Tyre cleaning before storage. Too fastidious?

[Ooopnorth]

So, like many on here I've just swapped my winter tyres over and have the summers back on.  It's a biannual ritual tyre/wheel changing and I've evolved a routine, which I've followed for years. 

 

However, this morning, while flicking the gravel and other detritus out of my winter tyres and especially the sipes, by going around them with a flat bladed screw driver (I found a small screw and a nail in a couple), my neighbour asked me what I was doing.  I explained about cleaning and storage etc., but he didn't look convinced, and I too began to reflect on whether I was being just a bit...erm... too 'anal' here

 

After the gravel and bits are removed and the tyres thoroughly checked, I usually run the hose over the tyres and rims and give them a once-over with a scrubbing brush, before allowing them to dry over night and then bagging them up, having chalked the positions of the corners that they came off of on the car.  Those on steelies (the Fabia), have a proper wheel/tyre trolley on which they're stored horizontally, while the others, off the Subaru, are not on rims and so stored vertically, and I give then a quarter turn every month or so, on the shelf they sit on.  All in cool, dry, dark storage.

 

But really? Is it worth the hassle?  I'm lucky that I'm now quite time-rich (no bunch of young kiddies or other demands for my attention).  After all, if I didn't have winter tyres, I'd probably have a set of tyres on my car for the duration of their wear (several years) and not give them a second thought apart from tyre pressure checks and a few visual once-overs.

 

Maybe I should just chill, and bung them in the garage?

 

 

[john999boy]

This year has had its fair share of cold mornings but not too much in the way of snow here. Granted that I'm a bit below you but I still think winter wheels are a good idea.

I also clean the tread! 

Edited 28 April, 2022 by john999boy

[Warrior193]

I agree, a little T&C before putting them away for 6 months certainly worth while - good opportunity to check inside sidewalls. Clearing out the treads and sipes also can allow any nails/screws to be spotted before they get all the way through.  

Edited 28 April, 2022 by Warrior193
Typo

[Ooopnorth]

Good.  I'm not quite so weird then

 

Just a thought.  My winters are Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV which are directional, but symmetrical (they don't have a deliberately marked 'outside' like some asymmetrical tyres). As they're now off the rims, I suppose they could in theory go back onto the vehicle next autumn 2022 in any corner, so long as the direction of travel was correct? As it happens, I have marked the whole set FN FO RN RO so know where they came off of.  Obviously, when I've had directions tyres which remain on the rims (steelies), like those on the Fabia, they have to stay on the same side of the vehicle, but can be shifted, ie rotated, front to back and vice versa.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

[PetrolDave]

When I had a set of winters and a set of summers I always religiously cleared them of stones etc. and thoroughly washed & dried them before putting them away in tyre bags.

 

Putting away tyres that possibly have contamination from chemicals etc. where you don't regularly see them would seem a bad idea to me.

 

I'm not OCD but I do like to look after my possessions!

[Titanium_Man]

You guys are making me look bad …. Took my winter wheels off last time I actually needed them and simply chucked them in the basement at the mother in laws 😊

[Ooopnorth]

42 minutes ago, jars said:

You guys are making me look bad …. Took my winter wheels off last time I actually needed them and simply chucked them in the basement at the mother in laws 😊

Ha Ha 😂 Don't beat yourself up.  In the Grand Scheme of things it probably doesn't make 'a heap' of great difference.  It's just that it gives me the warmth glow of self-satisfaction to have them neatly sorted and racked up (legacy of military training?).

[Titanium_Man]

26 minutes ago, Ooopnorth said:

Ha Ha 😂 Don't beat yourself up.  In the Grand Scheme of things it probably doesn't make 'a heap' of great difference.  It's just that it gives me the warmth glow of self-satisfaction to have them neatly sorted and racked up (legacy of military training?).

Can’t see it making any difference whatsoever TBH. As long as they’re out of UV light source and not stored so with the weight going through the tyre  then I’m sure they’ll be fine 

 

You sound just like my great uncle, until he left the service and immediately went to the opposite end of the scale 

[Warrior193]

17 hours ago, Ooopnorth said:

Good.  I'm not quite so weird then

 

Just a thought.  My winters are Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV which are directional, but symmetrical (they don't have a deliberately marked 'outside' like some asymmetrical tyres). As they're now off the rims, I suppose they could in theory go back onto the vehicle next autumn 2022 in any corner, so long as the direction of travel was correct? As it happens, I have marked the whole set FN FO RN RO so know where they came off of.  Obviously, when I've had directions tyres which remain on the rims (steelies), like those on the Fabia, they have to stay on the same side of the vehicle, but can be shifted, ie rotated, front to back and vice versa.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

I was using Alpin 5s on steels until last winter, when I changed to a set of 'Dunlop winter' pattern retreads on alloys that I picked up from a Forum member - not great grip - and quite a bit noisier than the Alpins, so I'm going to get the wear out of them over this year, then fit new winters on the rims. Re. swapping, I was moving the Alpins front to rear to even-up the wear - should not be any problem providing pattern is symetrical, wear is reasonably even across tread and rotational direction remains the same.

[Ooopnorth]

7 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

I was using Alpin 5s on steels until last winter, when I changed to a set of 'Dunlop winter' pattern retreads on alloys that I picked up from a Forum member - not great grip - and quite a bit noisier than the Alpins, so I'm going to get the wear out of them over this year, then fit new winters on the rims. Re. swapping, I was moving the Alpins front to rear to even-up the wear - should not be any problem providing pattern is symetrical, wear is reasonably even across tread and rotational direction remains the same.

Thanks for the reply.  Yeah, I've been impressed by the Alpins this winter, despite it not being the coldest of winters here in the Pennines.  I wanted to have a set of steelies or cheap alloys for them, like I used to have on the Yeti and as I've put on my partner's Fabia.  But supply issues from Japan meant the Subaru had to remain on the same original alloys.  Consequently, the summers and winters come on and off the alloys.  With their standard symmetrical non-directional tyres, Subaru recommend crossing the rears and moving them to the front, but just moving the fronts to the back.  I can't see why I can't also do that with the Alpins, as they're off the alloys, and they don't have a designated inside/outside marking (they're symmetrical).  I think (I'll stand to be corrected), the Subaru suggested rotation pattern helps to ensure even wear across the tread face and all the edges of the tyres. However, if I shifted front to rear on the same side it'll make no difference.  Sometime it's possible to 'over-think' all this stuff

[Warrior193]

2 hours ago, Ooopnorth said:

Thanks for the reply.  Yeah, I've been impressed by the Alpins this winter, despite it not being the coldest of winters here in the Pennines.  I wanted to have a set of steelies or cheap alloys for them, like I used to have on the Yeti and as I've put on my partner's Fabia.  But supply issues from Japan meant the Subaru had to remain on the same original alloys.  Consequently, the summers and winters come on and off the alloys.  With their standard symmetrical non-directional tyres, Subaru recommend crossing the rears and moving them to the front, but just moving the fronts to the back.  I can't see why I can't also do that with the Alpins, as they're off the alloys, and they don't have a designated inside/outside marking (they're symmetrical).  I think (I'll stand to be corrected), the Subaru suggested rotation pattern helps to ensure even wear across the tread face and all the edges of the tyres. However, if I shifted front to rear on the same side it'll make no difference.  Sometime it's possible to 'over-think' all this stuff

Hi, just checked - the retread winters I have got fitted at present are King Meiler Winter Tact (WT80+ pattern, I think) They handled a 1200 mile slushy, muddy road-trip in January pretty well - but they are really not as sure-footed as the Alpins, especially on turn in or off the line.

It will be interesting to see how high the wear-rate on the K-Ms is on warmer roads.

It was the alloys they were fitted to that I was after, I've got my eyes on a new, highly rated, set of winters.   

[Kenny R]

Glad not to be the only one that cleans / de- stones etc winter/ summer wheels at change overs.