Winter Storage Tips?

[BoxMann]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Yes the tires will flat spot, but when put back into service they will shake off the flat spots in about 5 min. of driving.

I've read that usually that will work, but sometimes the flat spot could be partially permanent, where it never returns 100% back to normal. Was I misinformed?

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by BoxMann

I've read that usually that will work, but sometimes the flat spot could be partially permanent, where it never returns 100% back to normal. Was I misinformed?

Air up the tires to 50 psi. and roll the P car a few inches every 4 to 5 months prevents flat spots

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Ciao

Air up the tires to 50 psi. and roll the P car a few inches every 4 to 5 months prevents flat spots

Totally unnecessary. We store several exotics for special customers, they are all put away freshly serviced and washed, tires at normal pressures, and sit all winter (sometimes for as much as 5 months for customers that spend the winter in warmer climes). They are not started, or moved, the entire time. In the spring, the tires recover in about 5 min driving. Permanent flat spotting is an "old wives"/internet myth......

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Totally unnecessary. We store several exotics for special customers, they are all put away freshly serviced and washed, tires at normal pressures, and sit all winter (sometimes for as much as 5 months for customers that spend the winter in warmer climes). They are not started, or moved, the entire time. In the spring, the tires recover in about 5 min driving. Permanent flat spotting is an "old wives"/internet myth......

Flat spotting is reality, can occur, and not an old wives tale.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=42

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Ciao

Flat spotting is reality, can occur, and not an old wives tale.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=42

In more than forty years of storing cars, I have NEVER encountered permanent flat spotting. Temporary, yes, permanent never. It is an old wives tale...………..unless you are running crap tires, as mentioned earlier.

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

In more than forty years of storing cars, I have NEVER encountered permanent flat spotting. Temporary, yes, permanent never. It is an old wives tale...………..unless you are running crap tires, as mentioned earlier.

Flat spots can be permanent it doesn't matter the cost, type, of car you drive whether its 1 year or 140 years.

https://consumertire.com/blog/view/flat-spots-let-s-clear-up-some-myths-about-that

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Ciao

Flat spots can be permanent it doesn't matter the cost, type, of car you drive whether its 1 year or 140 years.

https://consumertire.com/blog/view/flat-spots-let-s-clear-up-some-myths-about-that

From the article you quoted, “ In some severe cases, the flat-spotting is permanent.”

Sounds to me like “the cost, type of car you drive whether its 1 year of 140 years” does matter according to the author of the article..............

[marsheng]

Originally Posted by Ciao

Flat spots can be permanent it doesn't matter the cost, type, of car you drive whether its 1 year or 140 years.

Things change shape when you exceed the stress point of no return. Standing for months does not make the rubber bend past its point of no return. So if you say it developed a flat spot, what has happened? Has the rubber 'flowed' into this new shape ? If that is the case, then the flowing must have been caused by gravity of just the bending of rubber. If that was the case, I doubt that cars would get 1000 km per tire before being bent out of shape. Heaven help you of you hit a curb, it will put a permanent dent in the rubber ?

Can anyone produce some factual information on what may happen ?

[Frodo]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

In more than forty years of storing cars, I have NEVER encountered permanent flat spotting. Temporary, yes, permanent never. It is an old wives tale...………..unless you are running crap tires, as mentioned earlier.

In the dozen years I've owned my '01 Box I've garaged it annually from late Nov/early Dec until late Mar/early Apr. No intermittent rolling the car, and no long term flat spotting issues. Ever.

[jaykay]

I definitely have experienced flat spotting. Permanent? Well depends how long you want to spend ironing them out. The fronts are particularly sensitive after sitting a couple of couple weeks at regular tire pressures. Vibration can be felt through the wheel for quite some time after. What is this doing to your tires and steering linkage? Don't know, but I don't like it. Low profile 18>20s are particularly susceptible. What is the effect after 6 months sitting in one spot?

I still pump up to 50 psi all round for storage as was once recommended by Porsche. Not sure if that fell out of favour yet or this detracts from tire life. Way back, I also started rolling the car (or jacking) up on foam insulation pads (cut from sheets available at home depot and the like) such that it deforms rather than the tire. Later on I found out that this idea had come to others and been commercialized....

The 50 psi tire deforms the dense foam insulation and a moderate tire cradle effect is created. Something like carpet would not work. Every spring things are crystal smooth.

Overkill? Perhaps, but any vibrations coming up the through wheel is/are real feedback and my tires (street) tend to last until worn down to the bars. I am just really picky about front tire and steering feel and wish I could get more in this car. Perhaps this came from my motorcycle time....where spurious front wheel vibration is no bueno...

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by BoxMann

I've read that usually that will work, but sometimes the flat spot could be partially permanent, where it never returns 100% back to normal. Was I misinformed?

If you get "permanent" flat spotting, it is because of crappy tires, not storage technique.

[Blackcloud]

Rather than plugging a battery tender into the lighter socket, I open the frunk, attach the cables to the battery by running the wire through the windshield opening, then close the frunk. Place a towel underneath the wiring on the outside of the car to prevent abrasion. Then cover with a quality rain resistant cover. We had 2 inches of rain in NY today, and the rain beaded up and rolled of my California Car Cover.

[ajsimon85]

Originally Posted by Blackcloud

Rather than plugging a battery tender into the lighter socket, I open the frunk, attach the cables to the battery by running the wire through the windshield opening, then close the frunk. Place a towel underneath the wiring on the outside of the car to prevent abrasion. Then cover with a quality rain resistant cover. We had 2 inches of rain in NY today, and the rain beaded up and rolled of my California Car Cover.

Great Advice! Thank You