Tyre Storage: How And Where To Store Your Tyres

Storing your tyres at home can be a cost-effective option, but there are some tips you need to have in mind for doing it right. In today’s article, we are going over each of these, helping you make most of your tyre storage at home or in your basement.

Now, we all know that because of the warm weather, UAE drivers mostly buy universal or summer tyres. Still, there are many people who change tyres by season or opt in for off-road tyres for their desert endeavors.

The most important thing to have in mind is that when tyres are left unused for a long period of time, their flexibility decreases. This is due to the fact that the anti-UV oxidation chemicals in them are static and cannot distribute evenly in the tread. When they are in motion, these same chemicals are properly distributed, preventing any dry patches.

The Primary Things You Should Know About Storing Your Tyres

One of the things that most UAE drivers are unaware of is proper tyre storage. There are a couple of essential factors that contribute to this standard, including:

• The position of your tyres when stored
• The temperature and environment of the room where you store them
• Additional equipment

If tyre storage sounds like rocket science to you, you should know that it is not complicated at all once you follow these principles.

The Position Of Your Tyres

Let’s start with the position of your tyres when stored. There is an interesting rule that says “stand, stack, hang” implying to the position of your tyres when stored. If you can stand them upright, stack them on their sides or hang them up on hooks or racks, you are good to go.

What is very important to know is that the best way to store your set of tyres (and mounted wheels on them) is horizontally, where each tyre sits on top of each other – sidewall to sidewall.

However, if you are storing the tyres without any wheels mounted on them, you should align them vertically so that their sidewalls are touching. Once you do that, you should check in on them every three to four weeks and rotate them so that the chemicals can reach the entire circumference of the tyre.

Temperature And Room Environment

When storing your tyres, you should make sure that the room where you keep them is cool, dry, dark and clean. Experts recommend that rooms between –5°C and +25°C and with a maximum air humidity of 70% are a good option. Since tyres are changing on different temperatures, the tyre storage environment should have constant temperature levels. Make sure to minimize exposure to UV light while your tyres are there.

Simple tricks such as putting them in a locker, adding blinds to your windows (if any) or tinting your windows can do the trick. If this looks like too much work, maybe you should choose another room or take your tyres to a tyre shop and ask for storage under the right conditions.

Generally speaking, your room should be free of any generators, compressors, furnaces, switches, sump pumps or central vacuum cleaners – all of these generate ozone, which is particularly damaging to tyres. Also, you should make sure that the tyre storage area contains no solvents, fuels, or lubricants.

Equipment Needed

As we said above, special lockers for tyres might do the trick as they won’t get any light. However, if that sounds like too much for you, you can opt in for a tyre rack or something similar. If there is any heating or hot water supplies next to them, you should avoid the location or adjust the settings accordingly.

When it comes to extra equipment, we’d like to point out to the fact that your tyres should be clean when you store them. You should also bag them up – use plastic bags to fit each tyre and ensure that they are free of moisture and air. So, cleaning them with a bucket of lukewarm water or a hose along with car shampoo before putting them in a bag can prevent any dirt or strange smell while ensuring proper tyre storage. If you are planning to store a whole wheel, consider the use of a fine bruch to carefully clean every part of the wheel rim.

Storing Tyres At Home Vs. In A Tyre Shop

If you are still in doubt over where to store your tyres, you should know that there are many garages and tyre shops in UAE that offer a range of additional services, including tyre fitting and storage. Obviously, this comes at an extra cost which is why for maximum savings, you should store your tyres in a space at home.

If you cannot store your tyres at home, make sure that the tyre shop you choose knows about everything we mentioned above and check their tyre storage area personally. If the area is cool, clean, dark and follows all of the right protocols for storing tyres, you shouldn’t worry about anything.

The general rule of thumb is that incorrect tyre storage can lead to deformed sidewalls, beads or tread areas. It can also shorten the durability of the tyres or in some extreme cases, it can make the tyres unusable. After all, the most serious physical and chemical changes mainly occur through their use, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful when storing them.

Final Words

We all know that tyres and wheels are what moves our vehicles, and as such, are of utmost importance for our overall safety on the road.

Most of the drivers who visit our tyre shop say that tyre storage is not only a great way to save money – it is also the best method to make sure that each tyre is well considering its structure. Wear and tear on the tyre will be much visible after washing, which is why it is always a good time to inspect your tyres before storing them.

At the end of the day, tyre storage can help you make most of your tyres and wheels, but also properly inspect them before putting them on. If you are an off-road enthusiast, it is always better to take care of your tyres and clean them on your own. Also, the tips above on tyre storage in UAE can help you make sure that your tyres are always in the perfect condition before they hit the road.