Long term outdoor vehicle storage

[dlundblad]

A coworker will likely be selling me his 2004 Grand Cherokee for scrap. I just want it for parts (drivetrain mainly) as the unibody is pretty rusty and it’s somewhat unsafe to drive. It’s a shame because it’s pretty clean otherwise. Was a Freedom Edition before the rails “took freedom” from the rust. Has the badging and “Jeep” stitched into the seats

Sadly I dont have the space inside so it’ll have to sit out behind the barn. I plan on liberally applying Armoral to all the good interior pieces as well as getting a UV windshield protector. I’m also planing on fuel stabilizer and an oil change and a fluid top off on everything else. Might do a heater core bypass and a coolant flush too if you all think it’s a good idea.

Anything else worth doing? Should the transmission be in neutral or park? What about the t case?

Wifey doesn’t know yet. Wish me luck.

 

[JohnnyG]

Most cars I've seen "recovered" such as on "American Pickers" end up with mice destroying everything. You'll need to try ALL the tricks to keep the critters out, and there are plenty to try out.

 

[dlundblad]

Most cars I've seen "recovered" such as on "American Pickers" end up with mice destroying everything. You'll need to try ALL the tricks to keep the critters out, and there are plenty to try out.

Yes I should have added. Moth balls and poison will be used.

 

[A_Spruce]

I was going to say the same thing. Mechanicals typically fair pretty well, they're a sealed system. Wiring and interiors are what get ravaged the worsted by rodents. Plugging up the intake wouldn't be a bad idea, since air cleaners and intake manifolds seem to be a fun place for rodents to live too!

The only other thing is to keep it from sinking into the ground, help keep some of the body rot at bay as well as less corrosion that the mechanicals will have to endure.

 

[dlundblad]

I was going to say the same thing. Mechanicals typically fair pretty well, they're a sealed system. Wiring and interiors are what get ravaged the worsted by rodents. Plugging up the intake wouldn't be a bad idea, since air cleaners and intake manifolds seem to be a fun place for rodents to live too!

The only other thing is to keep it from sinking into the ground, help keep some of the body rot at bay as well as less corrosion that the mechanicals will have to endure.

I plan on sitting the tires on some thick hardwood boards and the entire body on some thick crawl space plastic to prevent moisture from coming up.

 

[nwjones18]

How long is long term? I think the mice/critters are your biggest concern. I wouldn't worry about bypassing or messing with cooling system if you're just going to pull the engine at some future point (unless you're worried it has straight water in it or something that would freeze). It should sit fine for a few years mechanically.

 

[Nick1994]

If it's a parts Jeep, just park it. Nothing else.

People park cars for years and they clean up just fine.

 

[DGXR]

Don't use the parking brake in storage. I would run it periodically and use all the switches, latches, levers, cables and whatnot to keep them freed up.

 

[gfh77665]

Buy a car cover and strap it down tight. Air up the tires to 50 psi or so and park on 4 cement pave stones.

 

[dlundblad]

Bought her yesterday. $500.

Mechanically sound and cold A/C minus a rusted rear upper control arm. Rockers and such are pretty bad too. I honestly don’t think it’s safe to drive at this point since it’s a unibody. Attached is a photo of inside the rear wheel well along the unibody “frame rail.”

 

[ctechbob]

Only thing I would have to add is skip the armor all. It does more harm than good to most rubber/vinyl items. With pieces that are glued, it will eventually soak through the vinyl and release the glue. I've had to rebuild door panels before ruined by it and even the new glue wouldn't stick the owner had used it so often. The silicone in it just isn't a 'protectant' no matter what they tell you.

 

[dwcopple]

correct ^^^. Just buy a bottle of 303 protectant instead.

 

[philipp10]

People seem to be worried about mice....I don't know if that is an issue. But if so, why not tear out the interior and store inside. The rest of it should be fine except maybe the wiring but I assume you don't need that.

 

[macarose]

Interior parts that are worth keeping should be indoors if at all possible.

If you're really inclined, I would also aim to store certain body parts that don't have major rust and are fairly expensive to replace. Sometimes doors, a-pillars, and rear liftgates can escape the worst of rust. Sometimes not. If they are still in good shape I would store them as well.

The rest really depends on your personal desire and your space limitations. Sometimes wheels and tires are worth keeping indoors. Your goalm if indoor storage is limited, should be to let the body of the vehicle hold the powertrain and thoseother parts you simply don't need. Perform the same preventive measures you mentioned earlier and then throw a good tarp with some bungee cords over the vehicle if you're really that concerned about mice. Use cement blocks to hold up each wheel or remove the old tires if they're still good and let the wheels hold up the remaining body if they're not worth keeping. Do what the junkyards do!

 

[dlundblad]

Aero 303 is actually what I use. Armoral was just easier to get the point across. Lol.

I’m going to get the control arm fixed and possibly drive it a bit. Might have my uncle (body mechanic) look at it and see what he thinks. Brake lines are another concern. The one that feeds the rear axle is notorious for rusting out too.

They do make frame stiffners for these as well as rock rails that bolt to the “frame.” Maybe that’s worth looking into. I always do this. Buy something for parts then turn it into a project.