Winter Hibernation Cleanup

[72BlckButy]

Well with winter right around the corner...

What do you guy's to do your vehicles before putting them away?

Do you use a truck cover?

Tell us about your process.

[storked82]

WELL BLCK Buty

Some things I do are first check anti freeze change oil I put a bar of irish spring bar soap to keep the mice away then I put some damp rid on the floor board in a cantainer just in case of moisture I fill the truck up put stabil in the gas tank I put it up on blocks so the tires arent touching the sement floor I put card board under the truck to help keep the moisture down off the frame also I give it a really good wax job put the car cover on and Im done I go and start it one or twice a week during the winter

TAKE CARE

Jeff Main

[rwolf9653]

Well....... I do nothing. Both of mine are in various stages of reconstruction, but I would have to say that I dont think I would do anything. I am always starting or tinkering with them all year round, and they are stored inside. The only thing I winterize is my lawnmower.

[cdowns]

when i lived up in the frozen north i used to winterize my vehicles by throw a couple of hundred pounds of bagged sand in the bed or trunk for traction that's about it

[72BlckButy]

Mine will be getting ready for a final interior clean and prep, exterior clean and prep, and then she will be tucked away for a few months. We will start her up at least once a week to keep the fluids free and flowing, but hopefully the motor will be pulled this winter so we won't have to worry about starting it to much.

Any other tips for winter storage?

[skyreep1]

If it gets really cold there like it does here I increase my antifreeze/water ratio. Too much water in the mountains and it can still freeze and crack the block.

I put irish springs soap and damp rid in mine as well and then put firewall insulation around my battery. (the temp changes cause the lead plates to spread, thus ending the life of the battery)

Also I take my tires/wheels off and hang them in my garage, applying lubricant all over (even vasoline works) to prevent dry rotting.

Crank It once a week to keep the battery charged. =]

Also wax and stabil are great suggestions.

[piecesparts]

Invest in a "Battery Tender" charger. These t hings keep the battery up to standard charge and will eliminate the need to jump or replace the battery at the end of winter.

[Tater]

I drive my trucks year round so I do nothing different to it.I do wash them alot more often in the winter time though because of all the road salt they use around here

[Richard8971]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Well with winter right around the corner...

What do you guy's to do your vehicles before putting them away?

Do you use a truck cover?

Tell us about your process.

Winter? Hibernation? What the heck is that???

Yeah we have sucky hot summers here, but we don't have to store the trucks away. In fact, this is the one time of year we can drive our vehicles without melting!

Don

[alexmadison]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Well with winter right around the corner...

What do you guy's to do your vehicles before putting them away?

Do you use a truck cover?

Tell us about your process.

I ended up going with a waterproof breathable cover from Empire Car Covers. A little more expensive $109 but it sounds pretty bomber.

http://empirecovers-review.blogspot.com/

[72BlckButy]

Well we washed the ol' girl for her final time before winter (I think). Just a few final things to finish up on and she will be ready for her hibernation period.

Don't forget the Sta-bil!

[timski69gmc]

Mine was packed up in November. Sigh. I have a light cover, (would like to invest in a better one), but the beast is also under a car port. A rinse off, park it, last check of the rad, pull the battery, lift up on jack stands to unweight the tires, cover and walk away.
What does the Irish Spring do, as in, how does it keep the mice away? How do you place it? Might make the interior smell nice in the spring.

[72BlckButy]

It's just around the corner again, so what's your game plan for the winter of 2010/11?

[oldblue1968chevy]

wash it extra good and keep trucking here! oh maybe some metal patches to cover holes in the floor lol gonna be COLD

[timski69gmc]

Last day for me. At least it is going to be nice. Drive to work. Make a couple of laps, go for ice cream and back to the garage. Then the usual, as posted above. Except I might try the Irish Spring as well.

[72BlckButy]

Don't forget the Sta-bil guys!

[piecesparts]

Careful with the Stabil. My family used to use it all of the time, but then we had some small engines that we had to clean the tanks and carbs anyways. I keep my tanks full and start the truck on a regular basis. I also use battery trickle chargers to keep the batteries up to level. It has worked for a good many years.
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.as...mpaign=product

[72BlckButy]

So far I have refrained from using it in my '69 as well as I generally start the truck once a week during the winter. I've just heard it is a good option to include for winter storing.

Nice link Frank.

[piecesparts]

That brand of battery charger works just like the extremely high dollar systems that I have at the Nuke Plant. It reads the battery differential and keeps the charge up using that as a guide. It works great. I have a charger for my truck and one for the son's truck.

[ETsC10]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

Careful with the Stabil. My family used to use it all of the time, but then we had some small engines that we had to clean the tanks and carbs anyways...

I agree with Frank on the Stabil. I inherited a lawn tractor stored that way...
what should have come out of the carb as fuel came out as jelled gas worms.

Don't forget gas has a very short shelf life; less than 6 months and as short as a couple months---
---figure on replacing with new in the spring.

[72BlckButy]

I'm glad I've never actually placed this in my tank as of yet.

Any other winter proofing ideas out there?

[Cue-Ball]

Most of these are good ideas, but I would recommend NOT starting up the vehicle every few weeks. Think about it... cold starts are the worst thing for your engine. It doesn't get much worse than a cold start after the car has been sitting for weeks and the oil has all run down into the pan. Not to mention the fact that condensation collects in the engine. If you allow the vehicle to get completely up to temp it burns off the condensation. But if you just start the engine and let it run for a few minutes it gets hot enough to create more condensation but not hot enough to burn the water off. Same thing with the exhaust. If you don't let the engine run long enough for the whole exhaust to get hot, the condensation pools inside and rots it.

Why would you do this to your truck? Just to charge the battery? That's what Battery Tenders are for! Not to mention that a healthy battery should be fine sitting for 3-4 months if it's disconnected. How long do you guys think new batteries sit on the shelf before they're finally bought? A lot longer than 4 months!

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by Cue-Ball

Most of these are good ideas, but I would recommend NOT starting up the vehicle every few weeks. Think about it... cold starts are the worst thing for your engine. It doesn't get much worse than a cold start after the car has been sitting for weeks and the oil has all run down into the pan. Not to mention the fact that condensation collects in the engine. If you allow the vehicle to get completely up to temp it burns off the condensation. But if you just start the engine and let it run for a few minutes it gets hot enough to create more condensation but not hot enough to burn the water off. Same thing with the exhaust. If you don't let the engine run long enough for the whole exhaust to get hot, the condensation pools inside and rots it.

Why would you do this to your truck? Just to charge the battery? That's what Battery Tenders are for! Not to mention that a healthy battery should be fine sitting for 3-4 months if it's disconnected. How long do you guys think new batteries sit on the shelf before they're finally bought? A lot longer than 4 months!

I use a battery tender, but I do not disconnect my battery. Due to the fact that I have a radio with a memory and other items in the truck, I do not want to deal with the time reprogramming the unit. If I do start my truck, I will let it run to warm up and then long enough to burn away any condensation.

[Cue-Ball]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

I use a battery tender, but I do not disconnect my battery. Due to the fact that I have a radio with a memory and other items in the truck, I do not want to deal with the time reprogramming the unit. If I do start my truck, I will let it run to warm up and then long enough to burn away any condensation.

If you don't need to charge the battery, what's the purpose of starting the engine?

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by Cue-Ball

If you don't need to charge the battery, what's the purpose of starting the engine?

I personally do not use Stabil. I have seen things about it that I do not like. I start the engine to rotate the fuel in the carb and the fuel lines. I have yet to have any issues with plating out of the gas or any sludge issues in my fuel lines. My truck is usually in the garage for about 3 to 3 1/2 months each year and then it is on the road again. I also make sure that the tanks are full, so that there is very little air space in them to gather condensation. My garage never gets any colder than about 65 degrees.