Hi. After buying a set of Winter tyres and steel rims for my Octy, I'm now pondering the best method of storing the summer wheels and tyres over the Winter and vice versa.

 

They will have to live in the garden. Currently I have the winter set stacked vertically sitting atop some 6" square lengths of timber and wrapped over the top with some damp proof membrane tied down with rope. The bottom is open for air.

 

Is this a good/bad idea? My main concern is keeping UV rays off them as this will destroy rubber quicker than anything else. Bear in mind that tyres and wheels are usually outside all year round attached to the car and bearing its weight.

 

Should I do away with the heavy plastic wrap? Should I keep it?

 

One downside of the plastic is it will soon be home to some f'king huge spiders by the time I get to fit the Winter set.

 

Any ideas most welcome

 

Thanks

 

Nick.

Maybe a plastic/wooden unit to keep them in? I think you can pick them up for not too much expense, don't know how spider proof they are though... Wrapped in something to prevent extremes of temperature reaching them would be a good idea too.

 

Outside all year attached to the car bearing it's weight is actually good for them; the constant movement and changes in pressure, tension and temperature prevent the compounds from hardening and/or cracking. Standing/suspending them still, in adverse temperature, and in adverse exposure to light will almost certainly shorten their life and make them unsafe if used. 

 

If you wrapped them each individually in frost protection stuff first, then did your usual, the huge person-eating spiders (of which I too, am not the worlds largest fan) have less places to hide. Then hose them all down before you get elbow deep in them again. Thoroughly.  

Your method sounds ideal to me. Spiders will take up residence wherever they are stored, unless you shrink-wrapped them individually first, which seems decidedly anal.

One of those plastic sheds designed for wheelie bins should be the right size for a wheel tree.

What about individual bags and seal them up. No spider alert.