Just a simple question, I changed from summer tires and rims to the winter ones and got to thinking, should they be stored standing upright or laying down stacked on top of each other? Or maybe it makes no difference......

 

the pros(tire shops)store them vertically on the racks
so i guess i don't know

 

Laying flat is best, up off of damp surfaces, not next to the furnace, in the DARK.

If on rims, remove the cores and let all the air out; this takes away the cord-stretching stress of being inflated, making the tires last much longer; it is as hard on inflated tires not in use, as it is on tires in use.

When storing/not-using vehicles, trailers, and the like, jack the tires up and place wood, or whatever, between them and the ground, or do like I do and back the trailer tires up on cross-ties.

It is some trouble, but the best thing to do is get the un-used vehicle up on stands and deflate all the tires, covering them with sun-shielding curtains.


If you really don't like your tires and want to kill them, let the weight of a vehicle sit on a flat tire for a couple of weeks; it will break open and deteriorate in the flattened folds.

 

You dont want to have an unmounted tire lying flat because the sidewalls will collapse and will make it harder to remount.

 

Try to store them in a cool place with no direct sunlight. Place each one in a black plastic bag (heavy weight contractor's clean up bag) to keep light off them, also fold up the bag to seal it as best you can to keep fresh ozone from reaching the rubber. Stack on edge or horizontal probably doesn't matter, but let some air out to relieve stress. For a trailer tire left on the axle, the bag works also, jack it up and put blocks under the axle, let some air out.

 

Keep them out of the light and out of the hot and you'll be fine either way.