Winter Storage Tire Care: What do you guys do?

[Jeepngli]

So I am about to store the car for the winter. Last winter I garaged it all winter but had a longer garage. I would start it up once a week, let it get all the way up to temp and run it a little longer. I would then roll the car back and forth so it didn't stay in the same spot for long.

I now have a smaller garage. I think I can still do the same thing, but I'm wondering about using Flat Stoppers by Race Ramps.

Waste of money?

 

[hamish]

I jack it up and pull the rims off.

 

[mustangted]

i just park and dont touch it until spring

 

[tjm73]

i just park and dont touch it until spring

^^^^ this. Been doing exactly this for over 15 years with a half tank of fuel and disconnecting the battery. Be sure you disconnect the battery and open the drivers door when you do it. The glass drops about 1/4" and when the battery is disconnected it will stay down slightly and not drag on the trim when you open the door with the battery unhooked.

 

[SteveP]

moth balls (engine bay and around tires) and a moisture absorber (inside), and battery switch off. All I ever did. No issues.

 

[Hatchman]

i just park and dont touch it until spring

Just did this for 10 months while in Iraq, no problems. Also cracked the window 1/4" so it doesn't have to roll down when you open the door, and hooked the battery tender up. No issues.

 

[Jeepngli]

I can't jack it up because if the complex I'm in catches me they will take away the garage and don't wanna chance it.

So no one has tire issues? I guess I'll just leave it and roll it once and awhile and then take out the battery.

Good call on the windows down thing

 

[tjm73]

Radial tires (properly inflated) don't normally get flat spots and if they do, they are gone as soon as the tires warm up a little bit.

If jack stands are an issue get some 12"x12"x1/2" hard wood squares and place them under the jack stands. That would distribute and cushion the load and would not damage any floor surfaces.

 

[Shotokan1509]

I add a few extra psi over normal pressure, zero issues from Thanksgiving-Easter

 

[Vapour Trails]

Don't worry about flat spots, it's much ado about nothing.

Don't start the engine periodically, just leave it until you are going to take it out of storage. Put in a fuel stabilizer product then top the gas up to the brim (add the stabilizer at the gas station). Drive/run the car for 10 minutes to get the stabilizer well into the fuel system.

 

[tjm73]

I have never used fuel stabilizer and have yet to suffer any ill effects in over 15 years of winter storage of vehicles. I think fuel stabilizers are modern day snake oils. Utterly unnecessary. The automotive equivalent of the traveling "health tonic" salesmen so oft parodied in TV and movies.

Nothing more than slick marketing for a problem that does not exist.

 

[50tbrd88]

i just park and dont touch it until spring

Me too...I did buy a "battery maintainer" and put on it too. I top it off with fuel and add Stabil and she sits there quietly in the corner until spring.

As far as fuel stabilizers go, the reason I run them is from what I have seen where I work (John Deere dealer). We have seen a lot of problems the last few years with bad gas in lawnmowers and stuff in the spring. People bring them in running like crap or not running like all. Our tech just drains the gas, changes the filter and boom, runs like a top.

 

[Shotokan1509]

I have never used fuel stabilizer and have yet to suffer any ill effects in over 15 years of winter storage of vehicles. I think fuel stabilizers are modern day snake oils. Utterly unnecessary. The automotive equivalent of the traveling "health tonic" salesmen so oft parodied in TV and movies.

Nothing more than slick marketing for a problem that does not exist.

I disagree, every year we used to have issues with our snowblower, tear it all down clean lines, etc. Then it would be cranky all season. Once we started using Stabil we've had zero issues, starts first pull after being in storage all summer.

 

[50tbrd88]

So no one has tire issues? I guess I'll just leave it and roll it once and awhile and then take out the battery.

I have a '72 Chevelle that literally sat in the exact same spot for 14 or 15 years until I got it going again. It has some BFG radial t/a's from the 70's on it and all I did was air them up and go, lol!

 

[frank s]

There is a tire problem with racing compounds. My serious-but-seldom racer friends roll the tires up in cling-wrap so the tread doesn't harden from storage and disuse. Other than that, not much need to do other than ensure there is enough air in your street tires to keep them pretty round until they are to be used again.

 

[tjm73]

I disagree, every year we used to have issues with our snowblower, tear it all down clean lines, etc. Then it would be cranky all season. Once we started using Stabil we've had zero issues, starts first pull after being in storage all summer.

Me too...I did buy a "battery maintainer" and put on it too. I top it off with fuel and add Stabil and she sits there quietly in the corner until spring.

As far as fuel stabilizers go, the reason I run them is from what I have seen where I work (John Deere dealer). We have seen a lot of problems the last few years with bad gas in lawnmowers and stuff in the spring. People bring them in running like crap or not running like all. Our tech just drains the gas, changes the filter and boom, runs like a top.

Lawnmower and snowblower fuel systems are no where near as sealed as automotive fuel systems. If exposed to air the fuel evaporates and can cause problems. That is very true. I can see problems arising if we are talking about those small engines.

But when we talk about modern cars and the fuel systems they have with the emissions controls and such, the problem is not there.

 

[Shotokan1509]

Lawnmower and snowblower fuel systems are no where near as sealed as automotive fuel systems. If exposed to air the fuel evaporates and can cause problems. That is very true. I can see problems arising if we are talking about those small engines.

But when we talk about modern cars and the fuel systems they have with the emissions controls and such, the problem is not there.

Ya, ok maybe that is a valid argument.. but I'll play it safe and spent a few dollars every year rather than having a small possibility of a bigger problem come spring.

 

[Jeepngli]

So the stabilizer wont have any negaive effect?

 

[tjm73]

Probably won't have any negative effect.

But keeping a rock in my pocket is just as effective at keeping lions from attacking me as fuel stabilizer is at protecting automotive fuel systems. And the rock doesn't have any negative effects either.

 

[S197gt07]

Brian,

I've stored my car for 4 winters at this point. All I do is the following

1) Inflate tires to 45psi
2) Put dryer sheets in cabin to keep it smelling "nice"
3) Battery Tender

Thats it. Every spring, it fires up no problem. Don't over think it

Also, I never start it over the time its stored (usually 4-5 months). I don't think its necessary to start the car once per week, and let it idle for 15min to warm up, just to shut it off again.