Tire Flat Spots
 

This is my first winter with my 04/C5. It presently sits in my garage under cover and will not come out again till spring.:(
I read that some owners raise their cars to avoid flat spots in the tires and some do not.
I could be wrong but I believe more winter stored vetts sit on their tires than are raised.
Question: If flat spots develope dont they go away when the car is driven for a short period of time in the spring? This is what I was told somewhere back in time.
If so why go thru the trouble of raising and blocking?

RE: Tire Flat Spots
 

Spoiler,

My 04Z sat on the tires (on unheated concrete) for almost four months last winter. I moved it forward about 6 inches around this time of year. I Didn't noticed any flat spots when I got it out in the spring. However, our roads are really bad here in the spring so I may not have been able to differentiate flat spots from the rough road (pot holes, dips, etc). Also, I warmed up the tires pretty quickly once I reached the highway:D.

I've also heard that the flat spots go away after the tires warm up. I don't know if that's fact or myth.

I've noticed that my lawn mower gets flat spots on the front tires in the winter. I fix that by putting air back into the tires in the spring :D.

RE: Tire Flat Spots
 

I used to put mine on jackstands, but since got some "tire craddles"....far easier than taking the time/effort to put it on the stands. I didn't want to chance getting flat spots and ruin one to four tires in the process, $$$$. You would have to have just the right changes in temp, pressure and humidity to get it (from what I've read)....so chances are it never happens....but again from what I read,there are 2 types of "flat spots", permanent (starts as a temporary one...depends on how long it sits)and temporary (these are the ones that go away once the tire is warmed up again), so if you get the permanent type, it won't go away, the rubber is damaged (rubber loses its shape)and you'll feel it if you drive on that tire. It is often mis-diagnosed as something else...a differential, transmission, suspension, etc issue.

RE: Tire Flat Spots
 

Simply pressurize each tire to just under the MAX number on the sidewall, then just before driving your car again, bleed them down to 30 or so psi.

This is what many car manufacturers do to prepare a vehicle for lengthy travel, such as on a ship.

RE: Tire Flat Spots
 

Thank you.

Did it this afternoon.

RE: Tire Flat Spots
 

Yeah we have a corvette dealership and it gets cold inside and after winter we never have any problems with flat spots.

RE: Tire Flat Spots
 

Thanks for the reply.
I also have a classic car with standard type tires on it and I have never had a flat spot issue with it.
I just thought there might be something different about run flats based on some of the threads I read.