Tires are one of the most crucial components of your vehicle, and proper maintenance extends their life, ensures protection, and increases performance. Whether you're swapping winter tires for all-season tires or simply keeping a spare set, learning how to store tires properly is key to avoiding damage and prolonging their lifespan.
Learn from a Hercules Tires Expert on all the best practices for storing tires and what you need to do to keep them in great shape.
Properly storing tires preserves their quality, extends their lifespan, and ensures they remain safe and reliable for future use.
Why Proper Tire Storage Matters
Proper tire storage is essential for maintaining the longevity, performance and safety of your tires. When stored incorrectly, tires can be exposed to damaging elements such as extreme temperatures, moisture and UV rays, leading to issues like dry rot, cracking and deformation. Over time, these factors can weaken the rubber and compromise the tire's structural integrity. By storing tires properly in a clean, cool, and dry environment, and protecting them from harsh conditions, you not only extend their lifespan but also ensure they’re road-ready when needed. Proper storage ultimately helps save money by reducing the need for premature tire replacement.
Taking steps to store tires properly ensures they remain secure, functional and ready for use when needed.
Properly storing tires matters because it prevents deterioration and damage, ensuring they perform safely and efficiently when needed.
Steps to Proper Tire Storage
1. Clean Tires Thoroughly Before Storing
Before you store tires, clean them thoroughly to remove debris, dirt and brake dust. Tire rubber can degrade when exposed to contaminants over time, so this step is crucial for long-term storage. Use a mild soap, water and a tire brush to scrub them down, ensuring no chemicals are left behind that could harm the rubber.
Tip: Avoid using harsh chemicals or petroleum-based cleaners as they can degrade the tire material.
2. Store Tires in a Cool, Dry Place
Tires should be stored in a cool, dry environment away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Heat and UV rays can cause tire rubber to crack, while cold conditions can harden the material.
Ideal storage locations include:
- Basements: They tend to have moderate, stable temperatures.
- Garages: Just make sure the area is well-ventilated and away from heat sources.
Avoid: Outdoor sheds, attics, or places with wide temperature fluctuations or high humidity.
3. Keep Tires Off the Ground
Store your tires off the ground using shelves, racks, or wooden pallets. Storing tires directly on concrete or soil can lead to moisture buildup, which can harm the rubber and cause premature deterioration.
If you don’t have tire racks, place tires on top of clean, dry wooden surfaces to prevent damage.
4. Use Tire Bags or Covers
Protect tires from dust, moisture and UV rays by using tire bags or covers. These covers help maintain the integrity of the tire by keeping them sealed off from environmental elements.
- Plastic bags: You can use heavy-duty plastic tire bags, ensuring they’re airtight to prevent exposure to oxygen.
- Commercial tire covers: Specialized tire covers are designed for long-term storage, providing better protection against weather conditions.
Pro tip: If using plastic bags, consider placing a moisture-absorbing material like silica gel inside each bag to reduce humidity.
5. Store Tires Upright (If Not on Rims)
If your tires are not mounted on rims, the best way to store them is to keep them upright. This prevents sidewall stress and deformation.
- Upright storage: Line up the tires vertically, without stacking them. This helps maintain their shape and avoids stress on the sidewalls.
- Stacking: If you must stack tires (due to space limitations), ensure you rotate the stack regularly to prevent uneven pressure.
For tires mounted on rims, stacking them horizontally is acceptable, as the rims help maintain the tire’s structure.
6. Avoid Exposure to Chemicals and Oils
Ensure your storage area is free from chemicals, solvents, and oils, as these substances can break down the rubber compound of the tires over time. Even small amounts of exposure can lead to softening or cracking.
Keep tires stored far from areas where you store gasoline, paint, or other chemicals.
7. Rotate Stored Tires Periodically
If your tires are going to be in storage for an extended period (more than a few months), it's good practice to rotate them periodically. This will help prevent flat spots from developing, especially if the tires are stacked.
How to rotate: Move the tires around every few months to relieve pressure on any particular point and maintain their shape.
When storing tires, ensure they are inflated to the recommended pressure as they will naturally lose air over time.
How to Store Tires When On a Vehicle
If you are storing tires on a vehicle but it's not in use, some steps are very similar to those outlined above; however, there are specific precautions you should still take to maintain your tires' condition and prolong their lifespan.
1. Choose the Right Location: Ideally, the storage area should be away from direct sunlight, heat sources, or moisture. Prolonged exposure to UV rays, heat, and humidity can cause the rubber to deteriorate. Garages or covered areas are ideal. Avoid outdoor storage unless you have a weatherproof cover.
2. Protect from Sunlight and Water: If you cannot store the vehicle indoors, protect the tires from direct sunlight and weather by covering them. UV rays can cause the rubber to crack over time.
3. Relieve Pressure: If the vehicle will be stored for an extended period, use jack stands to take the weight off the tires. This helps prevent flat spots from developing where the tire sits on the ground. Ensure that all tires are inflated to the recommended pressure. Tires may naturally lose air over time, so check the pressure periodically.
4. Move the Vehicle Periodically: If jacking up the vehicle is not an option, move the vehicle every few weeks to prevent the tires from developing flat spots from sitting in one position for too long.
Proper tire storage is essential for extending the life of your tires and ensuring their safety. Whether they are mounted on rims or not, following these tire storage tips will help you get the most out of your investment.
By keeping your tires clean, dry, and away from harmful elements, you’ll ensure they stay in top condition, ready for the road when you are.
If you have questions about whether or not you are properly storing your tires, reach out to your local Hercules Tires Dealer. Click here to find the closest Hercules Tires Dealer near you.
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