Tire storage

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I keep my eye on CL for tire deals. Occasionally one finds what might be a good set, but they might be stored outside. I'm pretty sure that tires are not impacted by water on the inside of them--but figured I'd ask and be sure. I know regular old air has moisture in it, and when installing tires one does lube up the tire (often with water and soap?); but it seems somehow wrong to store out in the elements.
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For example: this ad shows them in snow (tires not on rims).
 
I wouldn't worry about any moisture inside the tire but I would worry about UV rays inducing dry-rot. Sunlight is a tire's enemy and lots of tires dry and rot well before tread life is exhausted. And this occurs even when they are mounted on a car, perhaps garaged and likely out of the most of the time. Plus, the flexing of tires in use helps to distribute oil's n the rubber that keep the tread pliable.

If it were me, I'd stay away from the tires in the photo unless you were sure they had only been stored that way for a short period. Or if the price was rediculously low.
 
That set is $120. No idea if it's a good deal or not; snows at half tread are 90% worn out, after all. But otherwise, plan being, if I can find "decent" sets for $100 or so, then it's cheap. Above about $150 and I'm buying new. Cost/mile considerations. If it's not cheap over the long run then it's not truly cheap.
 
I've stored my winter or regular tires, whichever aren't being currently used, outside like that (on rims) and never had a problem, did cover them with a tarp. Those actually look like the same or very similar winter tires that I use, and yeah they are pretty worn - not worth much at all.
 
Hmm, hadn't noticed on that bottom tire. Looked like Graspics, which seem to have ok ratings.

I'm not actually serious on a set yet, just happened to notice that some tires get stored outside, in the elements, and wanted to rule that out as an issue. I know UV is bad on the outside of the tire, wasn't sure if there was issues on the inside.

 
Ozone in the air and UV attacks the rubber. Pull them apart and look for datecodes along the bead. If I was in your shoes I would look every inch over very closely before buying. Age and dry rot you can see and feel in the rubber if you look closely. Im from the school that spending 800 on a new set that will last 70k miles is a way better idea than nickel and diming you life onto someone else's junk.
 
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Dunlop Graspic? I used those when we still had our Toyota Previa that was totaled in 2002. They're basically first generation studless snow compound tires and I remember them being not as good as the Blizzak that were out then, but the Graspic were much less expensive. They seemed to work well on ice for much longer than they worked well in snow. By the time the tread depth was down about 30%, they seemed barely better than an all-season on packed dry snow. In any case, these are likely to be pretty old tires and long past their usable life.
 
The issue I have with these is that there's no "roof" on them. If on steelies, that means more rain, and in the case of sun... preventing UV...
 
Originally Posted By: Injured_Again
Dunlop Graspic? I used those when we still had our Toyota Previa that was totaled in 2002. They're basically first generation studless snow compound tires and I remember them being not as good as the Blizzak that were out then, but the Graspic were much less expensive. They seemed to work well on ice for much longer than they worked well in snow. By the time the tread depth was down about 30%, they seemed barely better than an all-season on packed dry snow. In any case, these are likely to be pretty old tires and long past their usable life.


Good to know, thanks.

Car in question won't be driven (much) in snow, so snow traction is low on my shopping list. It actually has near-new RT43's on it, so I have little incentive to buy tires at the moment--but if I stumble onto a great deal I plan to snap 'em up.

[That's how I got RT43's on my '99 Camry. Someone traded a similar Camry in, snows installed, RT43's with 9/32's of tread in the trunk. Dealer wanted them gone. I paid $100 for the set, no bad wear on the tread; installed myself and had the local garage balance for $10 (all 4 balanced). That's the deal I'm after, and willing to wait for.]

[For the record, I drive my truck, which has iPike snow tires on it, in the snow. Wife's car has Yoko Ice Guards on it. I don't *need* a third vehicle with snows, won't pay $400 for snows that I don't plan to drive on; but if I can find a halfway decent set for $100-150, then I'm grabbing them.]
 
Speaking of UV drying out a tire, I had to store my iPikes outside for a few months this year, under the porch so out of the sun; and I swear, they don't quite grip like they did last winter.
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Maybe it's just my imagination.

Just don't have enough room in the basement. Don't have space in the shed either, but it would get broiling hot in there anyhow--that's not much better.
 
My $104 (after rebates) set of brand new Champiro Ice Pros are doing great this snowy Dec...
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What I notice about tires stored outside unmounted is that the bead rubber gets harder, which makes it more likely to tear upon mounting.
 
Originally Posted By: Injured_Again
Dunlop Graspic? I used those when we still had our Toyota Previa that was totaled in 2002. They're basically first generation studless snow compound tires and I remember them being not as good as the Blizzak that were out then, but the Graspic were much less expensive. They seemed to work well on ice for much longer than they worked well in snow. By the time the tread depth was down about 30%, they seemed barely better than an all-season on packed dry snow. In any case, these are likely to be pretty old tires and long past their usable life.


IIRC:
There were 3 generations of graspic tires. those are nowhere near 2002 tires. They were widely available in 2007 and 2009 when I was looking for winter tires.
 
I just took a look and the "Graspic" name is still being used. They're now the "Graspic DS-3" which seems to imply this is the third generation since there's also a Graspic DS-2. I don't know that the tire I had prior to 2002 had any qualifier that I was aware of.

In any event, I've found that cold, bad condition performance deteriorates after four or five years, so I'd suggest checking out the date of manufacture when buying any winter tire, new or used.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Actually the botom one doesn't look too bad with the bigger picture you poisted.


I thought that it looked pretty bad with the bigger picture, as well as the next one up. Significant scrubbing and wear in the middle part of the tread. These were either over inflated on run on a car with alignment problems. This kind of wear can really deteriorate the performance of soft tread studless winter tires.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
My $104 (after rebates) set of brand new Champiro Ice Pros are doing great this snowy Dec...
whistle.gif


What I notice about tires stored outside unmounted is that the bead rubber gets harder, which makes it more likely to tear upon mounting.


I think you have me beat! Mine were $150 or so for the set of 4!
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: eljefino
My $104 (after rebates) set of brand new Champiro Ice Pros are doing great this snowy Dec...
whistle.gif


What I notice about tires stored outside unmounted is that the bead rubber gets harder, which makes it more likely to tear upon mounting.


I think you have me beat! Mine were $150 or so for the set of 4!


Got me beat too. I picked up a set of used RT43's for $100, and had to pay $10 to balance, so $110 total (well $170 if I include rims). Tires were near-new, 8-9 32's.

Ok, I probably drove 120 miles round trip to get 'em, so another $8 in gas.
 
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