Going to Iraq....need help in how to store my Tacoma for a year?

I'm leaving for Iraq Deployment # 2 in December and was wondering if anyone knew the right way to keep a vehicle in storage for a year without hurting it (EX: Tire rot, draining of fluids, and which jacks or stands too use to keep tires off ground that also wont hurt my Tacoma's frame, etc)

 

We can all babysit it. Pass the keys around and we'll take real good care of it.

 

lol, all i'll come back to is the fuzzy dice in the mirror

 

Do you have somebody you trust to drive it once a week or so? I would think that doing the fluid changes, keeping it garaged (or at least covered) and having it driven 5 or 10 miles once per week would keep it just fine.

 

he does have dice in there damn
thanks your service come home safe

 

Sorry about that guys. Here's a little more info. It will most likely be in a non-climate controlled indoor storage for about 12 months with a small driving stint around the 6 month mark when i come home for a 15 mid-tour vacation. The temperatures usually range from about 110 in the summer to maybe 05 degrees F. in the winter. My family could drive my truck around and i trust them a lot but unfortunately they don't trust themselves to drive it. I told them they could drive it for me if they wanted but they said HELL NO! I asked why? and they said they would feel absolutely terrible if they wrecked it. Because i spent most of my Iraq money buying it. I bought it within the first 5 days i got home from my first deployment

Question about the jack stands. Should i get some kind of padded ones or use wood or just regular old cheap jacks?
Also, is there a way to just remove the gasoline completely and just fill her up when i get back?
LOVE MY DICE
AND IT IS A PLEASURE SERVE THOSE THAT CARE.

 

I wish you safe to come back to drive your lovely Taco.
I will add the gas treatment....

 

I just saw your thread here. Why not sell the red one and get the blue one when you get back? You might not get all you want for it now, but if you wait until you get back to get the blue truck you'll be trying to sell/trade a truck that's a year older. Just a thought...

 

I would say give er a good wash and wax, top off the fluids so that there is a less likely chance that somethings gonna get in and and play chuck norris with the internals. Use good jack stands and put some plywood or particle board between it and the frame. Remove the battery and you should be OK.

 

Thanks for your service (I'm ex-military myself).

 

I think the best way to take care of it is to have it driven a couple of times per month, if possible. There must be some one who can do that for you.
However, if thats not possible I would contact you local taco dealer, if they are worthy and see what they suggest. Should they not supply you with good info perhaps a email or call to the regional Taco people would help.
From what I can see by the responses, changing the fluids and filling the tank and putting Stabil in it should do the job. You might want to ask the dealer what are the effects of un-hooking your battery for that amount of time, I would suspect that it would drive the computer nutty. if you have to put it up a 4x4 on each jackstand should do it. Be sure to get quality jackstands.

By the way thanks for your service as I served during the 60's. From what I can see the military sure has changed.

Jeff , 06, V6,6spd

 

Here's a link from the people at Stabil: http://www.goldeagle.com/sta-bil/Storing Your Hot Rod or Muscle Car.pdf

 

X2

To the original guy - if you can, have someone atleast 'start' it and let it idle for a few minutes. Or even better, have someone drive it.

Our jeep sits in the garage for long periods and I'll get out and start-it once in a while and let it idle for a good 10 minutes atleast (if I can't take it for a drive).

 

Yeah, i think ill talk w/ Toyota and see what they say.

Wow, sure are a lot of Military that drive Tacoma's. That's really awesome and thanks for all the good advice

 

Put some mothballs underneath it and inside the engine compartment. Helps keeps out unwanted guests. I wish someone would have told me that on my first deployment.

 

Ooo im glad you told me. What does it keep out? Bugs, rats?

 

bugs, mice, snakes, rabbits. A rabbit got inside my car, made a nest, and chewed up all the wires.

 

my buddy got back from a 9month deployment the only thing he needed was a jump start he has the OJ Bronco not bad i was shocked it started.