eric@megageek.com wrote:
>
> Should I leave it on a lift or on the ground?
DO NOT store cars/trucks "on jacks" (or on a two post lift).
Yes, it may save the minor possibility that the tires might get a flat spot
(modern tires don't flat spot, and any flat spotting that does happen will
disappear aft the tires are warmed up by driving) but it can cause increased
damage tot he suspension bushings.
The rubber in the bushings are left in a twisted state when the suspension is
left to "droop", and this twisted/stretched state of the rubber causes them to
degrade more rapidly. Since it's more expensive and a lot more work to
replace damaged suspension bushings than the slight possibility of flat
spotting, I leave the car/truck sitting on the ground.
The best thing to do is to fill the fuel tank all the way (helps to prevent
condensation), but add some Stabil to it before you fill it. Drive the
car/truck/motorcycle home and do an oil and filter change - the old oil will
have the contaminents in it that can "eat away" at the engines internals, and
fresh oil is better for storage.
Inflate the tires to the maximum pressure on the sides.
If you are really worried about things, you can remove the spark plugs and
spray some "oil fog" (stuff made for storing engines) into the cylinders, and
replace the spark plugs - but it's really not need for only a year or so.
Top off any and all fluids - even better if you go through the effort to drain
an re-fill the radiator and hydraulic systems.
DO NOT have the engines started periodically while you are gone. Park them
and leave them, and don't start them unless you can take it for at least a 20
minutes drive (note idling in the garage does more damage than good).
Get some steel wool/wire mesh, and plug up the exhaust and intake openings to
keep critters out. Add some moth balls under the hood, dash, and seats to
keep the mice from nesting. Place rat poison in the garage for any critters
that get in.
Get some Battery Tenders/MINDers/maintainers and connect them to the batteries
to keep them fully charged while you are gone. No need to remove them from
the car, just get a maintainer - NOT a trickle charger - to keep them charged
or you will come back to dead batteries from just sitting. Some of the ones
lime Battery MINDer and Battery Tender have versions that can be connected to
multiple batteries to keep each one maintained independently.
But the reality is that parking a car/truck/whatever for a year really isn't
that hard on things.
Good luck over there, and keep you head down.
Tim Mullen
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