I'm posting this here instead of aftermarket, 'cause... it feels like home here. :)

I've got a set of almost brand new tires w/o rims (Bridgestone Potenza RE730's) in the garage. Was trying to sell, but the only offer I got was too low, so I'm thinking of keeping them till my current tires wear out.

Is there such thing as 'shelf life' for tires before they get damaged or deemed unsafe, assuming they are stored indoor, i.e., garage or basement? I know UV rays are harmful to tires/rubbers.

It may takes 2, maybe even 3 years before I wear out the current BFGoodrich G-force tires (almost brand new, too), especially if I get the snow tires for the winter.

(A long story on how I ended up with 2 almost brand new sets - to make it short, 730's came off another non-Volvo car. They are 205/50Zr/16, if anyone is interested, but got no response so far from 'classified' listing.)

It is hard for me to imagine that storing unmounted tires flat is a good idea.

I have read that alloy wheels with mounted tires should be stored standing up. That is their normal position, and the load on them is very small compared to the weight of a car and the forces of going over bumps etc.

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2 8s & 2 7s 600,000 miles total

Not sure about "shelf life" but I do know that the tires should be stored on their sides off the floor. You can stack them up as it won't hurt them.
Regards,
Eddie

I can't say what the specific shelf life of the tires is, but I think that they will last the longest if you don't let them dry out. Spefically, they should not be in contact with the concrete basement or garage floor. I was told that this type of situation sucks the moisture from the rubber, and will cause the tire to crack prematurely. My mounted snow tires are stored in the garage, but I stack them up on a couple of 2x4s. They usually look just fine when I put them on in late fall. Same goes for my all seasons when they come out in the spring. Come to think of it, those tires have been in use since before I had my license, and I'm 20 now. Perhaps that's a good indication of how long the rubber compound can hold up to the elements.

Tim
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Tim Smith '85 745GLE M46 w/87k. Also in the family: 94 854T w/120K.

I didn't know that---thanks for the tip.


Rick 97 850-R denver