Answers.Body: <p>I can't speak to "best". But as a point of reference, many many of my lego tires are many years old and they are usually stored on rims. The older tires were often not removable from the rims. As I rarely build cars, I take no special care of the tires, and I've found that there doesn't seem to  be any particular problems. The rubber ages over time, but this is true of all rubber in all circumstances, and the storage method doesn't seem to have affected them much. I have these large tires from an old space set from 1983 </p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/sAjUX.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/sAjUX.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>that are in excellent condition; sadly, the rims they were mounted on </p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/klF1Z.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/klF1Z.png" alt="enter image description here"></a> </p>
  
  <p>were fragile and many of those are broken. But the tires are okay.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-28T15:34:25.600Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-09-28T15:34:25.600Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Mr. Shiny and New 安宇
Answers.Body: <blockquote>
    <p>Should they be stored with or without rims inside?</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I cannot say for sure whether storing tyres with or without the rims connected affects the lifespan. In my experience it hasn't made any noticeable difference. </p>
  
  <p>There are  four practical reasons I can think of not to remove the tyres.</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>It can take a lot of effort to remove tyres and put them back on again, particularly for smaller tyres.</li>
  <li><p>Tyres and rims stored together use up less space compared to storing them separately.*</p></li>
  <li><p>It can be difficult to find a tyre that tyres that match certain rims, this depends of course on how meticulously you sort and store your parts.</p></li>
  <li>The stress on the tyre caused by removing and fixing the tyres on to a rim <em>may</em> actually degrade the tyre.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>The only reason I store the '<a href="http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=56145#T=C" rel="nofollow noreferrer">56145</a>' rim on its own, is because it can be used with <a href="http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=44309&amp;idColor=11#T=C&amp;C=11" rel="nofollow noreferrer">tyres</a> and <a href="http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=x1681&amp;idColor=11#T=C&amp;C=11" rel="nofollow noreferrer">treads</a>.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Or should they be kept away from plastic for long term storage?</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>If by long-term you mean several years/generations then it wouldn't do any harm to store them separately. </p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><sup>* A comparison of a rims of six wheels of the same type stored without and with connections. This can make a big difference in a large collection.</sup></p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/EKXKD.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EKXKD.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-09T18:58:06.060Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-10-10T11:06:46.210Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2015-10-10T11:06:46.210Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ambo100
Body: <p>Should they be stored with or without rims inside? </p>
  
  <p>Or should they be kept away from plastic for long term storage?</p>
  
Tags: <storage><wheel>
Title: What is the best way to store LEGO rubber tires?
UserDisplayName: Gary Johnson
ThreadText: # What is the best way to store LEGO rubber tires?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-28)
  
  Should they be stored with or without rims inside?
  
  Or should they be kept away from plastic for long term storage?
  
  **Tags:** storage, wheel
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2015-09-28. Score: 7
  
  I can't speak to "best". But as a point of reference, many many of my lego tires are many years old and they are usually stored on rims. The older tires were often not removable from the rims. As I rarely build cars, I take no special care of the tires, and I've found that there doesn't seem to be any particular problems. The rubber ages over time, but this is true of all rubber in all circumstances, and the storage method doesn't seem to have affected them much. I have these large tires from an old space set from 1983
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/sAjUX.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/sAjUX.jpg)
  
  that are in excellent condition; sadly, the rims they were mounted on
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/klF1Z.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/klF1Z.png)
  
  were fragile and many of those are broken. But the tires are okay.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-09. Score: 5
  
  > Should they be stored with or without rims inside?
  
  I cannot say for sure whether storing tyres with or without the rims connected affects the lifespan. In my experience it hasn't made any noticeable difference.
  
  There are four practical reasons I can think of not to remove the tyres.
  
  1. It can take a lot of effort to remove tyres and put them back on again, particularly for smaller tyres.
  2. Tyres and rims stored together use up less space compared to storing them separately.\*
  3. It can be difficult to find a tyre that tyres that match certain rims, this depends of course on how meticulously you sort and store your parts.
  4. The stress on the tyre caused by removing and fixing the tyres on to a rim *may* actually degrade the tyre.
  
  The only reason I store the '[56145](http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=56145#T=C)' rim on its own, is because it can be used with [tyres](http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=44309&idColor=11#T=C&C=11) and [treads](http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=x1681&idColor=11#T=C&C=11).
  
  > Or should they be kept away from plastic for long term storage?
  
  If by long-term you mean several years/generations then it wouldn't do any harm to store them separately.
  
  ---
  
  \* A comparison of a rims of six wheels of the same type stored without and with connections. This can make a big difference in a large collection.
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/EKXKD.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/EKXKD.jpg)
  
  
  ---
  
  