Can you believe it’s almost the end of October already? Winter is fast approaching,and preparing your Chevy vehicle for cold weather here in Oklahoma often means swapping out your vehicle’s factory all-season or performance summer tires for a dedicated winter set. Sub-freezing temperatures, dry winter air, and improper positioning can cause rubber cracking, flat-spotting, and premature wear while your tires sit idle. This is why storing your standard tires properly through the frigid winter months is essential, so today we’re going to give you some tips for storing your regular Chevy tires for the winter season.
Wash Away Summer Dirt and Road Grime
The first step to proper storage for the winter season is to give your tires a thorough cleaning. Throughout the rest of the year, your regular tires accumulate road grime, brake dust, tar, oil, and other particulates. If left on the rubber throughout the colder months, this debris can accelerate chemical degradation and ultimately compromise the tire compound.
When cleaning your tires you should utilize a dedicated tire brush, mild car soap, and warm water to scrub both the tread and sidewalls. Refrain from applying things like tire shines or solvent-based dressings prior to winter storage, as these chemicals can alter the integrity of your tires when left for an extended period of time. Also make sure your tires air-dry completely, as trapped moisture sealed inside storage bags can foster mold or mildew.
Protect Rubber from Freezing Temperatures
One of the most critical steps when storing your standard tires – especially if they’re high-performance summer tires, such as those found on a Corvette or Camaro – is temperature control. The rubber compounds found in summer tires are engineered for high temperatures, so the rubber hardens and becomes brittle when exposed to sub-freezing weather. This can lead to permanent structural cracking across the tread face if you end up flexing or mounting these frozen tires.
Be sure to store your tires in a temperature-regulated indoor space, such as a basement, a heated workshop, or a climate-controlled garage. Unheated outdoor sheds, open carports, or exposed metal buildings can cause irreparable damage when temperatures drop below freezing. In addition, keep your tires far away from things like electric motors, furnaces, or sump pumps, as the emissions they produce can rapidly break down your tires.
Bag Them to Lock Out Dry Winter Air
One step that often gets overlooked is to seal each one inside an airtight plastic bag. Because winter air in Oklahoma can be so incredibly dry, oxidation can become accelerated, robbing the rubber of its essential natural oils. Just using something like contractor trash bags can keep your tires flexible and resilient throughout the winter. Just place each clean, dry tire into its own bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and tightly tape or tie the opening shut.
Follow Proper Stacking Guidelines
How you actually store your tires will depend on whether you leave them mounted or not.
- Mounted – If you leave your tires mounted on their wheels, you should stack them horizontally on top of each other using a wooden rack or pallet. Alternatively, you can hang them by the rims from specialized wall hooks. Just avoid standing them upright, as the heavy weight of the rim can cause flat spots on the tread after sitting for so long.
- Unmounted – If you only swap the tires themselves and not the whole wheel, you can stand the tires upright side-by-side on a dedicated tire rack or an otherwise clean and empty shelf. Never hang unmounted tires by the bead and avoid stacking them in tall piles, as either of these options can distort your tires.
Elevate and Mark Your Tires
Make sure to avoid placing your stored tires directly on bare concrete floors. Concrete draws out moisture and stays cold, which is why we recommend using an elevated pallet, rack, or even really thick cardboard if you don’t have something better. And lastly, make sure you mark each tire’s position using tire chalk so that they can be properly rotated when reinstalling in the spring.
Trust Jim Glover Chevrolet for Your Winter Service
If you need help getting your Chevy ready for winter, don’t hesitate to give us a call here at the Jim Glover Chevrolet service desk. We’d be happy to help however we can or answer any questions that you have. We look forward to hearing from you!
