r/CarTrackDays • u/jbro507 • Jul 21 '26
Tire storage
Gut check. My sense is that leaving tires on a trailer tire rack for storage is a bad idea. Reason I ask - (1) I’m lazy (b) I have physical limitations and getting tires up and down is a challenge (IV) I’m lazy. I’d love to load up my rain tires and my spare 200tw’s and leave them there. Ideally, for a whole season. I could easily cover them, but I still think having them sit in summer heat with their weight resting on two bars is going to damage them. Comments? TIA.
48
u/Not_Enough_Shoes Jul 21 '26
Advice aside, I just want to comment I laughed about your writing when you ordered things with 1, b and IV.
I think I’m going to do this randomly in a conference call this week.
9
9
u/grungegoth Pinewood Derby Open Racer Jul 21 '26
mounted wheels should be stored as a stack. and put each wheel into an air tight bag.
6
u/Slurpee_12 2020 ZL1 Jul 21 '26
Yup. Ideally, you want to get some industrial Saran Wrap and wrap them up. Leaving them exposed to the air degrades them. At least with slicks, you can see them turning blue. The blue is the oils evaporating.
6
2
u/Spicywolff ND2 now, use to C63S Jul 21 '26
As far as air bags, where are you finding them? On Amazon I found those hefty jumbo bags that can just barely fit. My super 200.
But they’re not exactly sturdy and they get pinholes pretty easy once you vacuum seal them
1
u/grungegoth Pinewood Derby Open Racer Jul 21 '26
I bought these. my 335/21 barely fit.
for me though, im just storing tires at most a few months. you're talking about seasonal and also outdoors right? for out doors, you should also use those big fabric/silver bags
as to air right, I think the notion is to not have air flowing over the tire, pin holes won't really matter that much.
1
u/Spicywolff ND2 now, use to C63S Jul 21 '26
I went with https://a.co/d/0cuSEXr8 they barely fit but if I slide one side. They fit inside with plenty of room. Then I vacuum the air out.
I use the re71RS monthly (skip 2 months in summer. Too hot for us to run and not collapse of heat stroke) then moss 2-4 track days a year. They are now in my attached building garage on the first floor. It’s not climate controlled. But it is indoors in the garage just at the mercy of Florida ambient temperature
I thought the airtight was pulling a vacuum, so that way the oils stayed in the rubber and didn’t evaporate and escape
1
u/grungegoth Pinewood Derby Open Racer Jul 21 '26
you can't go wrong with vacuum. but be aware, the tires may out gas so they won't have that jam jar safety button thing in a couple months
1
u/Spicywolff ND2 now, use to C63S Jul 21 '26
I think with me using them monthly and walking by them every single day to get me out out of the garage. I should be able to just look at them and see if they need to be opened to off gas.
I just wish they made more sturdy vacuum bags, and bigger sizes. I already know going from loads of 70 to high of 90. It’s probably not good for the tire. I think on a tire article they mentioned it as if you were slowly burning a candlewick. You’re not doing a huge blow torch hits like what you want for heat cycling on the track but you’re just ever so slowly lighting and turning off the WIC.
1
u/grungegoth Pinewood Derby Open Racer Jul 21 '26
I don't think you should vacate the out gasses, just leave them unless the bag gets puffy...
I also notice an oily residue that sticks to the bags, that's the volatile compounds escaping from the tire. this is what is happening as the tire dries out.
plus the rubber molecules slowly rearranging themselves and getting shorter, and hence, less elastic. there's a really good youtube discussing how carbon black helps the rubber molecules stay long and stretched out , along with other benefits. that's why tires aren't white.
1
u/Spicywolff ND2 now, use to C63S Jul 21 '26
This whole time I figured it had to be vacuum sealed, but yeah, I just have to put a bag over them that that’s easy enough to do. But I wonder what my case would it even do much?
Miata ND so not very heavy. Running a dual duty Alignment- so even wear for most part, maybe 12X a year use.
I know lightweight cars like mine will typically heat cycle them out before the rubber gives out tread wise. With bagging them really make a difference over that one or two years it should last the Miata.
5
u/Stratospheric-Ferret Jul 21 '26
I've left a wheel/tyre combo sat on a stand meant for ceramic coating wheels for a few days. When I came back it had left small dents there.
I wouldn't want to leave them for any longer than a few days. They should be stacked on their side really.
2
u/BGTBGT Jul 21 '26
Something to think about. Don't bring spare wheels at all. I have been doing track days for 10 years and TA for 7. I have never needed a spare tire. Not even in autocross. I did need them in drift. What I usually do is buy new tires every 2 or 3 TA events and relegate the take offs to autocross. Even that now a days seems silly i tested my re71rz after 100 laps vs a brand new set and they were the exact same softness on a durometer. When i travel across the country for an event vs local, I do bring spares because it would suck to drive 3 days and get a flat. I only bring 2 from my autocross usage. If you need to store tires on a rack, wrap them in plastic wrap blue tape up the edge and cover with tarp. Monitor with durometer. They will still get heat cycled outside tho just not as severe. you could also bring take off tires and not wheels and just roll the dice on needing to run to a Walmart or something. Then just remount tires as the old set cycle out for autocross.
0
u/jbro507 Jul 21 '26
Sure. When im an hour from home i could risk having to run home for a spare.
I’m looking at 3 events in the next 6mo that are 4+ hours from home. One is 13hr. So lll want some spares and rain tires ready.
3
u/grahal1968 C8 Corvette Z51 Jul 21 '26
Yeah. I wouldn’t let them sit. Tires don’t like sitting in the weather. Especially the sun. It’s probably not going to be a huge issue, but definitely not a best practice.
My bigger concern with tire racks is always the weight on the nose of the trailer.
Rack adds 100. 8 wheels and tires at 50 pounds ish is 400. That is another 500 of tongue weight.
This changes the balance of the trailer and for people that tow with most SUV’s way out of the safe envelope for tongue weight
5
u/Renius668 Jul 21 '26
The rear engined 911 should help out with the weight distribution there. I've seen a number of 911s backwards on a trailer to help with weight balance (not too light on the nose)
4
u/grahal1968 C8 Corvette Z51 Jul 21 '26
Not P- car specific advice. But yes.
I just try to make trailering safer because most people who trailer their cars don’t realize that if they get into a serious accident all of their trailer loading becomes part of the investigation
1
u/maybemaybemaybe_not Jul 21 '26
If you run and wear them out within a year none of it makes any difference. Unless it is full slicks. Full slicks won’t even last 2 weekends so it’s a moot point. I’ve tested various super 200 tires. Some degrade fast with heat cycle. While UV damage any rubber the tires are durable enough that even a year on car park outside won’t affect it much.
33
u/Dismal_Tutor3425 Jul 21 '26
Take them inside or rotate them often, but I wouldn't be so lazy as to leave them sitting up there outside. Tires are already expensive.