So I've finally decided to put the Xfire away for the winter...She's been in the garage since the first week in December, but I'm properly going through my checklist for storage.

1. Wash and wax
2. Battery Trickle Charger
3. Change oil and filter
4. Rubber mats for each tire to keep off the concrete
5. Full tank of gas and Stabil

I read somewhere to use Bounce dryer sheets to keep the critters away. Where exactly do I put them??
Am I missing anything else? It's my first time storing a car for the winter....Thoughts anyone?

 

Forget the trickle charger, get the battery tender or forget it all together and start the car every month for 30 minutes.
Pump up tires to 40 psi at least.
Wash the salt off underneath.

 

I usually put some Bounce inside on the floor mats and some in the engine compartment to keep them away from the wiring and out of the air cleaner, Steel wool pads in the exhaust pipes isn't a bad idea either, I know someone who had mice fill his muffler with dogfood over the winter and that made for a real headache come spring time.

 

I left my car 2 weeks in the garage and started it up. I heard something flush out my muffler. Found a ton of deer corn on the floor. A mouse was putting the corn in my muffler so I had to start putting a rag up the tailpipe. I got rid of all the dog food and deer corn in my garage. No problems since.
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...t-2-kills.html

 

Why rubber mats under the tire? What is the purpose?

 

I believe it is to prevent flat spots on the low-pros

 

I'm wondering if this is actually effective.

Once the rubber matt compresses under the weight of the car, flat is flat...Yes/No...

What do I know...a Physics Major I'm not...lol...

I think that taking the tires to 40 psi, would be a good move...

 

I'm just a newbie to car storage, but I thought the pads were to prevent flat spots on the tires. I just picked up 4 rubber tiles, like the ones you can find @ the gym to absorb the shock of people dropping weights on the floor.

Changed the oil today for the first time. It was a rather painless procedure thanks to everyone's previous "how to" posts. I used a hand pump from Harbor Freight with the tubes slightly modified to take the oil out. Everything done in 45 minutes. I did end up using an oil filter from Fram. It's a paper filter, so I'll probably replace in 3 months and switch to a fleece filter when I take her out of the garage in May.

Thank God for the sudden 40 degree "heatwave" in Western NY.

 

Pump up the tires and move it a foot or so every month. No problem, these aren't your old tires from the sixties and seventies.

 

Remember that a trickle charger will bake and over charge the battery totally. 1 amp per hour will toast any battery.

Battery tender is a voltage regulated charger that limits the potential and the battery sucks in as much current as it needs to rise to this limited potential, and no more. It was also know as a battery float charger as the battery floats up to the desired open circuit potential. I get them at Walmart for about 18$ and have confirmed that the output is like 13.4 volts or so. Enjoy, Woody

Holiday

Holiday
Holiday

Holiday
Holiday

Holiday
Holiday

Holiday
Holiday

Holiday
Holiday

Holiday
Holiday

Holiday

 

This is the one I use.....CTEK US3300 .... It also has a desulphating step built in. I have the pigtail leads direct wired to the battery terminals so I can just plug-in the DC wire leads each storage season. The DC leads are lomg enough to pass through the grill so that the charger sits on the garage floor just in front of the car that way I can keep an eye on the LED's and the hood can be closed and the car cover installed. Completely safe to keep the charger on for months. It's not cheap but it's also top quality.

MUS 3300 - CTEK SWEDEN AB

 

All good tips ..... in addition ... I put small blocks under the windshield wiper arms so that the blades are just off the windshield.
I use tennis ***** in the exhaust pipes, and if you have a convertible leave the top UP.
I also put a note on the steering wheel to remind me to disconnect the Battery tender when starting up in Spring. I'd hate to start the car and pull out with the tender connected. Just sayin .....

 

I thought that you want the pads under the tires to remove it from the concrete. Doesn't concrete suck the moisture???

 

Sorry if this question sounds stupid...I bought a float charger for winter storage. When connecting it, do I have to "unplug" the battery from the car and just plug the float charger terminals to the battery or can I keep the battery connected to the car?

 

battery stays connected to the car while flaot charging. this way the battery can use the static drain to lose power and the float charger charges it back up.
i would also use jack stands and get the tires off the floor completely. even after 3 weeks of sitting my car tires have flat spots which take a while of driving to dissapear.

if you dissconnect the battery while attaching the ring connectors you will need to do a drive cycle when the car is taken out of storage if your state requires emmissions testing

 

Does anyone put a plastic sheet under the car during the winter. Some say it keeps the concrete moisture out and others say it doesn't allow the concrete to breathe?

Any thoughts or comments on this would be great!

 

I've never heard any negatives about putting a plastic sheet down. I'd recommend it. Circulating the air is also a good idea, especially if your garage is humid. Some people put a fan in the garage, and let it run constantly.

 

I bought a car jacket for mine.
Car Jacket Car Bag

It's pricey, but it has the benefit of totally enveloping the car. It's like a sleeping bag for your car, and zips all the way around it. It keeps critters out. It keeps moisture out. It also comes with some bags of re-usable "dry-sweep" to collect any moisture that gets in. Put one pan under the car (inside the car jacket) and one pan inside the car. Leave the windows cracked a little. You can even run the power cord for your float charger in at the end of the zipper.


Also, I put 2 foot squares of stiff foam insulation under my tires for the winter. You get the stuff from any home repair/supply store. It's cheap, about $10 for 1/2 of a 4x8 sheet. They should even cut it into squares for you, if you ask. Just lay them out on the car jacket, drive right up on them. No flat spots after 90 days for me.

Foamular 2 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. F-150 Insulation Board - 270895 at The Home Depot

And as a side bonus, the 2x2 pink insulation squares make great door bumpers during the rest of the year. My garage is really narrow, so it's almost impossible to get out of the car without hitting the wall. Door bumper to the rescue! LOL I just lean the square against the wall where my door would hit. Easy peasy.

 

what size car jacket did ya buy ???? Looks good might buy one to thanks for the heads up !!!

 

Tom that car jacket sounds very cool, but the only thing that bothers me is:

Note: Must be used with a car cover to avoid paint damage

A good car cover is a couple hundred, so now you are talking about over $500 for in inside car covering solution - that money tree must be blooming for you