BPHORSEGUY

I move my C3 and GT350 about 3 feet forward or back every month during their 3 or 4 month winter storage to avoid flat spotting the tires.
Am I wasting my effort? I don't use jackstands especially on the 35 year old! Has anybody heard of flat spots on modern radials?

TheSkunkWorks

Yep, my '92/C4 used to get them whenever I didn't drive it regularly enough. I'd try moving back and forth about once a week.

MelWff

I put in 40 PSI to avoid flat spots has worked for many years

gq82

If your running with bias ply tires then moving your car every so often is a good idea...however I've never had my radial tires flat spot so in that case moving your car would be a waste of time and effort.

Peterbuilt

Going back & forward 3' puts the tires back in the same spot, shouldn't you a least U turn and park them on a new spot?

Dracule

Why the aversion to jack stands? it don't have to be way up in the air, only a half inch or so. It just seems a sure way to avoid flat spots. Or junker tires and wheels for storage and stack the runners indoors where there is the slightest warmth, maybe near the water heater, or in the rafters where heat rises.

bashcraft

It's a waste of time. Radials don't flat spot.

08vycpe

It's a waste of time. Modern tires won't get flat spots just from sitting over the winter.

scottyp99

I've never had a car get "flat spots" on the tires from cold storage over the winter. There are plenty of real things you could be worrying about instead.


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott

BPHORSEGUY

Not if you go 3 feet forward from the original spot then 3 back from the original spot. A U turn would put them thru a wall !

briankeery

Don't sweat worrying about it. Once you check air pressure on your first ride of the spring, the dynamic qualities of the tires will "work" out any kinks that may have developed. My brother is a design engineer with Goodyear....according to him, modern radials will only deflect on a "microscopic level" over a winter layaway. Once driven 20-30 miles, it makes no difference if they've sat all winter or not. He does however recommend a slight overinflation(as was previously mentioned) during prolonged storage intervals of 6 months or more - which up north here is roughly my storage season.

cv67

Brand new radials all the way around flat spotted some after sitting for a year. Nothign about 20-30 miles of fwy driving couldnt take care of.

08vycpe

Again, waste of time. You won't get flat spots.

TheSkunkWorks

Tell that the Eagle GSC's that came on my '92.

vettehardt

Coming from a person who works in a related rubber field, the flat spots will work themselves out with in the first couple of miles of driving. There is nothing to worry about if you keep the tires inflated properly. I let my 98 Camaro sit outside all winter and just jumped in it this morning to take to work. Had a slight vibration for about 2 miles going down the road and then it went away.

TheSkunkWorks

As bothersome as it was, mine on the '92 typically went away within a couple of miles or so too. The more often I moved/drove it, the less pronounced was the sensation and quicker it went away.

Always bugged the crap out of me those first few minutes tho...