Tire Care

[bumble900]

Hey what product do you guys use to help keep your tires from dry rotting. Just picked ap a M101A2 and the tries are starting to crack from too many years in the sun.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Unforgiven]

Dry rot is a combination process. Not only is it UV that attacks the rubber, but the oxygen in the atmosphere as well. Storing in a garage or under a car cover can help. But it won't stop the slow oxidation process. And once the cracks develop it can allow water to seep in & rust the steel belts. One guy here just posted a pic last week of a Deuce tire that blew out. The steel belts around the blowout were rusted, which means oxygen either from water or atmosphere had made its way into the heart of the tire.

Tire covers are also available if you are inclined to jack the axle onto jackstands & slip the covers over them. That's actually not a bad idea if you don't use the trailer regularly ... avoid flat spots from sitting in the same postion.

As far as some kind of UV/oxidation protection product that you spray on, I'm unfamiliar with them. I'm sure they exist. Usually motor homes & other RV's use wheel covers. You might try Camping World. They might have a suggestion.

 

[emr]

the best thing one can do for a tire is keep it in an upright place in a dark and cool enviornment, as for on a vehicle long term storage they should be hanging in the air, as for a tire cover that is the single most bestest thing a person can do, direct sunlight is the absolute worst culprit for the damage to ones tires, UV light brakes them and all things down first then basic weather conditons ...to dry to wet u name it degrades from there, but it is UV light that is the worst and the starter of the damage, this site has the best stuff I have seen or read about to keep em on the road as long as possible... greatlakescorrosion.com I use the tent halfs and all my tent covers holder thingys to cover my tires on the 2 5 tons and the deuce and the M38 and even the Mule and treailers when they are not in there sheds, even for a few days I cover em all before I leave the shop, just to much of an investment not to... good luck, keep em clean and at least a quality wheel spray and cover em.....

 

[cranetruck]

It's actually the ozone that causes most of the damage along with the UV rays.
The military specifies a larger amount of antiozonants for their tires and they last longer that way. Some aftermarket chemicals will probably do more harm than good if used to "protect" the rubber.
I have googled "aircraft" type tires and apparently, some tires can be kept in serviceable condition decades if stored correctly. Hard to find anything specific, though.