I have been looking at a set of 19" factory turbo wheels with PS2s at a dealer. They have been stored outside lying on the side with the rim surface facing up -stacked on top of each other with cardboard between the wheels for about 9-12 months. They have been kept under a tarp but appear to be wet/damp. This is a new tire/wheel combo with the stickers still on.I have heard mention of tires/rims having issue from improper storage. What would be the proper way to store tire/ rim combos awating sale? Any info or opinions on this issue?? I am thing about making an offer but I dont want problems later. TIA

If the wheels and tires look okay, I don't think you should expect to have any problem - road tires and wheels are meant to be exposed to the elements - a lot of people keep their cars parked outside all the time, which is really not much different (or even worse).

If the tires aren't more than a couple of years old (there's a way to tell the date of manufacture stamped on the tires: see Tire Rack Determining the age of a tire), then I think they would be fine. You could still negotiate for a discount just based on the fact that the tires are a year older.

I don't know the best way to store wheels/tires - maybe Jim@tirerack will chime in on this. I store my extras on Griots wheel hangers on the wall, but I know that Tirerack sells a tarp cover ("Tire Garage") which is designed to store tires pretty much the way you described that these are.

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My extra set of wheels & tires are in individual boxes in a storage room. However, I don't see why storing them outside would hurt anything.

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Tires degrade over time and have a "shelf life" which is not the same as miles of use. Even if unused, a tire will degrade to the point of becoming unsafe if it is stored long enough. The shelf life will depend on the storage conditions, but from what I've read the recommended shelf life is 5 years. I'd guess you'll have worn them out before they reach 5 years from manufacture assuming they weren't sitting in a warehouse for a few years.

Tires should ideally be stored vertically on a tire rack (i.e., not horizontally stacked) in a cool, dry, dark place with minimal air flow, away from electrical motors (which produce ozone), oil, chemicals, sunlight, fluorescent or other bright lights. Almost no auto tires are stored under such ideal conditions. Obviously, tires mounted on a car will be degrading even when the car is parked.

The primary cause of stored tire rubber degradation is ozone which reduces flexibility and resilience & causes the rubber to crack. The effects may not be readily apparent.


All that said, you should be fine, but checking the date of manufacture would be prudent.

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