Tire Question EDIT: Follow up question

"E. Julius" (soonerfrommi)
12/20/2014 at 11:51 • Filed to: None

If I have a set of winter tires sitting around that haven't been used in a while, will they still be safe to ride on if I put them back on the car in a couple of years? When I bought my car in Michigan, it came with two sets of wheels and tires. One set of alloy wheels with summer tires and one set of steelies with winter tires (Michelin Xice 2 I think). I used them the first year I had the car, but after that I took it down to school with me, and since I fly home for winter I had no need to use them.

The tires and wheels have been sitting in a garage for a little under 3 years now. They were fully inflated when put away but they haven't had any air put in them since. They've been stacked on the sides, so no flat spots on the tread. Don't know how old they are, but when we bought them they had about 6-8,000 miles on them, and I put maybe 2000 more on that first winter. If I move back to Michigan when I'm done with school, do I need to buy new winter tires or can I keep using these ones?

Edit: I don't have access to the tires right now since they're still in Michigan, but I can probably have my dad inspect them. Since my car is there during winter this year, if the tires have not suffered from dry rot would it prolong their life to have them put on the car and driven this year?

DISCUSSION (8)

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > E. Julius
12/20/2014 at 11:53

Check them for dry rot.

RyanFrew > E. Julius
12/20/2014 at 11:53

if they've been in a garage, I'd be cautious. The change in temp in a garage could do them in. Where do you live?

E. Julius > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/20/2014 at 11:54

How would I do that and what would it look like?

E. Julius > RyanFrew
12/20/2014 at 11:55

They've been in a garage in Michigan, on the wheels with some air in them. What would the temperature change do to them? Wouldn't it be the same as having them on the car?

RyanFrew > E. Julius
12/20/2014 at 12:02

temp change is kind of like having them on the car. But in worried about dry rot, just like Arch Duke. Basically, the oils may have evaporated off the tires, and those are 100% critical. Here is a good link to understand tire storage. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech…

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > E. Julius
12/20/2014 at 12:04

Well yeah, they could dry rot while in a garage sitting or on the car, unused. Here are some links for more info on dry rot:

https://www.rightturn.com/tire-safety/dr…

http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p…

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > E. Julius
12/20/2014 at 12:14

Cracking, brittleness, maybe a dryer feel to it. Think about old rubber bands.

E. Julius > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/20/2014 at 12:19

Thanks!