Piston Slap: Ozone in Your Own Storage Zone?

TTAC Commentator Arthur Dailey writes:

Sajeev,
Here is a timely question, as up here in snow country we are now packing away our “summer” tires. What is the best way, scientifically, to store tires? I traditionally have:

  • Stored them on their rims
  • Removed the plastic tire bag (learned this the hard way when a set of rims “rotted” one summer
  • Wiped down/washed the rims to take off any salt
  • Let out about 4 to 5 psi from each tire
  • Stored them in our attached, unheated garage
  • Placed rubber mats under them so that they are not in contact with the cement
  • Placed old sheets over them so that they are not in direct sunlight

Previously I stored them stacked on their sides. All 4 wheels/rims from each vehicle in one column, on top of each other, using a tire storage “pole” bought from Canadian Tire. Last winter I stored them vertically (meaning I just rolled them in beside each other), but on the rubber mats and under the sheets.

So what is the best way? And how often should they be rotated/moved?

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