Is 1.5 inches enough?

[float5]

Saw remarks by people from Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear and all said to put material such as wood, cardboard or plastic under the tires if on concrete or asphalt and some said other surfaces as well. No reasoning given.

[thoer]

My recollection is that both Goodyear and Carlisle recommend getting all the weight off the tires during storage. But then my recollection is not worth much anymore

[float5]

Eric, no doubt you are right. We don't want to bother. We use it pretty late in the year and will try to go out somewhat early to minimize the time sitting. One thing we have done is hook up and move a little so the tires are sitting on a different spot, or run it around a little.

[thoer]

Cathy jacking it up is a bit of a pain in the posterior and with the short lifespan of trailer tires anyway I always wonder if it is worth the effort

[float5]

But you are going to the trouble, I bet. And you even have a shelter so no snow and ice on them.

[fbalexander]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Saw remarks by people from Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear and all said to put material such as wood, cardboard or plastic under the tires if on concrete or asphalt and some said other surfaces as well. No reasoning given.

Well, I guess I'm anal. I did both. Plywood under the tires and lifted some of the weight off the tires and suspension. My excuse is, this is my first winter with the "new to us" Escape. Probably will not happen next year or any year after... until we order a new 21!

Fred Alexander

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

But you are going to the trouble, I bet. And you even have a shelter so no snow and ice on them.

Cathy I imagine I will. Us old shop teachers are such creatures of habit. Kind of like how I blow air thru the lines AND then pump antifreeze thru them. Besides I've got all those jack stands and jacks that I have to justify keeping around. And I can spin those wheels so nicely when they are off the ground. I had to stop myself from buying a wire feed welder to do the reinforcing of the frame myself.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Saw remarks by people from Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear and all said to put material such as wood, cardboard or plastic under the tires if on concrete or asphalt and some said other surfaces as well. No reasoning given.

Were those remarks from the tire companies, or from people who sell tires? In Google searches of Goodyear and Michelin websites, I can't find any reference to parking on wood.

The Goodyear Tire Care & Maintenance Guide doesn't say anything about parking surfaces.

The Michelin Owner's Manual gets close:

STORAGE
Tires contain waxes and emollients to protect their outer surfaces from
ozone and weather checking. As the tire rolls and flexes, the waxes and
emollients continually migrate to the surface, replenishing this protection
throughout the normal use of the tire. Consequently, when tires sit
outdoors, unused for long periods of time (a month or more) their surfaces
become dry and more susceptible to ozone and weather checking and
the casing becomes susceptible to flat spotting. For this reason, tires
should always be stored in a cool, dry, clean, indoor environment.
If storage is for one month or more, eliminate the weight from the
tires by raising the vehicle or by removing the tires from the vehicle.
Failure to store tires in accordance with these instructions could
result in damage to your tires or premature aging of the tires and
sudden tire failure. When tires are stored, be sure they are placed away
from sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and electric generators.
Be sure that surfaces on which tires are stored are clean and free from
grease, gasoline or other substances which could deteriorate the rubber.
(Tires exposed to these materials during storage or driving could be subject
to sudden failure.)

(bold text as per Michelin document)
If you consider asphalt to be grease (which I think is a stretch), then it would not be a suitable storage surface, but I see no issue with concrete or need for wood or plastic. This does suggest jacking up the trailer... but when you go on vacation for a month, do you jack up the family's other vehicles to take the load off the tires?

[float5]

This was from people from those companies answering questions from owners. As far as manuals, you will find differences from vehicle to vehicle and year to year on many issues, the same kind of differences you will find when you question their reps. What you have here is about the perfect indoor storage situation that we and many do not have. It would be nice if we did.

[float5]

Originally Posted by thoer

Cathy I imagine I will. Us old shop teachers are such creatures of habit. Kind of like how I blow air thru the lines AND then pump antifreeze thru them. Besides I've got all those jack stands and jacks that I have to justify keeping around. And I can spin those wheels so nicely when they are off the ground. I had to stop myself from buying a wire feed welder to do the reinforcing of the frame myself.

Good that you had a welder do that!

We are on somewhat of a slope and it is on gravel. Not much interest in being off of the ground.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Good that you had a welder do that!

We are on somewhat of a slope and it is on gravel. Not much interest in being off of the ground.

In one of my many jobs before teaching, I was a welder, so this would have been an easy one. But, as Mary sanely reminded me, not worth buying a welder for a $50 job.

I'm lucky to have that fine shed you saw with that nice flat concrete floor to store Blue in.

[memobug]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Saw remarks by people from Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear and all said to put material such as wood, cardboard or plastic under the tires if on concrete or asphalt and some said other surfaces as well. No reasoning given.

I would be very interested to read any of these remarks!

Regards,

Matt

[escape artist]

Hi Floating Cloud... My guess would be to prevent indelible marks on whatever surface the long range storage is upon. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[float5]

Originally Posted by memobug

I would be very interested to read any of these remarks!

Regards,

Matt

Just found them in searching on that topic so I am sure you can.

[float5]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi Floating Cloud... My guess would be to prevent indelible marks on whatever surface the long range storage is upon. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

These were remarks by tire company people on how to store the tires for the good of the tires. Unfortunately, they did not say what that was supposed to do so no telling what it is worth. We don't put anything.

[gbaglo]

Forgive me, but I suspect that even on 'authoritative' sites, some information posted has been gathered by some minion who surfed the web rather than do proper research.
How hard is it for the kid at Goodyear to simply copy and paste from the Michelin site?

[float5]

Yes, no telling. You pick your sources. That was three different people from three different tire companies. Maybe they all give bad advice based on nothing or wrong info. Since they did not give reasoning, can't tell.

[Iowa Dave]

For me it only takes a minute or two to back the 19 up onto a couple of 2 X12s. I am so old school that my dad told me it was a good thing to do when I bought my first boat and trailer at age 15. Been doing it ever since. Take the batteries inside in the winter and keep trickle charged with a tender in rotation all winter. I store the batteries on boards too. Works for me and I just have it as part of the put away for winter procedure even though I am going to get new tires in the spring. We had a thanksgiving afternoon winterization ritual when I grew up where Dad would direct the efforts of his three sons out in the garage while he got pleasantly plowed. I would give anything for those days almost a half century ago.
Dave

[float5]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

For me it only takes a minute or two to back the 19 up onto a couple of 2 X12s. I am so old school that my dad told me it was a good thing to do when I bought my first boat and trailer at age 15. Been doing it ever since. Take the batteries inside in the winter and keep trickle charged with a tender in rotation all winter. I store the batteries on boards too. Works for me and I just have it as part of the put away for winter procedure even though I am going to get new tires in the spring. We had a thanksgiving afternoon winterization ritual when I grew up where Dad would direct the efforts of his three sons out in the garage while he got pleasantly plowed. I would give anything for those days almost a half century ago.
Dave

We should probably be on blocks in storage as we often are at campgrounds but we don't think of it. Maybe we will do that next time back. We do use tire covers.

Those little things from many years ago can stick with you.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

These were remarks by tire company people on how to store the tires for the good of the tires.

It sounded like tire store people. Sometimes even the customer assistance people for manufacturers say things that the designers of the product might find surprising.

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

As far as manuals, you will find differences from vehicle to vehicle and year to year on many issues, the same kind of differences you will find when you question their reps. What you have here is about the perfect indoor storage situation that we and many do not have.

The manual which I quoted is Michelin's manual for owners of Michelin tires, not a vehicle. Yes, it described ideal conditions but even then it doesn't suggest avoiding concrete... although garages normally have concrete floors.

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Forgive me, but I suspect that even on 'authoritative' sites, some information posted has been gathered by some minion who surfed the web rather than do proper research.
How hard is it for the kid at Goodyear to simply copy and paste from the Michelin site?

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Since they did not give reasoning, can't tell.

I agree - advice without explanation is frustrating and difficult to apply. Shades of Baglo's RAV4/WD issue...