Yea I know, no one wants to hear this but I'm a big pre-planner. With the new job I'm putting on way too many km's and I don't want to use up my tires on pavement. So after a lot of thinking I've deceided to put away the Jeep this winter and drive a gulp pick up truck from work :shock: , that's another story in itself. God I hope it's an automatic :wink:
Anyway, I'm not sure what is the best way to store the Jeep. I found this list but it seems way over the top - any suggestions? What do you do with yours? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Karen
Reprinted without permission:
(and I don't agree with all of these as they don't neccesarily apply to modern vehicles)
Car Storage Checklist v1.0
by Rob Chong
Excerpt from article previously published in Hoofprints.
1. Get underbody of vehicle oiled and rust proofed. (Krown, Rust Check, Ziebart, Apple Auto Glass etc.)
2. Optional: Give vehicle a quick wash to get rid of dirt and contaminants on the paint surface. (The anti-rust overspray on the side of the vehicle doesn't harm the paint. If in doubt check with the sprayer.) (Dry thoroughly with terry cloths or chamois. You can also at this time polish and wax the vehicle for added paint protection.)
3. Change oil and filter. 5W30 or 10W30 oil is good enough for storing. (Quaker, Castrol etc.)
4. Add anti-rust treatment to Radiator. (Prestone etc.)
5. Add one bottle of upper cylinder lubricant. (Karbout by Rislone or Top Oil by Bardahl etc.)
6. Add one bottle of Fuel Injector/Carburetor cleaner to fuel tank. (STP, Wynn's etc.)
7. Add one bottle of moisture/water remover to fuel tank, that does not contain alcohol. (STP, Wynn's etc.)
8. Add one bottle of gas storage/stabilizer/conditioner to the fuel tank. (Stabil, STP etc.)
9. Fill gas tank with PREMIUM fuel. (Sunoco 94 Octane etc.)
10. Inflate 4-6 psi over correct recommended pressure in the owners manual- and check every two-three weeks or so after. (Install Tire Minders Pressure Gauges on the valve stems. These change color as the pressure drops and make visual checks easier.)
11. Lay down carpet and or plastic on garage floor to prevent moisture.
12. Go for your last drive, run engine to proper operating temp or go for a good 20-30 minute drive, get home,
park the car, shut it off.
13. Open hood, remove battery from car, clean battery cables, and battery tray. Put battery in safe place away from the cold. Clean and spray the terminals with Rust Check either red or green can. Check it every month to make sure it retains a charge, use an automatic trickle type battery charger that if required.
14. When engine is cool, do the normal checks, top up any fluids that needs it.
15. Pull off the rubber hose at the bottom of the windshield washer tank and drain.
16. Lift off the air cleaner, lube all the linkages with a drop or two of light oil.
(Do not spray any heavy lubricating oil down carb. throat. This will gum up the carb.)
17. Change the fuel filter, check hoses and clamps.
(Replace that bronze type fuel filter in the carburetor with a small inline see thru type filter.)
18. Grease all fittings on suspension and drive train with grease, top up transmission and differential fluids.
(Use proper rear axle gear fluid, limited slip versus a locking diff. requires different and specific gear lube.)
19. Use Rust Check Gel in Green can to spray and lube door hinges and all latches and lock mechanisms.
20. Spray all the chrome pieces with Rust Check in Red can. Bumpers, moldings, door handles etc.
21. Spray your wheels and rims with Rust Check in Red can. Dab a bit of Rust Check on any Paint Chips.
22. Open trunk, remove everything including spare tire etc. Clean out all the garbage from the interior.
(This is to get as much weight off of the suspension as possible.)
23. Vacuum the interior, clean vinyl, plastic, leather with proper cleaners and protectants.
24. Remove the wiper blades and put them inside the car- or you can stuff a clean rag under each arm so the
wiper blades themselves are raised a half inch or so and is not resting on the windshield.
(This will keep the blades from getting flat and useless next year.)
25. If Rodents are a problem then get some moth beans or strong smelling soap. Place inside car, trunk and under hood. (Be warned though that like most smells, the hardy rat and mice can and will get used to the strong scent eventually.)
26. To absorb moisture inside car: use silica gel packs, buy them from a store or recycle them from shipping containers, or place 6 to 12 pieces of new/unused barbecue charcoal briquettes in a pie tin or open top container and place container inside car. Also place another container of briquettes inside trunk. Roll up windows, close doors, hood and trunk.
27. Raise car up a bit to take about 1/2 weight off of suspension and put on four jackstands- but Do Not let the suspension hang. (Remember to keep checking the tire air pressure regularly, and inflate to normal air pressure plus 4-6 psi more just in case of a slow leak.)
28. Cover car with a good car cover- Not Plastic. One that is breathable and does not trap moisture underneath. (Don't be cheap, get a good new cover and throw away that oil soaked blanket.)
Do Not start the car and leave it running after storage. This is a waste of time. It will not lubricate the engine or drive train properly and will attract moisture once the engine has cooled down and this will cause rust.
Topic: Winter Storage - Calgarians must know the answer to this one (Read 3395 times)