Alright, let’s talk about something nobody wants to think about until they’re stuck on the side of the road in the rain.
Your spare tire.
I know, I know. It’s boring. It’s heavy. It takes up space. And for 99% of your driving life, it just sits there like a lump, doing absolutely nothing. But here’s the kicker—the one time you actually need that thing, if it’s flat, or rotten, or buried under so much junk that you can’t even reach it, you are going to be absolutely furious. Mostly at yourself.
I’ve been there. You’ve probably been there too. You pop the trunk, move three bags of groceries, a gym bag, and that random umbrella you never use, and finally get to the spare… only to find it’s got less air than a deflated balloon.
So let’s fix that. Once and for all.
The First Thing Nobody Tells You About Spares
Here’s the ugly truth. Most people think a spare tire is just a “backup.” You throw it in the car and forget about it. But rubber is not metal. It doesn’t last forever just sitting there. It ages. It dries out. It loses pressure.
And the worst part? It happens slowly. So slowly that you don’t notice until you’re in a panic.
So the first rule of spare tire storage is this: stop ignoring it. I know that sounds obvious, but how many of you have actually checked your spare in the last six months? Be honest. Probably not many.
That’s okay. We’re all busy. But let’s change that today.
If Your Spare Lives in Your Trunk (Which is Most of You)
For most cars, the spare is buried under that carpeted floor panel in the back. And that’s convenient, sure. But here’s what happens.
You start treating that space like a second trunk. You throw a tool box on top of it. Maybe a bag of rock salt in the winter. Heavy stuff. And you don’t think twice about it.
But here’s the problem. That weight presses down on the tire for weeks, months, even years. And rubber doesn’t like that. It starts to deform. It gets flat spots. Not the kind that go away after driving—the kind that weaken the structure of the tire so that when you do put it on, it feels like you’re driving on a square wheel.
So do yourself a favor. Keep the area above your spare clear. If you absolutely have to store things there, keep it to light stuff. A blanket. A coat. Maybe some jumper cables. But leave the heavy tools somewhere else.
And then there’s the air pressure.
This is the one that kills me. People check their regular tires all the time but forget the spare. And the spare usually needs more pressure than your regular tires. We’re talking 60 psi for a lot of them. Check the sidewall. It tells you right there.
I check mine every time I get an oil change. That’s my reminder. You can set a monthly alarm on your phone if that helps. But don’t just assume it’s fine. It’s not.
If Your Spare Hangs Under Your Truck or SUV
This is a whole different beast.
I have a buddy who drives a big truck. His spare is mounted underneath the bed. He never looked at it for two years. When he finally needed it, the winch mechanism was so rusted that it wouldn’t lower. The tire was stuck. He ended up having to call a tow truck anyway, with a perfectly good tire just hanging there, useless.
So if your spare is under the vehicle, you’ve got to get under there every now and then and actually look at it.
Check the metal cable. Check the winch. Spray some grease on it so it doesn’t seize up. And while you’re down there, look at the rubber. Is it cracked? Is it covered in road salt? Give it a rinse if you can.
It’s not fun. I get it. Crawling under a dirty truck is nobody’s idea of a good time. But it takes ten minutes and it could save you a massive headache later.
If You’re Storing Extra Tires in Your Garage
Now let’s talk about the people who have a whole extra set of tires. Maybe you have winter tires and summer tires. Or maybe you have a classic car and you keep the original rims stored away.
This is where people get really creative in the worst ways.
I’ve seen tires leaning against walls. I’ve seen them stacked in corners. I’ve seen them just thrown on the floor like garbage. And then people wonder why they look cracked and dry after a year.
Here’s the deal.
Tires don’t like heat. They don’t like sunlight. And they really don’t like standing water.
So if your garage gets baking hot in the summer, find the coolest corner you can. If there’s a window, cover it. Keep them out of direct sunlight. The UV rays break down the rubber faster than anything else.
And please, please don’t leave them sitting on a damp concrete floor. Concrete sweats. Moisture seeps up into the tire and starts rusting the steel belts from the inside out. You won’t even see the damage until the tire fails.
Get a piece of plywood. A pallet. Even an old carpet. Just get them off the ground.
Now, stacking.
If you have tires mounted on rims, stack them flat. But don’t stack more than four high. Any higher than that and the bottom tires start to warp under the weight. And align the valve stems. It makes it way easier to check pressure later without having to dig through the stack.
If you have unmounted tires, stand them upright. But here’s the annoying part—you have to rotate them every couple of weeks. Just spin them a quarter turn. Because if they sit in one position too long, they develop flat spots. Yeah, even just sitting there.
The Sunlight Thing is Real
I said it already but I’m saying it again because people don’t take it seriously.
Sunlight destroys tires. Not just the sun, but the ozone in the air. It attacks the rubber at a chemical level.
That’s why you see RV tires that look brand new but are covered in tiny cracks. They sat outside for a couple seasons and the sun just ate them alive.
If you can, buy those cheap tire storage bags. The plastic ones. They seal out moisture and ozone and keep your garage floor clean. They cost like twenty bucks. It’s worth it.
Things You Should Absolutely Never Do
Let me give you a quick list of dumb things I’ve seen people do.
- Don’t store tires on dirt or grass. The ground is wet. Always. Even if it looks dry. Moisture goes straight into the rubber. Bad news.
- Don’t use tire shine before storing. You know that greasy stuff that makes tires look wet and shiny? It attracts dirt and breaks down the rubber if it sits for months. Wash your tires with mild soap and water. That’s it.
- Don’t store tires near your garage door opener motor. This sounds insane, but those motors create ozone. Ozone eats rubber. Keep your tires on the other side of the garage.
- Don’t hang tires on hooks. Some people do this to save floor space. The problem is the hooks put pressure on a tiny spot on the sidewall and ruin the tire. Don’t do it.
The Donut Spare is Fragile
If you have one of those skinny little compact spares, you need to be extra careful.
Those things are designed to be temporary. They’re not meant to last forever. Most car makers say you should replace them after six to ten years, even if you never use them. That rubber degrades faster because the tire is so thin.
And don’t ever try to repair a donut. If it’s flat, replace it. Don’t plug it. Don’t patch it. Just get a new one.
Let’s Talk About the Valve Stem
This is such a small thing but it causes so many problems.
That little rubber valve stem where you put air in? It dries out and cracks just like the tire does. And if it leaks, your spare goes flat without you ever knowing.
When you’re checking the tire pressure, look at the valve stem. If it looks cracked or feels hard, just replace it. They cost like a dollar. Don’t be cheap about it.
When You Just Can’t Store Them at Home
Here’s the thing. Not everyone has a garage. And even if you do, maybe it’s packed full of lawn equipment, holiday decorations, and that treadmill you swore you’d use.
I get it. Space is tight.
And honestly, tires are bulky. They’re awkward. They roll around. They get in the way. If you have a set of winter tires taking up a corner of your apartment or your tiny townhome garage, you know exactly what I mean.
So let me tell you what we do.
We offer storage units that are clean, dry, and secure. And people use them for all kinds of stuff—furniture, boxes, you name it. But a lot of our customers bring their tires to us.
Why? Because they don’t have to worry about the temperature swings. They don’t have to clear out a space in their garage. They just drop the tires off, we keep them safe, and when the seasons change, they come pick them up.
It’s a no-brainer if you’re tight on space. And honestly, even if you have a garage, sometimes it’s nice to just get that clutter out of your way. You can actually park your car in the garage again. Imagine that.
One Last Thing
Look, I’m not here to lecture you. I know you’ve got a million things going on.
But your spare tire is one of those things that only matters when it really matters. And if you neglect it, it’s going to fail you at the worst possible moment.
So here’s my advice. Go check your spare right now. Not next week. Not when you get your oil changed. Right now.
Check the pressure. Look at the tread. Look for cracks. Make sure you can actually get to it without emptying half your trunk.
It takes five minutes.
And if you need a place to store extra tires because your garage is overflowing, you know where to find us. We’ve got the space. You’ve got the tires. Let’s keep them both safe.
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