chevypower91

Hey guys,

As you already know winter is approaching and our rides will be put to sleep.

I'm Just wondering how some of you store your cars during the winter months.

Does anyone put their cars on stands? I'm debating whether or not to put mine on stands. I was told by a few people that having your car suspended up in the air is not good for the suspension.

What do you guys think?

Benny

freestylzz

Ya that's a good question and something I've been wanting to ask for a few weeeks ( was busier trying to find the storage!).
Well I lucked out and found a spot! I figure she'll stay there till late April of next year. I'm no "expert" in the realm of car storage, but here's some pointers / opinions I've picked up over the years.

It is most likely in your best interest to have the vehicle parked indoors. I had the car under a few layers of cover outside 1 year and the condensation bulid-up on the inside (of the cover) cause some rusting on exposed metal parts. I find parking the car indoors doesn't creat much of this ( probably because it is away from the sun ). As to whether to have a heated or unheated garage is another matter of opinion?? ( And who has $300+ dollars a month for a heated garage?).

I think it is best to put the car on stands to save the suspension (most definitely). But alot of us may not have the time, ease, or space to do that. I usually drive the car up on a couple layers of thick cardboard ( grab 4 boxes and flatten them). This will help from getting "bald" spots on the tires I suppose. It has worked great for me for the last 4 years. It might be a good idea to drop some cardboard under the engine, tranny, and rear diff if in case you're worried about getting fluids on someone else's floor.

I always make it a point to also change the motor oil, and if it's been 2+ years most likely the antifreeze aswell. Dropping the appropriate amount of fuel stabilizer in the gas tank has ensured I get great start-ups everytime I go to fire her up ( even months later). Removing the battery is also another ritual. I understand ( or have been told ) it might not be such a good idea ( especially for the later models) but whose got time to keep the battery consistently charged?? Last season I left the 3 year old Delco in all winter, then it died on me 2 weeks into the summer ( a coinsidence?).

There are also all sorts of engine "storage" sprays you can get at the local automotive store that can be used on, and in, the engine. It might be a good idea to look into some of these although it's important to make sure they are used properly.

Other than that, it absloutely required to have a good "breatheable" car cover. Man does it hurt me to see car's like ours sitting out in the constantly changing sun, snow, and ice of a Canadian winter exposed! Poor poor f-body! It's also a smart move to leave the car parked over solid concrete / ashfalt as opposed to wet / porous ground, grass, or gravel. I've seen alot of cars rot underneath because of the build-up of moisture / condensation.

Then we come to the question of "Do I start my car up every 2 weeks, every month?? Or do I leave it sitting for 6 months??" It seems everybody has a different answer. Some say it's good to start the engine up and let it run a few minutes into normal operating temperature. Others say it's not a good idea as doing this may cause damage to the engine as the fluids take some time to reach the cylinders after it's been sitting for some time. And that todays' synthetic motor oils can sit for quite some time. I really don't know myself, but I have tried to start up and let the car run 20 or so minutes every two months when it is in storage.

But let's get back to the most important point, getting the car out and away from the brutal winter ( if you are conserned about keeping it alive for many years). It's amazing to see how many years a brutal winter ( filled with road salt, slush, rain, snow, freezing rain, wind, snow storms....) can take off the life of a vehicle!

These are some of my tips. I've found they have worked well and have kept my '87 looking ( and running ) great! If anyone else has any other tips, or opinions, I am sure we'd all love to hear them. I am sure we can benefit from them and help preserve our cars for many years to come.

Oh, and yes, it's a great idea ( and IMO ) to give the car a thorough wash and clean inside and out....even a wax before putting it to sleep

zedder 1 9 9 0

Last year I bougtht dollies for the Iroc at pricess Auto. These dollies fit the countour of the tire thus eliminating the possibility of flat spotting and give you the flexibility of moving the car around over the course of the winter if you desire.I will post pics of them when I get home tonight.

Steve89GTA

zedder, i saw those and was thinking about that as well.
Freestylz covered a lot of good points.

Definitely remove the battery.
Use fuel stabilizer (I use STP in the bike and car). Fill tank (or close to it) as well as all fluids.
Ensure tires are fully inflated.
Use a good quality car cover that's performated to breathe (crappy tire has some nice ones).
Lastly, give it a good cleaning.

I start it up about once a month over the winter. Ensure a smooth start in the spring...

oh, and leave the windows open a crack as well (if it's in a garage!).

STIFFLER

Here's what I do..drive it in the garage and park it!! what I have done in the past though is put it up on stands, make sure you put wood underneath it if it is cement floor because condensation does seep thorugh concrete...thus forming rust... I have 3 sheets of 1/2in plywood.... I have even used storage oil... spraying it in while the engine is running until stalling it out.. then everything is coated till spring.... and you don't have to start it through out the winter... plus like what the other guys said about full tank of gas,stabilizer.... but now days the 305 has seen better days.. (still goes like stink) I just park it...

zedder 1 9 9 0

ZFORCE

I am not sold on putting it on stands. Unless you have SFC installed it might not be a good idea because if you do not have your car sitting level (level like when it is on its tires), you could stress the chasis and cause distortion and cracking as well as door misalignment.

Another trick I heard is too put dryer sheets in various locations of the interior. I have been told the mice don't like them and so far I have not had any mice make a home in my car since using them (5yrs now).

Do not store your battery on a concrete floor, put a piece of wood under it and give a small charge every few weeks.

tj

Cruzin Kaz

As long as you place the safety stand or what ever you may use to put the car up under both the axle and the lower control arms. You don't have to worry about and bad flex. As these areas will give the suspension and the chassis the same stress as if it were on the ground. Now if you put it on the subframe mounts, that may be bad.

Just my .02

IROCKER

Just my 2 cents, but putting your car on jack stands is a complete waste of time for short term storage like the winter. Just make sure your tires are inflated to the max PSI and don't park them direct on concrete (park on wood or something) and you'll be fine.