Garage storage.

Hi all,

This winter I’m storing my truck in my new to me garage.

I’m looking for any tips on winter storage. I’m keeping the garage around 55 degrees and only planning on driving the truck on nice sunny dry winter days. Also I’m going to run a dehumidifier in the garage as well.

I’m fourtranate that I have a company truck to drive during the winter and that I fluid filmed my personal truck as well. I’m planning on trying to wash my personal truck at least twice a week since it will be in a garage.

What advice do you need? Park it and use it when you are in the mood. You aren't doing any long term storage, the garage is essentially heated plus you are going to dehumidify the air. The truck will have better living conditions than you do!

Think of it as your grandfathers vehicle that will only get driven a few times a month. You are overthinking the "problem". I own a 2002 Miata that lives in my garage that gets down to whatever the ambient temps are outside. I park the car and take it out whenever the road conditions allow once the snow starts flying, but I don't do anything special to the car and it survives just fine.

And enjoy having the company ride. Not many have that luxury!

I would just start it up once a week and let it idle 10-20 minutes, then back it up a few feet and pull it forward etc. But even if you don't do that, the tires will not get flat spots, it takes WAY longer to get flat spots.

http://www.ramforum.com/f38/storing_your_ram_lengthy_periods-101222/
http://www.ramforum.com/f38/winter_storage-109372/
http://www.ramforum.com/f41/rodents_eating_wiring_engine_bay-103943/

BossHogg said:

http://www.ramforum.com/f38/storing_your_ram_lengthy_periods-101222/
http://www.ramforum.com/f38/winter_storage-109372/
http://www.ramforum.com/f41/rodents_eating_wiring_engine_bay-103943/

Click to expand...

Rodents are a real problem. Especially if the garage is heated. In Colorado the school bus districts use the Christmas tree vehicle fresheners to keep mice and pack rats out of the engine bays. I started doing that for pack rats and it works great.

sounds like your truck will be spoiled. even my elcamino is going to be sitting outside this winter. i am suppose to get a suppose to get a shelter for it but still waiting for it to show up. it is currently snowing out here so it getting snowed on. the only thing i was thinking about doing was sticking some bounce sheets in it to hopefully keep the animals away even tho i doubt they will be an issue.

Philip said:

I would just start it up once a week and let it idle 10-20 minutes, then back it up a few feet and pull it forward etc. But even if you don't do that, the tires will not get flat spots, it takes WAY longer to get flat spots.

Click to expand...

if you got a decent battery starting it once a week is not really needed. the only thing i would recommend is getting higher octane or ethanol free gas if available locally. the ethanol in the fuel is about the only thing you might have issues with and the vehicle sitting even tho it is only in a garage. the gas with ethanol starts separating after about 30 days so if the trucks sits about 4-5 months without getting fresh fuel it may not run as good with the fuel that has started separating. the fuel injected vehicles are not effect quite as badly by it as older carbed vehicles but it can still effect them a bit.

do tires develop flat spots any more? i seriously can't remember the last time i had seen a vehicle with flat spots on a tire. i bought a vehicle that had not been on the road in 7 years and no flat spots on the tires.

I think everyone's suggestions were great. A battery minder is great to keep the battery up. I have one linked below that I rotate between vehicles I don't drive all that much. Been using it for years (I didn't buy the base model). Works great. I use it on Optima batteries too. I don't know that I would start it up a whole lot between driving, because if you let it run a while it's going to fill your exhaust up with water and then you'll park it (water and combustion products make carbonic acid) which isn't going to do your exhaust any good ...unless it's stainless. But either way, it's not going to kill anything. Yeah, do the dryer sheets to keep the critters (mice) out!!

BatteryMINDer 1510 | 12 Volt Maintenance Charger with 10 Year Warranty

You must have a lot of free time. I don't think I would bother to wash a truck twice a week that sits in a garage. You are going to wash the paint off that thing. LOL.