Store my car in my heated garage usually btw end of October to mid-April or early May depending on when weather gets nice enough to take it out with salt washed off the roads you know, April showers. Most years I raise it up enough to take some of the weight off the car, not always fully off the tires. Hasn't been an exact science with me one year to the next; but just a habit from car guys that have recommended doing this.
Storing the car with it off its suspension?
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Knock yourself out.. won't make a difference. For a few months, zilch.
Interesting discussion. I have cars stored for a good 5-6 months each winter.
If you've put a unibody car up on a 2 post hoist, with the suspension completely unloaded you will be surprised at how much body flex the car sees. Just open a door with the car off the ground and you'll see/feel the difference in the way it closes.
Hardtops are the worst. I've been amazed at some 2 dr sedans as well, and these are not rusty cars. Convertibles are of course horrible. Having them hanging up there while doing brakes drives me crazy. I find myself putting supports under the rear axle and k member to try and reduce the flex. Even station wagons move around some.
I'd much prefer to keep the car sitting on the floor. To heck with the tires.
If you've put a unibody car up on a 2 post hoist, with the suspension completely unloaded you will be surprised at how much body flex the car sees. Just open a door with the car off the ground and you'll see/feel the difference in the way it closes.
Hardtops are the worst. I've been amazed at some 2 dr sedans as well, and these are not rusty cars. Convertibles are of course horrible. Having them hanging up there while doing brakes drives me crazy. I find myself putting supports under the rear axle and k member to try and reduce the flex. Even station wagons move around some.
I'd much prefer to keep the car sitting on the floor. To heck with the tires.
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I have a wagon that is currently living on jackstands (long term project). If you have the stands under the rear axle and the control arms, it's the same as having weight on the tires as far as body loading goes...it just takes the weight off the tires themselves.
rlahaie
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I use flat spot prevention devices like these. Drive on, Drive off and not flat spots in my polyglass tires. Only $35 for a pair.
https://mossmotors.com/tire-flat-sp...169651211977&utm_content=Catchall British PLA
Rolland
https://mossmotors.com/tire-flat-sp...169651211977&utm_content=Catchall British PLA
Rolland
Cojohnso1
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For cold winter storage up here in the tundra of Minnesota? I just take the tires off and replace with crappy old tires on steel rims so I can roll the car a bit every month or so. And take the carb(s) off to store with tires inside. A friend who stacks his does the same. Then just rolls his cars on the rails a few inches. Now and then. Seems to work fine. I don't know about long term storage? (One year or more.)
Pack of 4 flat spot protectors. Amazon
Lol, what's the saying? If it feels good do it? If 'jacking' up the ride does it...I'll stop here...
Ranger16
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Mine sits for 6 months and I never notice any flat spotting.
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31 years old and they still go round and round. Just about time for a new set..
monaco66coupe
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I park on rock/gravel only. no cement. cement sweats, which causes dampness,which causes rust, and causes flat spots in the tires. my cars are always in a garage though, and nebraska has the same weather as any other upper midwest state. I also like to drive my cars on a dry day in the winter, and having them on blocks puts the big kabash to that. now, if they sit outside, they get 2x10 boards they role onto, and they cars hold up well. granted they are projects, not nice cars. but my trailers when sitting out always have lumber under the wheels.
monaco66coupe
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I have 215/75x14 Uniroyals on my coronet Installed in 1997. The car is always in the garage, and I overInflate during the Winter when not in use. There are no cracks or puppies, and the car drives exactly the same today as it did in 1997. However, I am 24 years older, and I do not drive the same! HAHAHA
CHARGERSTEVEN
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You mite as well put a dry sponge under your wheels,ive never seen a piece of lumber laying on the ground not absorb moisture??
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I park anything that's outside on boards, keeps the tires from sinking into the dirt and the worms from squiggling in the tread!
monaco66coupe
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when it is -10,no absorption. it beats having the tires in the the mud and thawing/ freezing, and it takes all winter to deteriorate,if at all. Next year get more wood.for the rock floors, I use 4x8 sheets of osb when it was cheap. 10 sheets gives me plenty of room to roll the car on and work.The sheets have been there 5 years on rock, and no deterioration. floor jacks role easily, and jack stands work great. I have done maintenance this way for many years. I have too many to work on to totally heat the shop. so being from nebraska, you adjust to the temperatures.
That is half the fun,,,,,
Mine sit on a concrete floor for 5-6 months in the winter. I park them with a sheet of plastic underneath for a vapor barrier. Haven't had a problem yet and no flat spotting.
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Tire bra's!
patrick66
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I stored two cars for a total of 31 months in an enclosed, unheated garage, back in 1989-1992. 1966 Coronet 500 and 1972 Satellite Sebring. Long-term storage is obviously a different deal than just six months or so. Do NOT store on jackstands on the unibody jacking points. I stored both in the air to the point where the tires were about an inch off the ground, putting wood blocks under the axle at the spring, and up front, under the A-arms, with the suspension fully loaded. No benefit is gained with letting the suspension hang - this is not the normal state of the suspension, anyway! I also put 36# of air in all of the tires. The plastic water vapor barrier is a great idea, whether it is parked on concrete, dirt or gravel.
If you are storing for six months or less, there really isn't a lot to worry about, other than keeping the environment as dry as you can. Store with a full tank of fuel, and use Sta-Bil or similar product to help preserve the crappy fuel we deal with, these days. I also would disconnect the fuel line at the inlet side of the pump after you have run the car to fully warm up, then start the car and run the fuel out of the pump to the carb so it stalls and dies. No worries about a gunked-up fuel line or crap in the carb(s). You'll change the filter before you start the car back up, anyway.
The longest I've let my cars sit has been roughly a year or less. My '69 D300 had been off the road for probably a decade or more. The fuel line was 100% filled with a nasty tar that indicates a LONG time of inoperability. This was from the pump inlet back to the point where the line went up the tank outlet. The pump had been replaced before I got the truck, so the line from there to the carb was new. Replaced the line from the tank to the pump, and replaced the old tank with an excellent used tank. One filter before the pump, and one before the carb. Now, the truck runs great...but I have an inop fuel gauge now. Yay.
If you are storing for six months or less, there really isn't a lot to worry about, other than keeping the environment as dry as you can. Store with a full tank of fuel, and use Sta-Bil or similar product to help preserve the crappy fuel we deal with, these days. I also would disconnect the fuel line at the inlet side of the pump after you have run the car to fully warm up, then start the car and run the fuel out of the pump to the carb so it stalls and dies. No worries about a gunked-up fuel line or crap in the carb(s). You'll change the filter before you start the car back up, anyway.
The longest I've let my cars sit has been roughly a year or less. My '69 D300 had been off the road for probably a decade or more. The fuel line was 100% filled with a nasty tar that indicates a LONG time of inoperability. This was from the pump inlet back to the point where the line went up the tank outlet. The pump had been replaced before I got the truck, so the line from there to the carb was new. Replaced the line from the tank to the pump, and replaced the old tank with an excellent used tank. One filter before the pump, and one before the carb. Now, the truck runs great...but I have an inop fuel gauge now. Yay.
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