Storage for a few months?

[sgtsandman]

Didn't think of the parking brake. I always use mine, good thinking leaving it off.

Learned that a hard way. Breaking the rust bond so I can go home after a deployment can be interesting sometimes. More so with a FWD vehicle than a RWD one. I've drug the rear tires a time or two before they finally broke loose.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Battery can be disconnected, but 4-6 months shouldn't be an issue unless battery is 5+ years old
Draining a car battery shortens its life, so judgement call

Drained batteries really really do not like to be froze too... that really takes life out of them.

My allis has a latch to hold the clutch pedal depressed, not a bad idea for when it sits idle.

Beware, the brake housings on an old A-C is a haven for mice. Mice peeing on everything and packing it full of nesting material is bad for moving parts. I just leave mine in gear on flat ground during the winter.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I just park it and pull the key.

Never had any ill effects.

 

[sgtsandman]

 

[Shran]

4 months is nothing... I wouldn't do anything with it unless we were talking years.

I would recommend NOT using stabilizer additives either. Gas isn't going to go bad in 4 months... but... that's beside the point - in my experience stabilizer is far more harmful than it is helpful. I have had several small engines come in that had sta-bil added and then sat for a year or two. It turns into a really nasty red goo that's much harder to remove than old gas by itself is. Sta-bil is just another useless snake oil product.

 

[91stranger]

Dryer sheets should help deter mice too.

 

[Dirtman]

4 months is nothing... I wouldn't do anything with it unless we were talking years.

I would recommend NOT using stabilizer additives either. Gas isn't going to go bad in 4 months... but... that's beside the point - in my experience stabilizer is far more harmful than it is helpful. I have had several small engines come in that had sta-bil added and then sat for a year or two. It turns into a really nasty red goo that's much harder to remove than old gas by itself is. Sta-bil is just another useless snake oil product.

I always used seafoam. Never had issues with it.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Lmao.

My old 77 sat for 8 months. Went out, threw a good strong battery in it, primed the carb, hit the key and took right off in it.

It sat with old oil, about 1/8 tank of fuel, and hadnt been started the whole time.

Ive done it with many other vehicles and never had an issue.

Hell back in the 90s i had an old 80 or 81 (IIRC) F100 that was my uncles (it was about rotted in half, not roadworthy) but i went out, siphoned the old fuel out, refilled it, primed the carb, charged the battery, and backed it out of the barn. Had a 300 with a 3 on the tree. I tried to pull it out with rusty #1 but the brakes were locked and all i did was spin.

It was last tagged in 92. This was 98 ish.

 

[Shran]

I have nothing against Seafoam but I believe that it's just alcohol and some other solvent type chemicals - smells like alcohol and is kinda oily. I chalk it up to one of those "doesn't hurt but doesn't really help" products. I believe in products like Heet because they do what they're supposed to but a can of seafoam or other generic injector cleaner diluted into 10+ gallons of fuel is going to do exactly nothing.

 

[racsan]

We used moth balls in boats for storage back in the day, 85_Ranger4x4 - I know what you mean about allis brake housings and mice, have a parts chassis “C” that brakes are completely locked up on, damn mice, My running allis is right near the air compressor, think I’ll blow it out once a week. I last ran the tractor about a month ago, was hoping to have a 3-point kit on it by now so I could have a rear blade if I needed it. Ive wanted to build a mid-blade (think road grader) , hate the thought of wrestling with the woods deck on and off though, thats one heavy mower and the belt routing is crazy.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Mightyfordranger recommended those damp away bags at the trail ride. Now I have canister or bag kicking around in every vehicle I own, plus the fleet trucks. they seem to help a lot for storage, and from some reading, they'll save you floors. Toss one in.

 

[Dirtman]

How much pee do they soak up?