stores also have an incentive to sell you new tires sooner rather than later.
I would say bag them, but keep them away from moisture & condensation. They should be fine.

RC is so fun but such a money pit! lol

 

[4x4junkie]

RC is so fun but such a money pit! lol

Tell me about it!! But yeah it's all worth it though.