Cover stored tires with...?

I have my extra tires stored in the basement under my house. Each is sealed in a large lawn/leaf trash bag.

 

I had this conversation last weekend at the track. Sealed in the lawn and leaf bag is what I heard also.

 

Better yet... put them in the free tire bags you get at Discount Tire !

 

Basically, you need the lowest levels of humidity and UV lighting you can manage.

 

I've always used black plastic garbage bags, especially with race tires.

 

How much is heat an issue? I understand they get heat cycled, etc. on the track. But more along the lines of how well they would hold up if wrapped in garbage bags out in the shed or a toolbox on your car trailer (during the summer, sun beating down, etc.).

 

The best you can do with storing race tires is to seal them in plastic bags to help keep the oils from evaporating out of the rubber and store them in a cool place. This means not in the attic or anywhere outside in the sun. Realize that even if sealed race tires that have seen a heat cycle still age and when you put them back on in months or a year or whatever the rubber will be harder.

Fresh tires are always more grippy than old tires. Once a race tire gets its first heat cycle plan on them being dead in a year no matter what you do. Race tires have a definite life, whether you have actually used up the tread or not.

 

Is in the garage ok?

 

I can see some guy building a walk in cooler in an effort to keep his racing tires fresh for next year. ( g r i n ) He could also cure a side of beef in there too.

I've seen garages get pretty hot in the summer. When I lived in Sacramento, Ca, my garage use to go above the century mark most days every summer. I would try to find a place where the temps stayed below 60 degrees or so for storage.

Bob

 

LOL! i can see it now, a guy with a walk in humidor... with cigars and tires

Imagine.... the smell of rubber when you smoke a great cigars or cigar smell from tires. Yummmm My of my three fave 'hobbies.'

 

http://www.dunloptires.com/care/storage.html
Because tires are highly engineered products composed of a variety of materials, they must be protected from heat, light, moisture, ozone and deformation during storage.

The driver planning to store a vehicle for an extended period of time, should remove the tires from the vehicle, place them in plastic bags, and stack them in a cool, dark place. Because tires lose air with time, leaving them on a vehicle in contact with the ground or other surface for an extended period will result in excessive deflection, which can cause permanent flat spots.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/care/tire.html
DO STORE
* Where area is clean, cool, dry, dark and well ventilated but with a minimum of circulating air so that tires on the bottom of a stack retain their shape.
* Whitewall to whitewall to avoid staining.
* Protected by an opaque waterproof covering, if outdoors, but avoid creating a heat box or steam bath.
* Where tires are raised off the storage surface, if outdoors.

AVOID STORING
* Where area is wet, oily, greasy.
* Where subject to extreme temperatures.
* In the same area as an electric motor or other ozone generating sources (if there is a question, check ozone levels to be sure they do not exceed 0.08 ppm).
* On black asphalt or other heat absorbent surfaces.
* Adjacent to highly reflective surfaces (i.e., snow covered ground or sand).
* On piers, ship decks or other open, unprotected areas.

STORING TIRES MOUNTED ON VEHICLES
It is best to store a vehicle on blocks to remove all weight from the tires. If the vehicle cannot be blocked up from the storage surface, completely unload it so minimum weight will rest on the tires. Keep tires inflated to recommended operating inflation pressure. The surface should be firm, reasonably level, well drained and clean. Do not store on blacktop or oil stabilized surfaces.

Move the vehicle at least every three months to prevent ozone cracking in the bulge area and also to prevent a "flat spot" from developing (due to strain from deflection). If tires do develop a temporary "flat spot", it will usually disappear in a short period of time (for example, the first 25 miles of service).

STORING INFLATED TIRES NOT MOUNTED ON VEHICLES
All of the preceeding guidelines apply in this instance. Keep tires inflated to recommended operating pressure.

 

Keep them away from any running electric motors as they generate ozone.