Optimal Storage of Rims and Complete Wheels

Everyone knows this situation - it's winter time and the summer tires disappear in the basement, garage or other places for the next few months. Often, you just stack the tires on top of each other to save space and maybe put a foil over them. That's it. But many don't consider that rims and complete wheels corrode when at rest - even if it’s not immediately visible. Because they are in direct contact with the road, wheels are a very important element of overall vehicle safety. This makes it crucial to follow some basic rules when storing them. Here you can find out what you can do to prevent premature wear at rest and what tricks and tips there are for the optimal storage of rims and complete wheels.

When Rims and Complete Wheels Hibernate

Rims and complete wheels - even if they come from original manufacturers - are often very sensitive. Stuck dirt and moisture wear down aluminum rims. Light, humidity and fine dirt on the surface are poison for rims and tires. Also, many people still clean their wheels and rims before they send them into hibernation, but acidic residues on them can attack the material as well.  

Dangers of Incorrect Storage

What dangers can occur if tires and complete wheels are stored incorrectly?

• the materials age faster when exposed to excessive heat, cold and humidity
• the rubber is attacked if not cleaned properly
• cracks can develop, which can cause an accident during use in the worst case
• the surface corrodes and looks old and worn faster

Proper Care for the Storage of Wheels and Rims

Tip 1: Before Storage

Tires lose air pressure even when not in use. Many people make the mistake of mounting the wheels during spring or after a long period of non-use and drive off immediately. Instead, you should increase the air pressure before putting them into storage. At a gas station or at home, you should pump the tires to a value about 4.35 to 7.25 bar over the one specified by the manufacturer - rather a little too much pressure than too little. At the next use in a few months, the tire will then have assumed the correct air pressure.  

Tip 2: Mark the wheels properly

You should definitely remember which wheels belong to which place. It is best to mark the complete wheels with chalk. The markings FL, FR, RL and RR have become established (for "Front left", "Front right", "Rear left" and "Rear right". A note on this: you can mount the rear wheels in the front and vice versa in the new season. This is even recommended for driving safety, because then all wheels are worn evenly. According to the Germany’s leading automobile club, ADAC, the wheels should be replaced axle by axle after 10,000 kilometers driven to ensure even wear and thus prevent "saw tooth" formation. It is absolutely essential to retain the axles, i.e. to replace only the rear and front wheels and not to change the axle (left and right).

Tip 3: Cleaning complete wheels and aluminum rims - but correctly

Cleaning the wheels

Before storage, the complete wheels should first be roughly inspected and cleaned. If there are noticeable dents beneath the surface, the wheel is usually irreparably damaged and should be replaced. Deep cracks also indicate that the tire should be removed from service. Cleaning means to first carefully remove foreign objects in the tread with a screwdriver, i.e. small stones, glass splinters and hardened soil. Then you should clean the wheels with a little detergent (not too much!) and brush, rag and sponge from top to bottom.

Cleaning the rims

Clean the rims either with normal detergent or with special rim cleaner. Don't forget to think about small corners in the rims that are not noticeable at first glance. These often overlooked spots eat into the material over time. Use smaller tools to root out these rough, hard-to-reach spots; a toothbrush is a great way to do this. Then clean the tires and rims twice with cold, clean water. It is best to rinse them completely to remove any residue from the acidic cleaners.  

Tip 4: The correct storage of rims and tires

The best for tires is to store them in a room with normal living temperature and humidity. Now, it is clear that most storage rooms for tires and wheels do not provide these conditions completely and are placed in basements or garages. But even there, the conditions are usually good, because the storage places for rims and complete wheels should always be

• cool
• dry
• and dark

In addition, neither complete wheels nor rims should come into contact with solvents, nor should they lie on the bare ground. Never store tires and rims outdoors - many hang them under a covered carport. But even there, rims and complete wheels are exposed to wind and changing temperatures.

Best position for tires, complete wheels and rims.

Do not place wheels and rims on the bare floor, even if the room is dry. Use a foil or thick tarpaulin as a ground. Store tires on top of each other if space is an issue, keeping in mind the point above about increased air pressure. However, it is best to store the wheels upright. Ideal for this are hooks and, for rims, so-called rim trees. These are available in any good hardware store. You can rotate the wheels a bit every 6 to 8 weeks to distribute the load of the wheels evenly. This will help you avoid flat feet. Note: If you do not have a suitable basement room or a dry garage, tires and complete wheels can also be stored for a small fee at car repair shops and sometimes even gas stations.  

Tip 5: Before mounting: check again

Before you mount your wheels after some time has passed - for example, the winter tires in the spring - you should check the tread again carefully:

• Does the rubber have cuts or cracks that could grow larger?
• Have any small pieces of glass not found during cleaning drilled into the tires, damaging the tire as you drive?
• Are there fine, small cracks in the rims?
• Is the depth of the tread still at least 1.6mm?

The latter can be checked very well with a coin. Simply insert a one-euro coin into the tire tread. The golden edge of the coin must disappear completely, otherwise it means: buy new tires for the next season. Apart from the tread depth, you should replace your tires and also rims after 10 years at the latest.  

Conclusion: Cleaning and storing rims and tires

Complete wheels and rims, which should look smart for a long time, should be properly kept and stored. It is important to clean them properly, at least once a year, and store them in dry and cool places. If you treat your complete wheels and rims with care and follow the tips described above, you will enjoy your complete wheels and rims for a long time to come.

First-class original VW rims and complete wheels

From sportiness to timeless elegance, VW offers numerous different rims and complete wheels that you can purchase at Premium Wheels at first-class prices. We always make sure that we offer you only the best quality, which is guaranteed by the range of our original VW rims and complete wheels. At Premium Wheels you will not find cheaply made copies of rims or complete wheels - not for VW and not for any other brand.

Advantages of original VW wheels and rims

What are the advantages of original rims and complete tire sets for your VW, compared to counterfeits and copies? Here are some points: 

• exact fitting to your VW, no matter which model
• use of first-class materials
• improved driving safety due to high quality cooling and brake discs
• higher driving comfort due to good absorption in case of shocks, potholes etc.
• reliability in dangerous situations, like driving in the rain etc.
• no loss of hubcaps etc.
• reduced weight due to high quality aluminum
• reduced fuel consumption
• long-lasting first-class optical effect due to durability

Disadvantages of copies of rims and complete wheels

As with many other car parts, there are also numerous cheap copies and replicas of VW rims or even complete wheels. These are not prohibited by law, but often come from cheap mass production in faraway countries. At first glance, these may look like standard VW parts and no difference can be seen, but you often pay the bill later. Because these VW rims and complete wheels plagiarism often do not consist of high-quality aluminum, but are made of inexpensive light metal, which corrodes after a short time from the inside out. This looks firstly not beautiful, but goes - what is much worse - as a second point at the expense of safety. Because attacked parts break much faster and can even cause dangerous accidents when the car is in full swing. Here are some problems that often occur with replica VW rims and complete wheels:

• often no fitting accuracy during assembly
• inconsistent material composition
• often loss of hubcaps
• increased and faster approaches to corrosion of the rims
• fast wear and visible wear
• often no or insufficient quality control.

As is so often the case in life, those who save in the wrong place - i.e. those who resort to copies and replicas - often pay twice for the above reasons and enjoy their rims or complete wheels for a shorter period of time and less.  

Large selection of rims and complete wheels for your VW

You decide whether you want to purchase individual rims or a complete set of wheels for your VW.

VW guarantees safety of rims and wheels through top tests

You have the choice between first-class VW rims or an original VW complete wheel set. The latter includes winter and summer tires including rims. No matter what you choose: we guarantee first-class quality through original VW parts. All rims and the wheel set are officially tested and registered. VW conducts several lengthy tests to guarantee customers and buyers of VW rims or complete wheels accuracy of fit, best material and first-class workmanship.  

Wide range of complete wheels and rims for every taste.

We have a huge selection of original rims and complete wheels for your VW in our assortment. No matter which model you drive - we have suitable offers for you. So we have for example:

• VW 20 inch rims for Touareg and others.
• VW 19 inch rims for Salamanca, GTI, Tiguan etc.
• VW 18 inch rims for Golf, Passat, Multivan etc.
• VW 17 inch rims for Caravelle etc.

Decide against cheap replicas and for original VW complete wheels or rims. Only originals are also in the long term a real eye-catcher. Our complete wheel sets convince as summer as well as winter tires and you can adjust your optics with every tire change. We guarantee you the highest satisfaction and sustainable, safe driving. In addition, we look forward to your feedback, whether positive or constructively critical. Order now or contact us with any questions or suggestions.

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