storage of winter wheels/tyres

[monty999]

Just about to put back on summer wheels/tyres. Is there a best way to store the winters regarding pressures. Should they be stored over inflated or let down a bit or just leave at standard (dry garage storage). Cheers.

[Trev450]

I leave the standard pressures in mine. Pressures are less important than keeping them out of the light tbh. UV is what will deteriorate them the quickest.

[Pica-Pica]

I personally would get them slightly over inflated just before I took them off (say 5 psi=0.3bar). Then when it is time to put them back on, you can reset the pressures down to what you want, rather than have to pump them up to the setting. That would be for convenience, nothing related to conditions for the tyres’ storage. However, if you have a convenient and suitable pump at home, no need to bother.

[InitialDave]

Trev450 said:

I leave the standard pressures in mine. Pressures are less important than keeping them out of the light tbh. UV is what will deteriorate them the quickest.

That's my approach also

[d_a_n1979]

monty999 said:

Just about to put back on summer wheels/tyres. Is there a best way to store the winters regarding pressures. Should they be stored over inflated or let down a bit or just leave at standard (dry garage storage). Cheers.

The winters I’ve just taken off my touring are in the garage and have been cleaned before being stored.

I’ve cleaned them, dried them, treated the tyres (both sides) with chemical guys tyre gel and then I’ve stacked them with old car floor mats in between (plus one on the concrete floor) and they’re under a tarp too.

I’ve done this since I’ve owned BMWs since 2011 and never had any issues with them at all.

Tyres pressures are as they would be if they were on my car

[monty999]

Thanks all, guess I'll have plenty of free time to get them cleaned and polished before covering up in storage for next winter. It would be just my luck for it to snow in a couple of weeks time though but fortunately it's not going to get a great deal of use probably in the near future I fear.

[RUSSELLM]

From a manufacturing perspective, I know the vehicle tyres are sent out overinflated.

I’ve always presumed it’s down to the amount of time spent on ships etc,

[Pica-Pica]

RUSSELLM said:

From a manufacturing perspective, I know the vehicle tyres are sent out overinflated.

I’ve always presumed it’s down to the amount of time spent on ships etc,

Wheel and tyres are assembled together and will be inflated to a pressure that suits the maximum for that assembly line, whatever the specific model. Pressures will be adjusted at PDI.

[anonymous-user]

UV degradation isn’t likely to be an issue for most. Sidewall veneers are formulated to be UV tolerant and the treads will wear off any degradation very quickly. Stored in a garage they’ll be fine; dust is the worst they’ll get unless they’re left for years.

I tend to store mine stacked on their sides but it doesn’t really matter, depends on how much space there is.

[Mr Tidy]

Perfect timing - I swapped the winters for summers today on my 3 Series!

I always clean them before I store them, but just stack them with the pressure they had when I removed them from the car - after all they aren't under any load.

[mercedeslimos]

I have winter wheel bags that the wheels go into, sort of drawstring bag type thing. They are black and anti-UV and have a diagram on them with which wheel is in them.

Got them in Germany a couple of years ago, handy over there where people often keep winters in their apartment!

[Vroomer]

Presumably you all have your own jacks and torque wrenches as BMWs don't come with either. I've always gone to the tyre centre for a swap-over at £20. Can't do that at the moment though – not an 'essential trip'!!

[Mr Tidy]

Yes, I already had a torque wrench and trolley jack.

But I had to add a breaker bar to the arsenal a few years ago to undo the bolts on a couple of wheels that had been fitted by a tyre centre!