Preparing for Winter
By
Kevin Pennell
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Preparing for Winter |
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By
Kevin Pennell
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Old Man Winter is coming.
Is your truck ready? If not, here's Kevin to walk you through ...
Hey all. Was just warmin' my piggy toes on the ol' Potbelly whilst sippin' on a fresh batch of corn likker (Editor's Note -- Typical Squid!), and decided I needed me a hefty dose of Stovebolts. Since I don't drive my "real" Stovebolt whilst partakin' in spirits, I fired up my "puter", dropped the mouse down into 4-Wheel Drive and moseyed on over to The Stovebolt Page, which is one of my all time favorite passin' time evolutions.
I was checkin' out the new batch of eye-candy, and happened to notice that mebbe' some folks don't have a clue on how to prep their old truck for it's hibernation during those wicked winter months. Now, personally havin' some experience in this department, I figure I'll take a minute and share some o' this here hard-learned data with y'all.
Two Ways to do it
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Preppin' for a Long Winter's Snooze... Let's see here. Well, there's about three hundred or more ways to do winter preparation based on what you want to do with your truck after the winters over... Now, that sure is a whole bunch, so we'll just pick out about two opposing views and go there... We won't go into all of em'. The FIRST way to go about it works particularly well if, upon your death, you plan on leaving your truck to a nephew that you really aren't too awful fond of... You just drive it off into a far corner of the yard, and git out. That's it! Your truck will probably still be there for him when you die, and he'll hate you till' HE dies. Not to mention the fact that yer' old truck really won't be very happy with you, either. >Not too many folks choose to go this route though. Cause' if you decide you want to drive it the following spring or summer, it generally takes a whole lot of time, effort and MONEY to get it back into shape... So for the sake o' argument we'll say that this really ain't a good way to go here. The SECOND is probably a fairly common route for those who don't want to drive their truck through the winter, I guess. Storage. The park it, lock it up and then pull it back out in the spring kinda' storage. This ain't too awful hard, but it involves a couple two things you really need to take care of: |
I enjoy your website. I was referred by Ray Buck (Ray and Gayle's Chevy Asylum) in a communique from Ray. May just have to get a coffee cup and "set a spell" Thanks for being there. |
Pick out a spot where it won't be in the way. Hopefully with some ventilation to let the air git to it and dry it out. A damp, musty garage will probably result in a damp, musty truck. I don't have a garage, so I eyeball my spot pretty careful like. I try to avoid places like under a tree where branches might fall off in a storm, or where the leaves will set up on the truck and rot through the winter, or under power lines, where the birds can do the target practice thing.
I don't much like the idea of puttin' a tarp over the truck either, cause' a tarp don't breathe well, and it'll keep all kinds of moisture up underneath it. Bit rough on the paint, too. I've heard them new fangled car covers are much softer and are made to breath pretty good, but my personal preference is just to let her sit, uncovered. That way I can check for squirrels and mice makin a house in there and what not. I don't have one o' them Ten Gazillion Dollar Paint Jobs to worry about either. (Extra can of Rustoleum is always layin' around somewhere handy...)
Check out the anti-freeze solution and make sure it's fresh, and the right mix for the temps you think you'll be seeing, plus a dose for good measure. Really would ruin yer' day to reach the spring missing your truck sumpthin' awful, and find out you got a busted block cause she froze solid on that one "really" cold day you remember.
I always fill the tank with fuel so the high fuel level in the tank won't let rust grow inside., and drive it to its winter resting place. I add some fuel stabilizer to the tank to keep that fuel from breaking down over time. Once I'm at my spot, I disconnect the fuel line on the tank side of the fuel pump, plug the line, and then start and run the truck out of fuel. That fuel stuff gets all gummy over time and if you leave a carb full setting all winter, it'll trash the carb.
Then I take out the spark plugs and add a few squirts of oil into each cylinder. I put the plugs back in, then pull the coil wire and crank her over a few times to slosh around the oil in each cylinder. Put the coil wire back on, and then hook back up the fuel line.
I disconnect the battery. I buy a 20 pound sack of Kitty Litter and set it on the floor in the cab. Keep the Kitty Litter in the bag, mind you. It ain't necessary or advisable to dump 20 pounds of Kitty Litter on yer' floorboards. Just cut open the top of the bag with yer' trusty Buck Knife, and that Kitty Litter will absorb a ton of moisture, keepin' the inside of yer' truck from gettin all mildewy on you. If you park it with the windows all closed up good, that stuff will do a good job of keeping mold from getting a foothold.
I jack up the truck and set the frame on jackstands so's the wheels ain't supporting' the weight of the beast. Helps the tires and suspension to rest a little, too. My Uncle Moose always told me to do that, saying it done the same thing fer' your truck as just like you getting off your feet after a long day. But before you do, make sure the surface the truck is parked on is level and firm enough to support the jackstands. The last thing you want is for the jackstands to sink or worse -- fall over.
With all that said and done, you should be pretty near close to set up for the winter. I'm due for another snort of corn likker, so I'll call it a day here, and mosey on.
Good luck to ya!
Yours,
"OleTwuk"
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This
is a copy of an acrylic painting created by Florence Sibley of a by-gone
era and vehicle. It has been with me for 20 years. The artist passed away
recently but her art lives on and I believe it should be shared. This
is a special piece. 