Winter storage questions
02-14-2019, 10:05 AM
#16
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Note, the OP said he has no electric at the storage place, so putting the battery on a tender is a "non-starter" (pun intended).
What I would do is remove the battery altogether and just store it for the long haul. Take the battery home and store it in a warm, dry place. The car should be prepped for long term storage - over-inflate the tires, Stabil in a full tank of gas, fresh oil change, steel wool in the exhausts, moth-***** under the car and on a little tray in the engine bay, dryer sheets in the interior, and rodent poison in the shed. Then leave it for the winter, until spring, after the salt is all washed away. Being stored cold without the battery will not hurt it. Driving it around in salt will do plenty long term damage to the underside, since you cannot wash it off after the drive. It'll just eat away at things beneath the car.
What I would do is remove the battery altogether and just store it for the long haul. Take the battery home and store it in a warm, dry place. The car should be prepped for long term storage - over-inflate the tires, Stabil in a full tank of gas, fresh oil change, steel wool in the exhausts, moth-***** under the car and on a little tray in the engine bay, dryer sheets in the interior, and rodent poison in the shed. Then leave it for the winter, until spring, after the salt is all washed away. Being stored cold without the battery will not hurt it. Driving it around in salt will do plenty long term damage to the underside, since you cannot wash it off after the drive. It'll just eat away at things beneath the car.
Good tips on the rest of the storage suggestions though.
02-14-2019, 01:47 PM
#17
Rennlist Member
Rodents hate the moth ***** - the smell repels them. Under the car, around the tires (not touching), and on some sort of tray in the engine bay, so that they do not rest on anything permanent there. Rodents like wiring! Never put them in the car itself, or directly onto the engine parts, as you'll never get rid of the smell. Don't over do it either. It doesn't take a lot of moth ***** to do the trick.
Also, critters like to crawl into dark holes - hence, the steel wool placed into the exhaust tips. They won't try to chew through that. Dryer sheets in the interior are also repugnant to rodents. I also use that substance that sucks humidity from the cabin. This part of the country is high in humidity, so I like to keep it less humid in the cabin. Be careful - don't do this in dry/arid areas, as that will accelerate your leather interior drying out and shrinking. I always generously treat the leather with conditioner before putting my cars away. The vinyl too. Use whatever product that you like best.
These tips are for winter storage only. Real long term storage requires consideration of other things, like the fluids in the engine and so forth.
Also, critters like to crawl into dark holes - hence, the steel wool placed into the exhaust tips. They won't try to chew through that. Dryer sheets in the interior are also repugnant to rodents. I also use that substance that sucks humidity from the cabin. This part of the country is high in humidity, so I like to keep it less humid in the cabin. Be careful - don't do this in dry/arid areas, as that will accelerate your leather interior drying out and shrinking. I always generously treat the leather with conditioner before putting my cars away. The vinyl too. Use whatever product that you like best.
These tips are for winter storage only. Real long term storage requires consideration of other things, like the fluids in the engine and so forth.
