Storing Tires
 

I have an opportunity to buy a set of very slightly used Michelin Pilots. (I'm not sure which model.) The problem is that I don't really need them right now.

How long can a set of tires be stored without suffering age-related deterioration? Also, are there any issues to be concerned with when tires have been take off one set of wheels and mounted on another?

There was a thread on this not long ago. You will want to see if Michelin has a recommendation on these specific tires.

In general, the industry story is unmounted tires shouldn't be used after 6 years. Ten years mounted. But like I said, each tire is different and you'd have to call Michelin.

There's no problem with unmounting and mounting tires 2 or 3 times as long as they're not damaged but again, Michelin would have to tell you specifically how many times the particular tire can be cycled.

Hi,

Wow, the benchmarks you profer are at the extreme of what is typicaly accepted as the norm. 5 Years is the utmost a tire should be kept unmounted, no consideration for mounted tires whatever. Where are you getting your info?...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Check the earlier thread that we talked about this. It's got links to Ford's web site and thetirerack.com.

Where does your infomation come from?

Hi,

Uh...Ford right? Those were the guys with the Explorers and the Firestones right?

Happy Mototing!... Jim'99

I think what gets left out of these formulas are storage conditions. I would have no issues with tires stored for a couple of five years given that they were in the dark, not too hot, and not too dry.

That said there are different models of Pilots. I don't think I'd like the Pilot's that I have on my Lexus much on my Boxster. Probably not the right speed rating either.

Yeah, you'd expect them to be pretty conservative wouldn't you?

Similar question for me - I've just picked up a spare set of wheels/tires for track (& stop chewing up my road tires).
What's the preferred storage (I have them in a garage, normal humidity, doesn't freeze inside the garage even though not heated).
Do I:
a. Stack vertically laying on their sides forming a cylinder?
b. Build a rack to hold them standing upright, as on the road, with 3-4 bars as contact points to spread the load?
c. other?
The wheels/tires will get used 4-6 times a year for track days, sit the rest of the time.

Pressure? leave them at normal psi? deflate a little? fill with argon (ok, kidding on that one). Any thoughts welcomed...

I have a similar set up with swapping out for winter wheels/tires on my trucks as well as my track wheels/tires for my Boxster. I stack them via option "a" in your explanation and take the pressures down to 15-20 psi.

I use to fill them with hydrogen but one time I was smoking a cigar while doing this and BOOM... there went the garage... ;)