tires parked on concrete

[dockmasterdave]

I just read this on another forum regarding tires. I have seen lots of discussions here saying this may or may not be true.
I figured someone here would certainly have a legitimate answer as opposed to "my wifes, third cousins, dad said".
Who knows the real answer ?

do not store your R.V. on cement. it draws out the oil in them, also can cause a flat spot and dry rot. don"t forget to check the dates on new tires.

I hope this doesn't turn into another tire brand debate. No trolling intended.

[stevennlv]

We live in ours full time and I put down the rubber mats for one simple reason: I'm not an organic chemist.

I'm not really worried about concrete, per se.

More about the gunk on the ground where I park.

Goodyear says that where you store your tires should be clean.

When I pull in to a new space I have no idea what was done before I got there. And it's not like I tote around a pressure washer.

I don't know what types of sealants have been applied or when. Depending on the time of year the same goes for deicers and herbicides / pesticides. And I don't know what that stain is? Maybe the guy's dog peed there or his truck leaked something there?

And I don't know what happens when you mix all that gunk and park my tires on it in the sun?

I figure $30 for peace of mind is cheap.

And then the thing about no weight on the tires / jacking up the vehicle / warping the frame.

Once again: I don't have "authoritative" answers. But, it seems to me like the concern would be the full weight of the vehicle being on one part of the tire for a long time. It seems to me like the stabilizer jacks would help with that. After all, at least some of the load is transferred to them. I'll be able to answer that question more definitively when we pull out of here in a year or two after I heal from the surgery I need.

[down_home]

I can't cite everything I don't remember but bare concrete is not great on tires.
However our is inside on concrete, coated concrete. Not sure of composition but polymer, most likely.
Sitting on hot concrete or hot gravel or asphalt, for a period of time a will affect tires greatly.
I've got a set of big plastic cutting boards to put under the tires, somewhere, here. Don't think I've used them. Coated Plywood or plastic is probably best. Wood doesn't conduct heat like other materials and won't affect the oils in tires.
Having said that I'm not sure if there has been a change in tire composition since those ideas were first espoused. The last tires we took off the coach after 13 years, last year, were perfect in every way I could tell.
Car tires and Light truck tires will go bad in just short times in some cases especially if the Chinese leave UV protection out of the rubber.
The Michelin salesman said the tires were warranted for five years. His Boss cut in and said there was no established life expectency on tires.
hedging their bets. Goodyear tire life was 10 years, more UV protection and things I have no grasp of.
We will see how long the Michelins last, with orange oil, instead of Dino stuff.
That will be the last time I change tires because of fear at 4 years or 13 years, they are shot.
Take car of them meaning don't leave salt of mud, dirt, and especially lime on outside or rear side of tires. Lime will suck oil out of rubber fast.
If parked outside I would use coated 1 inch pieces of plywood and tire covers, on a solid surface because the weight off our coaches will bust plywood on badly uneven hard surfaces, or the coach and tires and plywood will sink, on solid where there is lots of rain and especially snow.

[Grit_dog]

DryCreek wrote:
Now, let's move the debate over to the (supposed) benefits of using Nitrogen as a fill gas for your tires.

I am a tire fill connoisseur. I have found a special 80/20 blend of Nitrogen/Oxygen that I prefer to use over straight Nitrogen.

I know, right? Good stuff and keeps your tires from going flat while sitting on concrete!

[DryCreek]

Now, let's move the debate over to the (supposed) benefits of using Nitrogen as a fill gas for your tires.

I am a tire fill connoisseur. I have found a special 80/20 blend of Nitrogen/Oxygen that I prefer to use over straight Nitrogen.

[drmopar]

If your concerned about concrete, paint the area where the tires sit, or cheap stick on floor tile. In my RV storage lot the soil is mostly sand. The tires sink a little and are "supported" by the sand. Zero flat spotting. You can also park on a couple of sand bags to help distribute the static weight.

[JIMNLIN]

I now
park my tires on plywood, on this concrete during the winter. It is a chemical
reaction between wet concrete and tires parked too long. Asphalt and gravel
do no harm.
Brian

Agree gravel won't hurt the tire when storing however tire makers tell us;

Goodyear;
Don't store tires in an area that is wet, oily or greasy
*Don't store tires where they are subjected to direct sunlight or
extreme temperatures
*Don't store tires near electric motors or other ozone-generating
sources
*Don't store tires on black asphalt or other heat-absorbent surfaces
*Don't store tires on or adjacent to highly reflective surfaces such
as sand or snow.

[d3500ram]

If I know that a vehicle will be sitting long term I will remove the tires... I am old school and I also never store a battery on concrete even thought that supposedly been dispelled.

[discovery4us]

Those that full time sit for long periods on a variety of surfaces and I have yet to hear one say that caused their tire failure. I am sure it has happened but I don't think it is common.

I have seen some use the rubber horse pads and cut squares to park the tires on. Don't know if it helps but rubber tire parked on a rubber mat shouldn't hurt the tire.

[ctilsie242]

Makes me wonder if those epoxy paints for sale at big box hardware stores might be the answer, especially the ones that add a slight rubberized feel. It would create a boundary layer between the tire and the cement. If feeling cheap, just paint stripes where the tires rest.

[Cobra21]

From what I heard and learned, the chemical reaction between concrete and tires
occurs when the concrete is wet. This is like spring, fall, and especially
winter when you have the sloppy wet melting snow your tires are sitting in.
I had my camper sit for two years in the same spot on outside concrete, without
being moved. The only place that had weather checking was on the bottom of the
tires in the tread, the area that rested on the wet outside concrete. I now
park my tires on plywood, on this concrete during the winter. It is a chemical
reaction between wet concrete and tires parked too long. Asphalt and gravel
do no harm.
Brian

[dockmasterdave]

Thanks for all the input. I kind of figured there were other things with a more direct relation, like pressure and weather. Mine don't sit for more than a month, so I think I'm good to go.

[Lwiddis]

Tim, what a neat and clean storage area!

[timmac]

Trackrig wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
Cars parked on concrete in a garage over nite are driven the next day or so.

What about the wife's car, or the mother-in-law's car that are used once a month, or the Jeep or motorcycle parked for the winter, or the boat trailer in the car port not used for three years? What happens to the car left at home parked in the garage while you're off on a six month trip in MH?

I'd rather have mine sitting on cement than sharp 1" crushed gravel I see in some storage places.

Bill

Never a problem storing my tires on 1" crushed gravel, also did this for years in Iowa on the farm and never a issue.

[delwhjr]

EV2 wrote:
And, do not forget to lubricate the muffler bearings annually, change summer and winter air seasonally, and add that blinker fluid.

Oh wow! Thanks for reminding me about the blinker fluid :B