My project just passed it's 8th anniversary so I know where you're coming from. And I want to know, too, how you keep it looking so good? My frame has been under wraps all this time and it still looks like I've stored it in a chicken coop.
I don't have a shop big enough that the project can just sit in one place -- I'm having to move my chassis every now and then. So I keep it on a set of crappy tires and rims and that way it stays mobile.
I've also heard from several old timers storing a vehicle by jacking it up and blocking either the axles or the frame itself is bad -- causes fatigue stress. The vehicle was designed to sit on its suspension and the springs/shackles/perches, etc are the points designed to carry the stress loads. If you unload them and run the stress through parts of the frame that are NOT designed to carry the loads, you run the risk of inducing fatigue stress and possibly even cracking. In my own experience, I've stored several vehicles for long term (mainly while on overseas tours) and never had any problems letting the vehicle sit on it's suspension long term. Personally, I'd change out the wheels and tires, but other than that, I'd let the suspension do what it was designed to do.
Flat spots on the bearings? Does anyone have documentation of that?
V/R
John
