From Field to Storage: The Right Way to Care for Your Agricultural Bias Tyres

How to store tyres properly: a concern for agribusiness owners and farmers who own agricultural vehicles.

Vehicle owners who own spare tyres to save the day during emergencies must know how to store tyres properly. It’s crucial for agricultural vehicle tyres to increase tyre lifespan and save money through equipment reliability.

Proper storage protects the tyre against environmental damage such as sunlight and ozone. It also prevents permanent deformation from static pressure and avoids premature wear caused by incorrect handling. Knowing the right way to store agricultural bias tyres yields multiple benefits, such as:

• Eliminating premature replacement costs.
• Saving on fuel consumption.
• Reducing the risk of equipment downtime.

Proper maintenance tips for farm tyres can directly contribute to agribusiness profitability. How? Well, if you are wondering how to properly store your tyres and be on the profitable side, let's explore!

Understanding Agricultural Bias Tyres

Bias tyres are engineered for rough and rigorous use in Indian agriculture. The ruggedness of these tyres balances flexibility, strength, and cost-effectiveness. The Birla Bias tyres are developed with strong sidewalls, deep lugs, and advanced tread designs.

The purpose? To provide farmers with enhanced and high-performing tyres with superior traction and durability. These features not only support drivers on a day-to-day basis but also make maintenance and storage easier over time.

Preparing Tyres for Off-Season Storage

Improper storage leads to various types of damage, such as cracks, flat spots, and rubber hardening from exposure to sunlight. Additionally, exposure to humidity and ozone gas can accelerate the tyre’s ageing.

Therefore, agriculture vehicle owners and farmers have no other option but to put their bias tyres in storage during the off-season. Thus, planning for tyre storage is not an option; it’s mandatory.

Common Tyre Storage Mistakes

Before knowing how to store tyres properly, it’s critical to know the common storage mistakes for tyres.

Not cleaning tyres: Many users often leave dirt, mud, and road grime on the tyres while storing them during the off-season. This practice can cause moisture buildup and chemical damage to the tyres.

Incorrect inflation: storing the tyre overinflated causes stress on the rubber and affects the tyre’s health over time.

Improper temperature: Storage of tyres where the temperature is extremely hot or cold accelerates cracking and damage.

Forgetting to rotate: Failing to rotate the stacked tyres on time leads to uneven and excessive stress on the tyre at the bottom.

Ignoring wear and tear: Using tyres that are already damaged or worn out without addressing the issue before storage is a mistake.

How to Store Tyres Properly? In 7 Steps

It’s critical for Indian farms to properly store the tyres to use them during necessary times. If you’re using Birla Tyre products, follow these guidelines to store tyres properly for optimal safety and uncompromised efficiency.

Step 1: Clean before Storing

For tyres that were already out in the field, it’s best to wash them before storing. Use mild soap water to clean the mud off the tyre, remove debris, and grease. Leaving dirt on the tyre will lead to moisture buildup over time. That’s why it’s best to remove mud and dirt from the tyres before storing them.

Step 2: Choose a Cooler Space

First, keep the tyre indoors. Find a cooler place away from direct sunlight and ozone sources such as electric motors. A cooler place with a temperature (within 5°C to 15°C) would be the best solution to choose.

UV exposure and excessive temperature affect the integrity of the tyre’s components. Excessive temperature accelerates ageing and cracking of the rubber. Therefore, a cooler place indoor or under shaded area is the best place to store your tyres.

Step 3: Isolate Tyre from Chemical & Oil & Electrical Equipment

The rubber components used in tyres aren’t impervious to all chemicals. Exposure to specific substances causes negative reactions, accelerating the ageing and decay of the material. Exposure to chemicals accelerates the ageing and decay of the chemical component.

Oils, fuel, solvents, and grease are hydrocarbons. It breaks down the molecular structure of rubber, causing it to swell, soften and dissolve faster.

Step 4: Avoid Ozone Cracking

When the tyre is kept close to electrical motors, generators, transformers, and other electrical equipment that produce ozone, it develops a chance of faster ageing. The corrosive ozone gas accelerates cracking and hardening of tyre rubber, weakening the structural integrity of the tyre.

Step 5: Avoid Placing the Tyre on the Ground

When you ask “how to store tyres properly?” remember not to place them directly on the ground. Storing the tyre directly on the concrete or asphalt surface attracts chemicals, moisture, and fluctuating temperatures.

Most importantly, never place the tyres on a wet surface. Placing the agriculture bias tyre directly can cause dry rot and damage from moisture. Instead, use pallets or supports to keep the tyre off the wet surfaces and prevent water ingress. Store them on a wooden surface and stack them horizontally on top. Hanging the tyres by the rim also works.

Step 6: Choose a Well-Ventilated Storage

Ensure that the storage area is well-ventilated. The tyre storage area must have moderate ventilation to regulate moisture indoors and reduce ozone gas buildup. This way, the tyre remains efficient and durable throughout its lifespan.

However, it’s also important to see that increased airflow isn’t affecting the tyre’s health. Follow controlled ventilation to keep the indoor humidity below 70%.

Step 7: Maintain Regular Inspection

Check tyres’ health periodically for signs of hardening, surface cracking, and deformation. Unprecedented events often cause moisture to build up inside the area. Regular inspection of the tyre storage area will help prevent immediate problems from affecting the tyres’ health in the long run.

Constantly apply these methods to ensure your tyre is always ready for the next season. It demonstrates how to store tyres properly for years of reliable use.

Storage Solutions by Tyre Type

How to store a tyre properly if it’s mounted on a vehicle? Use wheel chocks and reduce tyre pressure to relieve load when the vehicle is mounted. Storage and preservation techniques vary for tyres depending on whether they are mounted on the wheel rim, the vehicle or off the rims. Follow these tips depending on the tyre type:

Mounted on a vehicle: If the tyre has to stay mounted on the vehicle, use jack stands to store the tyre in the long run. This will release the vehicle’s weight from the tyres. Rotate the wheels by quarter turns on a monthly basis if they must stay stationed for a long term.

On rims: Store upright or flat on a pallet, maintaining inflation at working pressure. Avoid piling too high, and position lugs against lugs.

Off rims: Stand the tyre upright on a clean, flat surface. Don’t stack or hang them if the tyres are off-rims. It helps to rotate their position occasionally to avoid flat spots on the tyre.

Agricultural Bias Tyres Reliability is in Your Hands!

The reliability of your agricultural bias tyres depends on how well you maintain them. In that case, learning how to store tyres properly not only helps you extend their lifespan but also protects your investment.

Uphold sustainability on your farming operations by following the tips for storing your tyres. Follow our detailed guide on how to take care of your bias tyres in storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Tyres Properly for Multiple Seasons?

Follow a thorough cleaning process before storage. Next, store the tyres indoors in a dry and moisture-free location. It’s best to store them on a wooden surface. Regular inspection is crucial to keeping the tyre safe and ready for long-term usage.

What if Your Storage Area isn’t Climate-controlled?

Use tarpaulins to shield tyres from UV rays if your tyre storage isn’t climate-controlled. Keep the tyre elevated to reduce water damage. Avoid any contact with ozone gas-producing equipment or oil.

Where can I Get Personalised Support?

Birla Tyres’ support team offers expert guidance to help farmers adapt their practices and maximise tyre life with tailored recommendations.