Winter storage suggestions

I am going to be parking my 17 Tacoma during most of the winter months around the first of December until they stop treating the roads with the corrosive crap they are spraying on them these days for ice and snow here in Ohio. Salt was bad enough but this stuff is worse. I will drive it when I can when the roads are clean during the winter which isn't often.
Having owned classic cars since the 1980s I always knew what to do with those for winter storage and had very few problems over the years. With a newer vehicle I have concerns about the fuel injection and disc brakes. I usually keep the gas tank full and add a fuel stabilizer. I am thinking it maybe better to run the vehicle once a week for 10 minutes to just keep things circulated. With the disc brakes I again think the Tacoma should be driven back and forth in the driveway to keep the brakes from rusting like I see with a lot of other cars that sit for awhile. Also plan to use a trickle charger with the battery rather than take it out completely. The garage is also unheated but dry. Anyone that has any suggestions I would appreciate hearing them.

 

For my own edification, what are they using out there in Ohio now? Sounds nasty.

 

Just do what you did with the old cars.

Running 10 minutes is worse than not at all. Just run it when you can drive it and actually get to operating temps.

Don't worry about the brakes, it's just surface stuff.

Some folks like to put vehicles on jack stands to keep tires from flat spotting. Personally for short periods like yours I'd just over inflate them. You know, like a dealer. To the max pressure on the sidewall.

 

I added a charging port, worth doing in my book.

$16 AEISVIK O Ring Terminal Cable - 2FT SAE Connector, SAE Plug to Battery Charger Cord, Solar Panel Cord Ring Terminal Harness Extension Adapter 2 Pin Quick Connect and Disconnect with 15A Fuse (3)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094FZBM5...&pd_rd_r=7efe4b77-a473-4b64-8994-a3bd9ce98f50

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LL5BMCK/?coliid=I3CXK700BW0JS8&colid=AYL5N1QZUS4X&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

Just spray fluid film on it and drive it.

 

Krown Rustproofing for the Win!

We get nasty winters here, and my vehicles have never rusted

 

Great idea

 

Rust proofing and driving it in conditions it's meant to be in is better than storing it.

And for what it's worth, I just gave my father-in-law's F250 a once over before he gave it to his son. It sat for 5 years outside uncovered in our 364 days a year of rain. The surface rust on the brakes burned off in a couple brake applications.

It you do store it, a high quality maintainer on the battery and a good rip on the highway when you can.

 

I'm in Indiana and deal with the same issues December through February, for a Jeep TJ that I park in a storage unit. Our roads are also white from the salt! Personally, I wouldn't bother starting it weekly. Do the same process you did for your previous cars. For the last 10 years, I haven't had any issues with the fuel injectors or brakes rusting, etc. It sometimes sits for more than three months (four to five).

My to do list: wash inside and outside, change the oil, run the tank to near empty, fill up with non-ethanol fuel and add stabilizer, unhook the battery (no outlet in a storage unit), a few dryer sheets inside (keeps it fresh smelling), leave a window cracked, and cover it. If there are any possibilities of rodents, put some bait/traps under it.

 

It's a brine solution made from liquidified calcium chloride. And they over apply the hell out of it.

 

I second using products like fluid film or Woolwax. I live in Michigan and we know salt lol. Unfortunately, for me, I absolutely love driving my truck in the snow. My favorite thing to do in the winter is drive in snow storms when I don't really have any time crunch to be anywhere.

That being said, we used to store our 1998 Mustang in the winter. We never did anything other than park it. If you have a garage that is even better. If you opt to not use a trickle charger I would recommend starting it and getting it up to operating temperature. If you're doing that you may as well move it around to get things going. You're likely not going to remove all the surface rust on brakes simply from moving it back and forth but when you drive it again they'll clean up nicely.

We never have added fuel stabilizer either. Should we have? Idk, it always fired up for us. There's a couple of schools of thought: Some recommend filling the tank full because there's less room for oxygen which will cause fuel to go bad. Others just leave it at whatever it is at or near empty with the thought being you can add fresh fuel when it is time. We always did the latter and drove it to the gas station in the spring without any issues.

There's really no reason to overthink it when it comes to modern cars.

 

They reserve that stuff for when it is very cold here. They also apply it just prior to the weather getting bad. For the most part they still use salt and combine that with gravel here. Too much $$$ to be wasting that stuff when you're in rural areas.

 

It is a truck it is meant to be driven in winter. Fluid film it now before the snow and you will be totally protected. My 2012 doesn’t have a spec of rust underneath and I’m in the Chicago suburbs

 

I agree with the above.....I've had my truck Krowned every year since I've owned it and have no rust on it and drive it all winter long and PA uses salt and brine on the roads here ( Truck turns white from this shit). Krown, Fluid Film, Woolwax or any other type of rust inhibitor will work wonders.

 

We use the same mixture sand/salt up here too. I oiled my vehicles every year. My new Tacoma got Krown this week and so ready for Winter.

 

fuel stabilizer for sure and use dry airz in the cab to keep any moisture contained . my truck doesnt get garaged sadly . I will have my trickle charger plugged in on colder months of winter here in the pacific northwest washington

 

I also chose not to drive my truck in the winter and fortunately have a garage to keep it in.

I put stabilizer in the last tank or two before storage and start it as needed, I need to move it out for the day to work on other vehicles. If I start it I let it run for 15 - 20 minutes until the temperature hand is all the way up to the normal position.

You want a battery maintainer not an old style trickle charger. Battery Tender and NOCO Genius 1 are two popular brands, I have both. I move them around to different vehicles a few days at a time. The NOCO unit has more functions, the Battery Tender unit is easier to use as it has no other functions so no buttons to push.

The brakes shouldn't be a problem, a few trips back and forth in the driveway is all that is needed.

Rodent protection is a big concern, anything you can do to protect the truck is a plus.

 

So glad I live in the S.W. Desert.
Ice / cold rain / rain / snow ... I can't do it anymore.

Suggestion: Move on out here.