A winter or summer set spends half the year off the car, and how it is stored decides what condition it is in when it goes back on. Done right, a stored set comes out next season as good as it went away; done carelessly, it can age or distort in a corner of the garage.
Clean and label first
Two quick jobs before anything is put away:
- Clean and dry each tyre, so road grime and brake dust are not left to sit on the rubber for months, the method is in the tyre-cleaning guide
- Label each one's position: front-left, rear-right and so on, so it goes back in the right place and keeps its rotation pattern
A chalk mark or a sticky label is all it takes, and it saves guesswork at fitting time.
The right conditions
Rubber keeps best somewhere cool, dark, dry and ventilated. The things to keep tyres away from are the things that age them:
- Sunlight, whose UV hardens and cracks the rubber
- Heat sources, which dry it out
- Ozone, given off by running electric motors and generators, so not next to the freezer or a battery charger
- Petrol, oil and solvents, which attack rubber on contact
A garage or shed away from direct sun is ideal. Each tyre bagged keeps dust off and slows drying out.
On the rim or off?
This is the part most people get wrong, and the rule flips depending on whether the tyres are still on their wheels:
- Off the rim (just the tyre): store upright, standing on the tread, and turn them now and then. Do not hang unmounted tyres, as hanging distorts them.
- On the rim (a wheel-and-tyre set): stack them flat in a pile, or hang them on sturdy hooks. Do not stand mounted wheels upright for months, as the weight can flat-spot and distort the tyre.
Getting this the right way round is what stops a set developing flat spots or distortion over a long winter or summer in storage.
Pressure and time
Mounted sets can be left at their normal pressure; there is no need to deflate them. Over a long store they may lose a little air, which is simply topped back up to the recommended figure before they go back on. And while storage protects a tyre, it does not stop the clock; a set still ages with the years, so a very old seasonal set is worth checking on date as well as tread.
Prepare for the next changeover now
Record positions, tread and manufacture dates before putting the set away. This makes an uneven-wear pattern easier to identify later and helps establish whether replacement is needed before the next appointment. Keep tyres away from fuel, oils and equipment that can damage rubber. Do not apply dressing as a substitute for correct storage. Before refitting, inspect the tyre and wheel, restore the specified pressure and complete any required TPMS procedure. A leak or damaged valve discovered after storage should be investigated rather than repeatedly topped up.
Common questions
How should I store tyres over the summer or winter?+
Clean and dry them, label each one's position, and keep them somewhere cool, dark, dry and ventilated, away from sunlight, heat and chemicals. Bag them to keep oils in and dust out. Stored well, a seasonal set stays ready for next year.
Should tyres be stored upright or stacked?+
It depends. Tyres off their rims should stand upright and be turned occasionally. Tyres still on their wheels should be stacked flat or hung on hooks, not stood upright for months, as the weight can distort them over time.
Where is the best place to store tyres?+
Somewhere cool, dark, dry and ventilated, a garage or shed away from direct sun and damp. Keep them clear of electric motors and generators, which give off ozone that ages rubber, and away from petrol, oil and solvents.
Do I need to do anything to tyres before storing them?+
Clean off the road grime and let them dry, then label each tyre's position so it can go back in the right place and keep its rotation. Bagging each one limits drying out and keeps dust off.