Due to the inability to store tires in the garage, many drivers prefer storing wheels on the balcony. Sometimes this is justified - the rubber is “at hand” and the car enthusiast does not worry about the safety of the stingrays. It is important to adhere to certain rules and comply with a whole list of requirements so as not to harm yourself and the stingrays. Without glazing, it is impossible to ensure correct storage conditions. In the sun, rubber will quickly lose its elasticity; other atmospheric factors can also harm the products. The following are examples.
Storing summer and winter tires (wheels) on the balcony with and without rims
Follow certain points.
- It is recommended to stack tires on special racks. You can make them yourself from a metal profile, pipe or wooden slats. This will allow you to maintain the correct position of the products and significantly save space on the balcony.
- Provide adequate ventilation for the stingrays. It is required that there is no stagnation and friction of the rubber. If condensation forms on the material, good ventilation will ensure proper evaporation of moisture. It is not recommended to store stingrays in a closet.
- Protect the rubber from sunlight. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the surface begins to decompose, which leads to its rapid aging and decomposition.
Preservation products
Before placing the wheels of your car on the balcony, you need to not only prepare the place and pre-treat the rubber itself.
Car owners use products with various compositions, but silicone-based products are more popular. They can have different release forms.
Top sellers include:
- LIQUI MOLY foam;
- CQuartz Perl Coat;
- VERYLUBE lubricant, etc.
The most convenient ones are those that make it possible to effortlessly cover the entire surface, easily penetrating the tread pattern.
Design solutions and ideas
Having considered the basic storage rules, you can review in detail the popular solutions of experienced car enthusiasts and home improvement specialists.
Wheel storage system
Factory options for placing tires on a home balcony are a special rack adjusted to the size of standard cages. The kit includes special breathable covers.
Shelf
The best option is to make the product according to individual sizes. Consider factors:
- Tire dimensions. For R13 wheels you will need less shelf than for R17.
- Storage method. You can place tires in two rows, on top of each other, or 4 pieces together.
- The width of the balcony room. Some car enthusiasts have a full loggia at home, allowing them to store large tires.
For wide rooms, it is recommended to use entire racks, as shown in the photo above. If there is no space, make a similar shelf.
Stand
The following options can be used here.
An option that saves as much space as possible on the balcony. Taking into account individual dimensions and free space, the driver can independently sculpt something similar.
Fastening
Various versions of wall holders are manufactured. Use available materials and available modifications.
Boxing
You can organize something like a professional place at home, or take advantage of factory offers. The last option is unlikely due to its high cost. To make it yourself, you need certain knowledge and those very straight upper limbs.
Other options
Among other options, we can highlight the most common ones.
- In bags. The only condition is that the bags must be made of breathable material. Packaging made of burlap, fabric or polymeric materials such as sugar containers are allowed.
- Some drivers store the tires in a stack, covering the top of the tires with a regular rag. The main thing here is not to overdo it - fresh air should flow to the stingrays.
- If space allows, for preservation, the likes of boxes are assembled, closed with a lid.
Material properties
First, let's look at the material from which the wheels for our pets are made. Today it is called a polymer composition. This means that in addition to the polymer, rubber also includes various additives: pure soot, sulfur, stabilizers, reinforcing elements.
Thanks to the introduction of fillers, the wheel holds its shape well and has enviable strength. Rubber molecules form long threads, due to which the rubber withstands deformation well, does not crack and is very elastic. However, a wheel that works well in the summer still has to be changed for the winter.
This is primarily due to changes in the properties of the polymer depending on temperature. As it decreases, summer shoes lose their elasticity and may even crack. There is no good adhesion to the road surface and the wheels are destroyed. A similar situation occurs with improper storage.
There are no eternal materials and polymers age over time. Long threads begin to connect with each other and elasticity is lost. Improper storage contributes to accelerated aging and premature failure.
Storing rubber on an open balcony
In open space, the principle of action and conditions are radically different. Here the rubber will be exposed to atmospheric factors, which will negatively affect its durability. To avoid killing the stingrays, keep a few points in mind.
- Protect tires from water, snow and direct sunlight. Packing the wheels into something like a chest of drawers or a box is the solution. Some drivers get out of this situation by placing a piece of plywood, facing plastic, or similar waterproof material on the tires.
- Take care of the convenience of residents. If the balcony does not differ in dimensions, placing tires here is not recommended.
- Separately, you need to adhere to fire safety precautions. It is strictly forbidden to store rubber goods next to flammable materials such as solvents, varnishes, and fuel.
Box
There are a great many variations designed for preserving tires. There are no strict restrictions on shape or dimensions. Each owner designs storage at his own discretion.
Other options
When you need to keep the skates for 1-2 months, use simple stacking of the wheels. Cover the top with plastic.
Rules for preparing tires for wintering
The main topic of the material is storing tires without rims, however, before sending tires to temporary rest, you need to prepare them for a break:
- Carefully inspect the tires without rims. If the tires are damaged, you should immediately contact a service center or replace your car tires.
- Wash the tires and rims thoroughly to ensure that no stones, oil or other contaminants remain on the tires.
- Dry your winter (or summer) tires. This will help avoid potential damage during the pause.
- Treat rubber without discs with protective agents to prevent deformation.
Now that the tires are fully prepared, you can safely store tires without rims at home. But before that, don't forget to read the rules.
Is it possible to store rubber in bags on the balcony?
It is not recommended to store tires in thick polyethylene for several reasons.
- Rubber does not “breathe”. For proper storage, stingrays need an influx of fresh air. If this rule is not followed, the tires may wear out. Also, sealed bags do not provide the opportunity for drainage of condensate, which is 100% formed there.
- Polyethylene does not protect against ultraviolet radiation. Negative impact will lead to decomposition of the outer layer of rubber.
The solution is a breathable film that reflects ultraviolet light, or if you have something to cover the slopes, build a mini roof so that precipitation does not fall on the slopes, and make micro holes in the film, which will provide ventilation.
Cases
The use of tire covers serves several purposes. Among the advantages:
- protection from external influences;
- organization of neat storage;
- convenience of marking from which place the wheel was removed (left rear, right rear, etc.);
- covers are easy to clean;
- it is possible to contain the mounting bolts along with the wheel in a separate pocket-type compartment;
- long service life of covers;
- Easy to carry thanks to the handles.
When choosing a cover, you should keep in mind that it must be breathable.
Storing wheels in an apartment without a balcony
It is not recommended to use residential premises for accommodation, but there are loopholes.
- Car tires are a bit toxic. Characteristic fumes may cause poisoning or minimal discomfort. Households do not like the pungent smell of stingrays.
- Direct violation of fire safety regulations. Tires are flammable materials that should not be kept in a residential area.
When there is no choice, and there is not even an opportunity to give rubber to a friend/godfather for storage, it is permissible to use your own apartment as a warehouse only if certain conditions are met.
- Find a separate room. Usually this is a pantry or vestibule.
- Good ventilation is created in the room, which eliminates the possibility of inhaling toxic fumes.
- Rubber is stored taking into account fire safety precautions. There should be no heating devices or batteries nearby. Various types of solvents and fuels are excluded.
What the courts say
Basically, the courts satisfy the claims of the Criminal Code for the obligation to empty the vestibule from the personal belongings of the residents. But in some cases, the owners manage to win the dispute.
For example, the State Budgetary Institution “Zhilishchnik” filed a lawsuit against the owners of the apartment, about whom neighbors complained. The stumbling block was the shelf with children's toys standing on the site. The defendants objected that their things were not on the site and that in general they lived in another place, but this apartment was rented out. They provided a rental agreement to prove it.
The court rejected the plaintiff's claims, finding that he did not prove that the trash belonged to the defendants.
I did not find any cases in which the management company was sued over one bicycle. However, such an outcome cannot be completely ruled out.
For example, in St. Petersburg, the prosecutor filed a lawsuit against the HOA for an obligation to eliminate violations in the entire building. Seven floors in different front buildings were targeted at once. The court upheld the claim, although the HOA argued that it had issued the necessary instructions to the residents, but did not have the right to dispose of their belongings.
What surfaces are best to place or place on?
It is not allowed to pile any other items on top of stored tires, they cannot be used for sitting or as other garage “furniture”, unless they are old unnecessary tires
No disks
Tires without rims must be stored standing up. It is light enough so it can be placed on a flat floor. Options with pallets or racks are also possible.
Assembled
Tires and rims should be placed in a stack. The weight of all four, and sometimes five wheels can reach one hundred kilograms or more, so it is worth placing a pallet or other structure under them. In the case of hanging, there is no need to resort to any additional tricks.
