Community Forums

lady puffin · 09-25-2015, 08:14 PM

When storing for winter, what do folks use to protect their tires from resting on concrete. We plan to store under cover,but the floor is concrete. Just curious, have seem chunks of rug under tires. Does this provide enough protection?

LPD218 · 09-25-2015, 08:20 PM

I went to Dollar General and bought four carpeted rubber backed all weather mats and park the RV tires on these. Seems to work for us. I don't like parking it just on concrete for extended time. Easy to clean too.

CJ7365 · 09-25-2015, 08:23 PM

Whats the deal with parking on concrete, my car parks on concrete everyday since I bought it?????

FIRE UP · 09-25-2015, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ7365

Whats the deal with parking on concrete, my car parks on concrete everyday since I bought it?????

There is NONE! Millions of people park there limited use cars/trucks/RVs/boats/motorcycles/trailers/etc. on concrete and no one's ever reported any discernable issues of any real value. I have parked on concrete for decades and, for many months at a time and, have yet to have any shortened life of any of my tires, due to parking on it. Too much worry here.
Scott

wa8yxm · 09-26-2015, 06:59 AM

Many things have changed over the years when it comes to tire technology and for all I know there may have been an issue in my Grandfather's day with parking on concete.. Likewise with setting 12 volt lead acid batteries on concrete (Again in my grandfather's day) Now that one I know.

Old grandfather's tail is that the concrete (Which is porous) will "Leach" stuff out of the battery/tire and damage it.

New batteries that does not happen (But read on)
Current tires .. Well perhaps if you let them sit on concrete for 10-15 years (I have done that without issue) but you should have replaced them twice by the end of 15 years (These were light trailer tires so I did not replace them,, but I had tires sitting on concrete for at least 20 years).

Oh, on batteries I do not recommend setting them on concrete (reason follows) I recommend setting them on a slab of SCRAP WOOD.

Why: Well if the battery leaks and stains or otherwise damages the surface it's sitting on SCRAP WOOD is a whole lot cheaper than concrete.

h20ski · 09-26-2015, 07:12 AM

This is directly from the Goodyear Recreation Vehicle Tire and Care Guide.

Storing your vehicle properly helps protect your tires.
• Keep your vehicle in a cool, dry storage area out of direct sunlight and UV rays.
• Unload your vehicle so that minimum weight is on the tires.
• Inflate your tires to recommended operation pressure plus 25%, but don’t exceed the rim
manufacturer’s inflation capacity.
• Thoroughly clean your tires with soap and water before storing them to remove any oils that may have
accumulated from the road.
• Move your vehicle at least every three months to help prevent cracking and flat-spotting,
but avoid moving it during extremely cold weather.
• Place your vehicle on blocks to remove the weight from the tires. If the vehicle can’t be put on blocks,
make sure the storage surface is firm, clean, well-drained and reasonably level.

Gary RVRoamer · 09-26-2015, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Whats the deal with parking on concrete, my car parks on concrete everyday since I bought it?????

Mostly myth. Uncured concrete is caustic to rubber (and many other things), and it takes a couple years for new concrete to fully cure. But once cured, there really is no concern. Makes for great debates on RV and auto-enthusiast sites, though.

Some of the junk people put under their tires is as bad or worse than any concrete risk. Pressure treated wood, for example, is impregnated with nasty chemicals. So are some plastics and vinyls.

dennis45 · 09-26-2015, 11:06 AM

Old Guys with big Diesel rigs have too much free time on our hands.

CJ7365 · 09-26-2015, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

There is NONE! Millions of people park there limited use cars/trucks/RVs/boats/motorcycles/trailers/etc. on concrete and no one's ever reported any discernable issues of any real value. I have parked on concrete for decades and, for many months at a time and, have yet to have any shortened life of any of my tires, due to parking on it. Too much worry here.
Scott

I agree, way too much worry, I feel the tires will age out before any other "damage"

jdoc · 09-26-2015, 11:27 AM

Been parking mine on a 6" slab since it was new. No problems that I am aware of.

Jerry

lanerd · 09-26-2015, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Old grandfather's tail

Your grandfather had a tail?

Timon · 09-26-2015, 12:24 PM

Since putting some mats under the tires are so easy to do when parking I figure why not. It doesn't hurt and it could help.

Putting the MD on stands to take the load off the tires seems like a smart thing to do. I'd likely set the stands so the tires are just touching the floor.

LPD218 · 09-26-2015, 02:46 PM

It cost me a total of $4.00 to buy and use the mats. The pad is less than two years old. My Michelin brochure does not mention concrete specifically, but recommends a barrier between the surface and the tires, such as plastic or plywood. My tires are an expensive item and I will do what I can to protect them.

I wish I could drive it more so I wouldn't have to worry.

Murf2u · 09-27-2015, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timon

Since putting some mats under the tires are so easy to do when parking I figure why not. It doesn't hurt and it could help.

Unless those nice new mats from Wallyworld or the Dollar Store are fresh off the boat from China and still off-gassing all sorts of nasty things.

In which case it could very well hurt.