Proper Tire Storage for Winter (unheated garage)

What is the proper method for storing autox / track day tires during th off season?

I have a method for my drag race stuff.. Was wondering about the storage procedures for the sticky AutoX Track Day tires in an unheated garage?

Thanks,

Greg

Move the garage to Florida 

Mine are in the basement keeping company with the water heater because I wasn’t allowed to keep them in the living room.

I put my tires in contractor size trash bags, sucked all the air out with my shop vac, then sealed them shut with duct tape.  

I store mine in an unheated garage now, but used to individually bag them and stack in the basement as far away from ozone sources as possible (electric motors, etc.).  It's a good idea to clean them first with hot soapy water and dry them thoroughly first, if anything to avoid handling dirty tires in the spring.

captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

Move the garage to Florida 

Or be a "half- back" Yankee. Move to FL, realize the summers are too hot, and go half way back. "course NC is being overrun.

In reply to slantsix :

Curious. What is the drag's stuff method? Wouldn't it be the same?

try to find a place to keep them above 50 deg F and out of sunlight/UV exposure.



 

Thanks guys.

Similar to what I do with my drag setup then.

I do put those tires in bags and put them in the basement of the house, but I did not ever suck the air out / seal the bags - that would be a good addition to my routine.

I also air the Drag race tires down to ~5 PSI for storage.

Thanks, Greg

I've got a great spot in the heater closet for them. It's like they made the room with tire stoage in mind. 

Lots of space in the basement.

Patientzero said:

sucked all the air out with my shop vac.  

Glad you clarified. Was going to give a bunch of the morons around here hard ons.

bmw88rider (Forum Supporter) said:

I've got a great spot in the heater closet for them. It's like they made the room with tire stoage in mind. 

What kind of heater? Large electrical stuff tends to create a lot of ozone which is hard on tires. Sometimes I wonder if the tires I have in a closet across the hall from the furnace and water heater are still too close.

Dumb question.  Is vacuuming out the air good, or bad?

I would think that pulling the air out would mean the tires would outgas more and dry out faster.  I'd almost want to seal them in a pressure vessel full of I don't know what (butane? propane?) to keep the tires from evaporating.

Such antics rapidly approach the cost of just buying new tires in the spring, of course.

Stack them in the living room two high with pallets on top. Tell your wife it's a trendy up-cycled coffee table.

If only my living room was large enough for pallets and tires...!

Garages are 3-4 times the sf of the house.

Living in a tiny house = more ca$h for car$, toolS, part$ and Ra¢ing.

Greg

I stack my summer tires in the corner of the den, put a piece of plywood on top, and a table cloth to hide the tires, then a table lamp.  She who I no longer obey  (SWINLO) didn't realize this for a while the first time I did it.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Dumb question.  Is vacuuming out the air good, or bad?

Continential and Goodyear both recommend it.  I can't speak to the science behind it.

https://www.continental-tires.com/car/tire-knowledge/tire-care-maintenance/storing-tires

https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/learn/tire-care-maintenance/how-to-store-tires

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Dumb question.  Is vacuuming out the air good, or bad?

I would think that pulling the air out would mean the tires would outgas more and dry out faster.  I'd almost want to seal them in a pressure vessel full of I don't know what (butane? propane?) to keep the tires from evaporating.

 

Such antics rapidly approach the cost of just buying new tires in the spring, of course.

Putting them in an actual vaccum chamber? Probably not a good idea. But you're not going to get anywhere close to that with a shop vac and a trash bag. The point is to provide as little opportunity for the oils in the rubber to evaporate as possible. So probably not an actual vacuum, but not an excess of air/oxygen either.

Garbage bags and stored in the spare bedroom/computer room/office