Preserving Tires

[scd]

Is there anything that can be done to extend the life of a tire in storage? Wrap it? Is it simply a UV issue. Or should I smear baby oil (just kidding, I think) on them? Have some NOS tires for show/display only, and hate to see them rot before their time.

[Earl]

I've got a friend who is a tire engineer for Goodyear, and we've talked before about old tires and rubber, etc.

His recommendation is keep them wiped down with Armor All, and to keep them as much as possible out of the sun, and away from any other source of ozone.

[Kojack]

Years ago I took the O.E. rubber floormats out of a '77 chevy I had. This was a low mileage car and the mats were in great shape. I gave them a good heavy dose of Armor All, rolled them up and put them on a shelf in my garage, replacing them with some cheap Wal-Mart mats. After about 2 years I took them down and was surprised to find that they were rotting and falling apart. I still use Armor All to make rubber or vinyl look good but I'm not sure about using it for long term preservation. Maybe one of the thicker silicone rubber dressings would be better? Whatever you use remember that none of this stuff is supposed to be used on motorcycle tires. It makes them too greasy for riding.

[KDR]

I wouldn't recommend Armor All either....no matter what they say now. I used it on the vinyl top on two of my show cars and within three years I had to replace both tops. They dried up and the vinyl just split. These were on cars that saw less than 3000 miles a year and were kept inside out of the weather.

I saw a segment on Lance Armstrong's tires last year. He keeps them in a basement...I believe in France...and leaves them there for years to "age". Each stack of tires was dated by year they were set there! I would say from watching the segment, that would be the best solution. Keep them out of the light and keep them dry. Don't add any chemicals........

........or......just call a company like Good-Year or Coker for advise.

[Paps]

I often wondered about dry rotting and or cracking tires and why they do just that. Looked over a few pair just recently for antique automobiles, they were in mint condition. I think Kurt has hit on something here. Enviroment is key, no doubt. But is it damp and dark. just damp, just dark, dry, which ? Who better to ask than the tire manufacturers ?? Paps

[Lonnie]

To help in the preservation tires, fill them with nitrogen rather than compressed air. Two things cause deterioration of rubber (or anything else for that matter) - oxygen, hence the term oxidation, in the air and exposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight). The molecules in nitrogen are also larger than those in oxygen so the tires are also much slower to leak down. Also there is less pressure fluctuatipn with nitrogen as tires are heated on the road.

Keeping anything in a completely dark and dry environment is the only certain way to eliminate UV-caused deterioration. Even indirect sunlight such as in a garage with covered windows will allow for some level of deterioration to tires, upholstery and even paint.

When I was in CORSA (Corvair Society of America) our chapter had a meeting at a local member's garage where he kept his Corvair and a 1941 Buick, both immaculately restored - the Buick with WWII gas ration sticker even. He is a German immigrant, a very fine engineer with an unbelievable attention to detail in his restorations. We were talking about this very topic and he invited us into his garage whereupon he shut the door, told us all to stand still and turned off the lights. Except for just a trace of light at the bottom corners of his hinged garage doors, it was pitch black, so it is possible to build a light-proof garage (hint - no windows). He also ran nitrogen in his tires, even in his regular daily driven cars. He had a bottle and regulator in his shop and told us he bought it off the regular welding supply truck.

Lonnie

[scd]

VERY INTERESTING. Thanks for the replies. Steve

[dstrieter]

It will also matter what Armor All product you are using...there are over 25 of them. For instance, Armor All Ultra Shine Protectant is 45-55% silicone emulsion, whereas Armor All Extreme Tire Shine is 15% Petroleum Distillates, which cannot be good for long term storage.

63 KCPD