Proper Storage for R Compound Tires

[Discount Tire]

For those of you who have extreme winter months, you may find these tire storage tips useful. This information comes directly from Nitto.
Details:Proper Tire Storage for Colder Climates

For other useful information on winter driving, check out our winter tire FAQs page.
Details:Winter Tire FAQs

Matt-

[The_Bishop]

Was thinking about this myself as this will be the first winter that I will be storing r-comps. Guess I'll get them out of the garage and down in the basement. Storing at 1/2 pressure was a good tip, too.

Thanks for the input.

- Allen.

[Scrumpot]

I thought I've seen a separate thread, regarding putting our cars away for the winter, where it was highly DISCOURAGED, to remove the wheels/tires (what I used to do with other cars in winter months "putting it up on blocks") with our Elises/Exiges - for fear of some sort of damage or distortion to our suspension. ...???

So, if you are in a climate where extended below freezing temps are to be expected this winter, and you also do not have a climate controlled environment (heated garage) to keep your baby in, what are you supposed to do?

[The_Bishop]

Put the car up on jackstands in the garage, remove the wheels, give them a good cleaning inside and out, then put them in the dining room.



- Allen.

[tesprit]

Originally Posted by Scrumpot

.....So, if you are in a climate where extended below freezing temps are to be expected this winter, and you also do not have a climate controlled environment (heated garage) to keep your baby in, what are you supposed to do?

This is the way my car is being stored right now in cold storage and has been for the last couple of winters here in WI.



My regular tires/wheels are in my basement and the car is sitting on a set of compact spares (98 VW Jetta) purchased from the local junkyard for $100 for the whole set. This keeps the suspension bushings from being distorted and damaged by the suspension being left in full droop and if these tires get flat spotted or damaged from the cold, who cares. The other nice thing is that when not in use, the compact spares are light and easy to move around and take up almost no room when stacked in the corner of my garage. Problem solved!

[Scrumpot]

Beautiful solution!

[Crabman]

Originally Posted by tesprit

My regular tires/wheels are in my basement and the car is sitting on a set of compact spares (98 VW Jetta) purchased from the local junkyard for $100 for the whole set. This keeps the suspension bushings from being distorted and damaged by the suspension being left in full droop and if these tires get flat spotted or damaged from the cold, who cares. The other nice thing is that when not in use, the compact spares are light and easy to move around and take up almost no room when stacked in the corner of my garage. Problem solved!

Great idea. Is the bolt pattern the same, or did you modify the wheels?

[tesprit]

Originally Posted by Crabman

Great idea. Is the bolt pattern the same, or did you modify the wheels?

The bolt pattern is the same, but the wheels will foul the brake calipers so no rolling the car around or driving it. If you need to roll the car around the garage, just slip some car dollies under the wheels. I have a set made by Roll Master (don't know if the company still exists, but there are plenty of cheap dollies available now days) that will allow me to push the car in any direction or spin the car 360 degrees within its own wheelbase.

[glb]

what is the benefit of storing the tires @ 1/2 pressure??

I've not heard that before.

[RoadDad]

Originally Posted by The_Bishop

Put the car up on jackstands in the garage, remove the wheels, give them a good cleaning inside and out, then put them in the dining room.



- Allen.

That's not going to make your suspension bushings very happy.

[Discount Tire]

Originally Posted by glb

what is the benefit of storing the tires @ 1/2 pressure??

I've not heard that before.

That's a good question. I have never actually asked that myself, I will ask Nitto and post up their reply. (They may not get back to us until Monday though with the holiday.) Thank you for your patience.

[Discount Tire]

Originally Posted by glb

what is the benefit of storing the tires @ 1/2 pressure??

I've not heard that before.

Here's what Nitto had to say:

The primary benefit of reducing the pressure in this case would be to reduce the stress on the rubber compound of the tire.

The colder the temperature, the molecules inside the rubber compound bond more stiff-ly. Therefore any added expansion or stress on the compound would help create cracks and separation in freezing temperatures.

As for having the 1/2 the normal operating temperature, if the tire is to be completely deflated, that could also cause the tire to be out of shape due to the flexibility on the sidewall when sitting over a long period of time.

[eleven]

...so, 1/2 pressure only if the tires are stored in cold temps?

[ckalkhof]

I made a set of stands for my car and stored the tires in the basement. This method reduces the stress of having the suspension dangling while the car is on jackstands.

[BRTHTAKR]

Originally Posted by ckalkhof

I made a set of stands for my car and stored the tires in the basement. This method reduces the stress of having the suspension dangling while the car is on jackstands.

Brilliant!

[glb]

Originally Posted by ckalkhof

I made a set of stands for my car and stored the tires in the basement. This method reduces the stress of having the suspension dangling while the car is on jackstands.

boy....the ride quality must be terrible!

[Discount Tire]

Originally Posted by eleven

...so, 1/2 pressure only if the tires are stored in cold temps?

Personally, If I was storing any tire over a long period of time I would store them at 1/2 pressure no matter the temperature it does sound to me like it is more important to do this if they will be stored in cooler temperatures.

-Travis

[eleven]

Travis- Thanks for the reply.

[Discount Tire]

Originally Posted by ckalkhof

I made a set of stands for my car and stored the tires in the basement. This method reduces the stress of having the suspension dangling while the car is on jackstands.

That's pretty cool ckalkhof

[ckalkhof]

Thanks for the compliments

BTW - Since I sold my car a few months ago, I will not be needing these stands (for a while anyway). If anyone wants them for 200 bucks (I think that's how much the steel cost me), they're yours!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!