Advice on storing a car long term

[gofast182]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: cashmoney
Tires will get flat spots if unmoved for long periods of time - get it up on 4 cheap jack stands or just roll it a couple of feet so every couple of weeks so its on different part of tire.


Sorry, but NO, do not do this! Modern tires will not permanently flat spot, but even if they did, DO NOT jack your car up. Thats an old myth that causes damage to suspensions - suspensions that were made to be loaded. DO NOT jack your car up.

Yes, exactly. Keep the suspension loaded. Over inflating the tires is your best bet to fight flat spots. But after only 4 months any flat spots that exist will disappear after your first 15 minute drive.

 

[gofast182]

Originally Posted By: OtisBlkR1
Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Should I start it and let it idle for 30 minutes and run the ac?


I would'nt start it unless you planned on taking it out and stressing the motor, taking it out on a nice long hour drive and getting it up to speed and letting all the fluids move around. It wouldnt hurt anything to give the motor a chance to burn off anything that may have accumulated. 2 pennies.

Right. Don't start it at all until you're ready to use it again. It's going to be a hard start with all of the oil drained down so you only want to do that one time. If you cannot resist the urge to start it, at least take it out for a drive. There's absolutely no sense wasting a hard start just to idle if you're not going to cycle the transmission fluid and diff fluid (if it's AWD) as well.

 

[UNC164]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: cashmoney
Tires will get flat spots if unmoved for long periods of time - get it up on 4 cheap jack stands or just roll it a couple of feet so every couple of weeks so its on different part of tire.


Sorry, but NO, do not do this! Modern tires will not permanently flat spot, but even if they did, DO NOT jack your car up. Thats an old myth that causes damage to suspensions - suspensions that were made to be loaded. DO NOT jack your car up.


I am perfectly happy to be wrong here but we need to see where you get your information that modern tires do not permanently flat spot and where your information comes from that putting a car on jack stands for long term storage damages suspensions. Please post some data and sources supporting the fact that modern tires do not flat spot and that storage of car long term on jack stands damages suspension. I expect different points of view, and there appears to be some debate - I just like to see something more definitive from a more authoritative source (not other misc folks posting on forums) on statements like this.

Here is one source for my opinion - Recent tech article from Tire Rack.com

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Minimizing Flatspotting

While there is no way to completely avoid tire flatspotting, knowing what to expect under different conditions will help minimize its inconvenience.

NOTE: It is important to check and reset tire inflation pressures to those recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or owners manual when taking a vehicle out of storage.

Tire flatspotting would be most noticeable when beginning to drive a vehicle that has been stored incorrectly (with the weight of the vehicle pressing down through the tires to the ground). When storing a vehicle for more than a few weeks, it is best to drive the vehicle until it is thoroughly warmed up and then immediately put it up on "blocks" after arriving at the storage location. Doing this takes the load off of the tires completely. Not doing this on a vehicle that will be parked for a few months runs the risk of permanently flatspotting the tires.

Tire flatspotting may also be noticed when beginning to drive a vehicle that has not been driven for a few days, or during the colder winter months after the vehicle has been parked overnight. However, these types of flatspots will usually disappear during the first few miles of driving.

Usually during the day, the warmer ambient temperatures and more frequent vehicle use will not allow noticeable flatspots to form. However, anytime a vehicle goes in for ride-related services (tire rotation, rebalancing, or to diagnose ride disturbances), the vehicle should be driven for 5 to 10 miles immediately before being raised in the shop to make certain that temporary flatspots are not preventing the source of the ride complaint from being isolated and corrected.

And finally, tire flatspotting will also be noticed at the beginning of each session when attending a driver's school, track day or race. Whenever the car is returned to the paddock, the vehicle should immediately be lifted off of the ground to prevent flatspotting (this will also allow the car to feel more stable at the beginning of the next track session). This practice also allows debris to be cleaned off of the hot tires while they are inspected for any punctures and cuts. If you watch the professional race teams at an event, you'll see that they always remove the race tires immediately after stopping in the pits at the end of a session (if they plan to continue using the tires).

 

[The_Jeff]

The premise of suspension damage is that the rubber bushings in the suspension take a set at ride height and staying on stands ruins them. This would be if one used stands under the rocker pinch welds; if you had a conventional RWD vehicle and had stands under the axle and lower control arms it would be at ride height as far as the suspension is concerned.

Bushings and tires are both made of rubber so it's a question of what do you want to sacrifice?

They say for true $$$ hot rods get a set of junkyard tires and rims and store the car at ride height on the junk tires.

There's also the 1:1000000 issue of the garage catching fire and the car being able to quickly get out, not going to happen on jack stands.

This is an age old debate like the one of should the gas tank be (mostly?) empty so there's room for fresh gas when you go to start it up later, or that if one could completely purge all fuel there's no chance for varnish-- begging the question of do you want condensation or varnish?

Tire rack's position is to protect tires. IDK if they get warranty returns for flat spotting that hassles them. They could care less if one has suspension problems.

 

[UNC164]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
The premise of suspension damage is that the rubber bushings in the suspension take a set at ride height and staying on stands ruins them. This would be if one used stands under the rocker pinch welds; if you had a conventional RWD vehicle and had stands under the axle and lower control arms it would be at ride height as far as the suspension is concerned.

Bushings and tires are both made of rubber so it's a question of what do you want to sacrifice?

They say for true $$$ hot rods get a set of junkyard tires and rims and store the car at ride height on the junk tires.

There's also the 1:1000000 issue of the garage catching fire and the car being able to quickly get out, not going to happen on jack stands.

This is an age old debate like the one of should the gas tank be (mostly?) empty so there's room for fresh gas when you go to start it up later, or that if one could completely purge all fuel there's no chance for varnish-- begging the question of do you want condensation or varnish?

Tire rack's position is to protect tires. IDK if they get warranty returns for flat spotting that hassles them. They could care less if one has suspension problems.


Very well reasoned post - thanks!

 

[gfh77665]

cm, eljefino just adequately addressed the suspension issue, and now I can tell you by personal experience over 10+ years, modern tires will not permanently flat spot. They might flat spot for the first 5 min. or 5 miles of driving, but after that they are fine. I preempt even that little bit by airing 5-10 PSI over during storage. This has never failed me.

I will not accuse TireRack of outright lying, but, lets just say they are a little biased in their opinions, and gave BAD advice for "putting your car up on blocks". Its just NOT worth ruining your suspension to fight temporary (if any) "flatspots".

 

[Kestas]

good post by eljefino^^

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
I am NOT an authority on many things, but I DO know about storing cars, and have years of successful experience. Do this:

1) Fill gas up to the brim while mixing 2X Stabil in. Filling to the brim displaces air (vapor) space over the gas, effectively sealing it from oxidation and condensation.

2) IF you crank, run for 20-30 min., at 1500-2000 RPM's. This has never failed to reach full temp. Run the A/C the whole time.

3) Even if you don't drive it, move it forward and reverse, cutting the wheels right and left. Use windshield wipers and roll power windows up and down.

4) Keep tires fully aired, I go PSI over.


Do these things and you will be OK for 2 years.


I store my kids car while they are away at college. Same as above but I also wired in a deltran battery tender to the battery. (costs $27 on amazon). Keeps the battery up to speed. Plus I use 2x does of marine stabil (green) which is better. I start the car once per month and let run for 20 minutes. weather permitting I drive it for 15 minutes to keep everything rolling. Working the power windows, mirrors, seats, sunroof etc. is essential.