ACR Extreme Winter Storage Question

[Goat19642004]

I live in the North East where winters are long, snowy, and cold! Question for other ACR owners, are any of you storing your cars in unheated garages? I’ve read some warnings about exposing the tires to temperatures below 20f and want to make sure I don’t destroy my tires because of improper winter storage.

[Martin]

I asked this question last year, too - and the "right" answer is to take the wheels/tires off and store them inside... Since my weather only got below freezing for a few days, I decided it wasn't worth the effort, and the tires seem to be fine. For a long-ass cold winter, though, I'd probably store them indoors if possible. One thing was a definite - don't roll the car when the temperatures are down around freezing. Apparently, that can crack the sidewalls.

[Steve-Indy]

You will get dozens of "here's what I do" answers...some based on facts, some based on what they "have heard", some on intuition. I will skip directly to your tire question. Follow these links:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=220

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/03/performance-tires-crack-winter-cracking/index.htm

My takeaway from above and from manufacturer sites would suggest storing the tires where they do not freeze. That said, IF the tires do freeze and reach 20 degrees F, DO NOT move car, inflate or deflate tires, or even roll the car until the tires have gradually warmed to 40 degrees F and have remained so for 24 hours.

[Scott_in_fl]

The dry air associated with cold winter weather is no Bueno for the rubber. I've destroyed many a motorcycle tire by not realizing this earlier on :(

[swexlin]

I've had my Pirelli Corsas in my unheated garage for a couple winters. Car is on a tender, and can sit for weeks at a time. No issues. Even (and no lectures please) in February of 2016, when the car had the R28 Appointment. It was 17 degrees, and car had been sitting for 6 weeks. I drove VERY carefully to my dealer, and back. No issues. Was it fun? No. Do-able in an emergency? Yes.

Now, that being said, the Kumhos on your ACR are quite different. So, ACR owners should chime in.

[SRT_BluByU]

in NY it might be good practice to put the car up for the winter with the wheels and tires in the basement.