Concrete vs. Muscle Car Tires?

[cudabee]

Okay, so what's the general feeling on new, quality tires sitting on a concrete floor for months at a time? (on a vehicle) I used to look forward to the day when I had a garage to park in, now I'm worrying about the concrete. I've used small pieces of dry cardboard under tires or plywood. Just curious. Appreciate all input.

 

[myk r sanchez]

I was always told to use tire savers like the ones pictured. You can just google tire savers and you'll get a bunch of leads...

 

[yella71]

why do you think it would be an issue?

 

[myk r sanchez]

Depends on the tire, but some of them get flat spots very easily. I avoid that by driving at least once a month but maybe the OP doesn't have that option...

 

[dadsbee]

Both cars almost 15 years in one spot.... had no issues running the track at Atlanta and a lot of other driving the past 2 years on the Polyglass tires I bought in 1990. The 'vettes Michelin radials on the other hand were toast..

 

[69 GTX]

I have some truck tires that if I let set 1-2 months I can feel the flat spots, but they go away after about 20 miles.

 

[#41]

I have a moth-balled car. I just roll it forward a foot every couple months until I run out of room and then start rolling it back. Of course, I usually forget which direction I have been heading when its in the middle.

 

[MoparLeo]

Truck tires and high performance tires with Nylon cap/strips will get the flat spot phenomenon because nylon while being one of the strongest materials used in tire making( Used mainly on trucks because of their strength) will harden when cold. Naturally a tire isn't round when mounted on a vehicle anymore. The contact area is relatively flat. When the tire warms up the nylon becomes flexible again, that is why the thumping goes away in a few miles.
Driving on 20 year old tires of any manufacture is looking for unnecessary damage to your car at high speed. Not worth the chance.
I bet you wouldn't fly a plane with 20 year old tires on it.

 

[multimopes]

I over inflate my tires during storage every winter. I start the car and warm it up completely every 2 to 3 weeks and drive it back and forth a little several times and park it in a slightly different position. They are bias ply, parked on concrete and I have never had an issue.

 

[Kern Dog]

Depends on the tire, but some of them get flat spots very easily. I avoid that by driving at least once a month but maybe the OP doesn't have that option...

The tires on my '07 Dodge get flat spotted sometimes. A drive after sitting will give a shimmy that goes away after a few miles. They are big though....305-40-22.

 

[alfaitalia]

Modern radial tyres don't tend to flatspot...and least nothing that does not go away after a few miles. Old crossplys however...different story. Flat areas on those can become semi permanent....use tyre savers or put the car on stands. Better still (if you garage gets lots of light) remove the wheels wrap them in sack and store them. Never wrap in polythene....this can cause rubber to degrade.
I know it's been discussed many times on here before....but anyone running tyres more than ten years old on expensive classic cars clearly does not mind a bit of body damage or personal injury! I've seen the results of this first hand....dont do it!

 

[F4R/T]

My BFG comp TA’s on my wife’s SRT will flat spot all the time, takes a little drive time to shake it, I’ve tried the over inflated trick it didn’t help.. Good Luck on this one! The ramp that you drive on looks interesting like it may work.

 

[747mopar]

Living in Ohio mine does sit for months during the winter but I've never had a problem that I know of. I have a lengthy gravel driveway then a mile of chip and seal road before I hit super smooth roads, if I ever did get flat spots they're gone before I get on a smooth enough road to tell lol.

 

[Don selleck]

only time I've had issues was with a set of cheater slicks, but that was corrected quickly with a tries rounding method called a burnout. fixed!

 

[VANDAN]

When I put mine to bed for the winter, I jack them up, to take the weight off the suspension, and tires, and block them under the frame. I also use a "Car Jacket", which is a Big zippered bag, that keeps the moisture to a minimum, in my un-heated garage. This really helps with the sweating as we get those big temperature swings as we warm up.

 

[Skytrooper]

Both of my classics get put up on stands for the winter. Unloading the suspension and keeping the tires from ground contact. Crack the windows a bit and both get covered.

 

[dadsbee]

I bet you wouldn't fly a plane with 20 year old tires on it.

I'd take that bet, as would 98% of the airplane owners in North America.

 

[Nevada dan]

I put stands under the rear axle and the lower control arms keeping weight on the suspension leaving the suspension hanging is really bad on the bushings they are tightened at curb weight so when your hanging your suspension your putting a third twist on the rubber bushing and they will crack and tear plus power steering likes to leak with the pressure rom it too

 

[Ranger16]

My Road Runner with Cooper Cobras sits from Oct. to Apr. on a concrete floor. No problems or flat spots.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I am in Mi. Depending on weather mine will sit a couple of months at a time during the winter. Never had any flat spot issues with any of my wheel and tire combos.