General Winter tyres cracking while stored.

[HWMAX]

Fiat 500 fitted with Nokian winter tyres that have had to be junked before even half worn due to cracking. This also happened with Hankook Icept Evo on our Insignia.

Does anyone out there using winter tyres use a brand that actually get to wear out rather than crack up?

We now live in Scotland and winter tyres are a must for us. Last winter went round a bend in the Insignia and saw the car behind slide slowly into a ditch. Also sailed up a mile long hill near our house passing cars spinning their wheels to no avail.

Any advice on a brand of winter tyre that has lasted more than 3 years without cracking would be very welcome.

 

[bugsymike]

Fiat 500 fitted with Nokian winter tyres that have had to be junked before even half worn due to cracking. This also happened with Hankook Icept Evo on our Insignia.

Does anyone out there using winter tyres use a brand that actually get to wear out rather than crack up?

We now live in Scotland and winter tyres are a must for us. Last winter went round a bend in the Insignia and saw the car behind slide slowly into a ditch. Also sailed up a mile long hill near our house passing cars spinning their wheels to no avail.

Any advice on a brand of winter tyre that has lasted more than 3 years without cracking would be very welcome.

Maybe a higher quality make ( speak to any Swedish or Finnish contributors) other than that keep stored in dry dark away from UV etc.
Not a problem for me in Torbay , we barely see a heavy frost.

 

[HWMAX]

I understand your suggestion, that's why we went for Nokian as they are Scandinavian and have good reviews.

However, the garage that failed them at the MOT (all 4 of them) said they see this a lot with a range of brands. The mechanic said he sees cars running on cracked winter tires but when it comes to MOT time they are on normal tyres. They advise accordingly but he suspects some winter tyres never see a MOT or even a garage if the car is not serviced between December and May.

Makes you think.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I understand your suggestion, that's why we went for Nokian as they are Scandinavian and have good reviews.

However, the garage that failed them at the MOT (all 4 of them) said they see this a lot with a range of brands. The mechanic said he sees cars running on cracked winter tires but when it comes to MOT time they are on normal tyres. They advise accordingly but he suspects some winter tyres never see a MOT or even a garage if the car is not serviced between December and May.

Makes you think.

My Michelin Alpin4 are now 3 years old. Used Oct to April each year and stored in teh garage over the summer. No notifcable signs of deterioration are visible. I suspect all winter tyres will be afflicted similarly as Nokian are now recognised as a quality brand. The Alpin4's are excellent in wet and cold conditions and dismiss standing water easily. Braking in winter in much better than the Continetal6 summer tyres. I have not had any snow but the aggressive tread looks like it will cope ad they had a great test result. They are however a bit noisy compared with continentals on my last panda and much loder than the summer tyres and sporty they are not. I would however give them a sound thumbs up and would buy the same again.

 

[John202020]

Are the tyres on rims in storage?

 

[The Panda Nut]

Are the tyres on rims in storage?

Yes I have summer tyres on my 'free' alloy wheels supplied in compensation for my oh dear sorry its not the 90HP ist should be new car, and my Panda Waze steel wheels are shod with the winter tyres. So they are indoors and inflated. Each year I check the wear carefully and put the best tyre on the n/s front which always wears more. I sore teh wheels and tyres on my scaffolding tower wich supports then as a preoper tyre rack would do. They are thus stood on the tread not the sidewalls and they are mostly covered up. Usually remove stones chec for bulges and punctures, then I wash the wheels and tyres, polish them and treat the tyres with a tyre shine product that says it gives some added protection before storing. A lot of nannying but it does keep the alloy wheels away from nearly all the road salt

 

[John202020]

Odd thought ask a tyre fitting place why they might degrade

 

[chris3234]

Uv light and ozone gas are two of the biggest things the damage rubber

 

[varesecrazy]

Do look at the Moulding Date

It could be a tyre on the car for 3 years is actually 5 or 6 years old

 

[TrevC]

Do look at the Moulding Date

It could be a tyre on the car for 3 years is actually 5 or 6 years old

All season tyres are nearly as good, Michelin Cross Climates performed really well when we were hit by the Beast from the East a few years back. Got them on my present car, no sign of cracking after 2.5 years. Still got 5mm of tread on the front after 10000 miles. Also avoids all the faff of storing/swapping wheels.

 

[bugsymike]

All season tyres are nearly as good, Michelin Cross Climates performed really well when we were hit by the Beast from the East a few years back. Got them on my present car, no sign of cracking after 2.5 years. Still got 5mm of tread on the front after 10000 miles. Also avoids all the faff of storing/swapping wheels.

I put a set of part used snow tyres on Doblo steel wheels for myself, one of my daughters damaged two alloy wheels on her Grande Punto avoiding a dog! So I put all four on her car, she used it summer and winter for 5 years and when we sold it they were still good enough to not attract the "tyre kickers" attention coming to buy car!

 

[Ralf S.]

Are they cracked on the sidewalls or cracked around where the tread blocks poke out of the tread?

If it's sidewalls.. then try storing the tyres with no pressure (or reduced pressure) and in a cool dark place. Mine are at the back of the garage, on the floor (stacked one on top of the other with a piece of cardboard on the floor and between each wheel)... under a blanket. Never had cracking.

Before you store them, also wash the wheels and tyres with regular car wash soapy and give them a good dry... then use tyre shine stuff on the sidewalls.. it helps keep the rubber moist.

If it's in the tread then that's not serious.. it could be the pressure isn't correct and the blocks are moving about too much. I'd MOT the car on the regular tyres and fit the winter tyres just for winter (November to March), if the MOT guy doesn't like the cracks around the tread blocks.


Ralf S.

 

[rmjbn1]

Before you store them, also wash the wheels and tyres with regular car wash soapy and give them a good dry... then use tyre shine stuff on the sidewalls.. it helps keep the rubber moist.

There's a theory that the rubber can dry out quickly if the tyres aren't being used - it's driving that releases chemicals that lubricate the rubber.
(From that always-reliable* source Kwik-Fit: https://www.kwik-fit.com/blog/how-long-do-tyres-last)

So I agree, some tyre treatment or silicone rubber spray might help before storing.

I think I would also be tempted to MOT the car on your regular set of boots, then fit your winters if the rubber's cracking.

 

[koalar]

There's a theory that the rubber can dry out quickly if the tyres aren't being used - it's driving that releases chemicals that lubricate the rubber.
(From that always-reliable* source Kwik-Fit: https://www.kwik-fit.com/blog/how-long-do-tyres-last)

So I agree, some tyre treatment or silicone rubber spray might help before storing.

I think I would also be tempted to MOT the car on your regular set of boots, then fit your winters if the rubber's cracking.

Black bin bag vac the air out would slow down the loss of natural oils

Although the spares don’t crack even after 20 years in the boot

 

[John202020]

Black bin bag vac the air out would slow down the loss of natural oils

Although the spares don’t crack even after 20 years in the boot

My space saver in the Mazda is 15 years old and no cracks 13 years old in ge fiat and no cracks

 

[Derbyfella]

It’s Uv light isn’t it that causes the breaking down. white walled tyres used to break down very quickly didnt the which is why they stopped using them…
but that seems to go against physics

 

[HWMAX]

Thank you everybody.

I have decided to go for the Michelin Alpine 4s as mentioned above and pay more attention to storage.

The Nokians that cracked were stored on rims in a ventilated but dry garden storage unit that was in a shady spot. I will try storing off the rims when I get the Michelins.

Fingers crossed!

 

[The Panda Nut]

Black bin bag vac the air out would slow down the loss of natural oils

Although the spares don’t crack even after 20 years in the boot

I suspect the storage area may just get hot. Keeping them cool will help too.

 

[Ralf S.]

Thank you everybody.

I have decided to go for the Michelin Alpine 4s as mentioned above and pay more attention to storage.

The Nokians that cracked were stored on rims in a ventilated but dry garden storage unit that was in a shady spot. I will try storing off the rims when I get the Michelins.

Fingers crossed!

On the rims is okay.. just reduce the pressure by half (or completely... but that's just a faff to pump them all up again) so they're not under pressure.

But cool and especially dark (so out of direct sunlight) seems to work best.


Ralf S.

 

[koalar]

if you take last year out of the equation which was colder

The previous couple couple of years here in Cheshire rarely fell low enough for winter tyres to outperform summer. Most of them would just be the morning or a few days Keep going like this all weather might be a better bet than two sets.

Even last year here would only be a few weeks

Obviously it’s much clear cut for anyone living in Scotland

UK: monthly daily average temperatures 2021 | Statista

Monthly daily average temperatures in the United Kingdom typically follow a similar pattern each year, with the summer months recording the highest temperatures.

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