Tyre Pros' Guide to Storing Your Tyres Safely

Ensuring your tyres are stored properly is crucial in maintaining their longevity, performance, and safety – whether you’re saving a spare set for an emergency or storing your winter tyres during the summer months (or vice versa).

If a tyre is stored in optimal conditions, they can last between 6 to 10 years before being used. When fitted, some sources suggest that front tyres will last around 20,000 miles and back tyres will last around 40,000. In reality, it all depends on several factors, like your driving style, where you drive, the quality of the tyre, and the conditions of storage when they’re not fitted to your car. With that in mind, here are our tips for optimal storage!

Preparing your tyres for storage

Prior to tucking your tyres away, it’s important to properly prepare them to ensure they remain intact for when you need them! Here’s your checklist:

1.) Check for damages

Before you store your tyres away, check for visible damages so you don’t get a nasty surprise when it comes to fitting them again. If you do spot any damages, make sure you fix them as soon as possible at a garage or replace them if necessary. Things to look out for include:

• Bulges
• Cuts
• Uneven wear
• Lodged objects or debris.

2.) Clean your tyres

Once you have checked for any damages, you will need to thoroughly clean each tyre you're storing of any mud or dirt. You can clean these with any tyre cleaning products, or by using some good old fashioned detergent, water, and a tyre brush. Once they have been cleaned, make sure you leave them to dry before you store them away to avoid mould growth.

3.) Inflate your tyres

We recommend that you inflate your tyres to your vehicle's required tyre pressure level so they can better maintain their shape. Why? The change in temperatures during the storage period can cause your tyres to deflate slightly over time – so it’s best to start out with a good pressure.

4.) Ensure a stable and dry environment

Not only should you ensure your tyres are dry once you wash them, but you should choose a clean, dry, ventilated, temperate place to store them in. An airtight vacuum bag can be a good option, as it won’t let in any leaks. If they get wet and are left to dry naturally in a storage environment, their surfaces can become dry and crack over time – rendering them unusable.

We also recommend you keep them out of direct sunlight and away from anything that might cause them damage if it spilled or fell on them – like chemicals or large objects.

Our stacking & positioning tips

Now we have established everything you need to know before you store your tyres, it’s time to make sure you stack and position the tyres correctly. The best position for storing your tyres depends on whether they’ll be stored on or off the rims:

• If storing them on their rims, you can hang them from hooks on the rims or lay them flat and stack a maximum of two tyres horizontally.
• If storing tyres off their rims, store them standing up in a line (as though they were on your car & ready to roll).

Seasonal tyre storage

If you’re unsure about whether you need to swap your tyres out through the seasons, check out our blog to understand the difference between summer and winter tyres. In short, manufacturers develop them using different rubber compounds and tread patterns that suit the road conditions at different times of year.

The main thing to remember when storing winter tyres is to find a cool, dry, and shady place for them to stay, as they can be damaged by sunlight and the summer temperatures.

On the other hand, summer tyres are a lot more susceptible to cracking during the colder months, which can make storing them in the winter months a challenge. If you can’t keep them somewhere dry and with a stable temperature, it is worth looking at a tyre hotel or other storage solution

Choosing the right storage space for your tyres

Now we have established the best ways to store your tyres, you should be fully equipped for when the times to swap them out.

Buying a new tyre? For ultimate peace of mind when it comes to your investment, check out our TyreCare Insurance, which covers you for accidental and malicious damage.

Alternatively, get in touch with your nearest Tyre Pros centre for advice from one of our friendly team.