Storing My Truck For One Year...

[andy.schmid]

I will be leaving the country for one year in a few weeks.

I'm trying to figure out what to do with my truck... I'd hate to sell it as I got a bit of money into it..(bds lift, tires, blackbear tune, audio system).

Any recommendations on what I should do? I know you can get the stuff for the gas so it can sit for a year and not go bad.. but I'm worried about the oil and components not being run for a year. It is possible I could get someone to start it and run it for 5-10 minutes maybe once a month.

What do you guys think?

BTW, its a 2009 crew cab all terrain SLT, with around 16,000 miles.

[r1byker]

I'll drive it for a year for you and only put on the number of miles you want. Seriously.

 

It really should be driven at least once a month for 40-50 miles so it gets nice and warm, charges the battery, get condensation out of the oil, warm up the tires so they don't go bad and take the flat spots out, run the air conditioner so it gets lubricated, etc. If you add Sta-bil get the kind that's for fuel with ethanol if that's what they sell in your area. If it's just going to be parked, at least put it up on blocks and cover the tires to keep them from getting lumpy and checked from the sun.

 

Give it a good waxing and then get a quality car cover.

 

Seriously, I'll baby it for a year for you.

[Blue2500CC]

Having it sit for a year would be better than having someone let it run for only 5-10 minutes each month. That will only create more condensation which would be worse for the whole truck. As mentioned, the whole truck needs to get hot to "clean it out".

 

Chris

[Silverado4x4]

Leaving it sit a year wont hurt it hell some of the new cars sit that long on the dealer lots. Just fill the tank all the way up. Pull the leads on the battery or hook up a battery tender and plug it in.

[Harvey Halabookie]

Check out California Car Cover or Griot's Garage. They have tons of stuff for storage.

 

I kepy my old Chevelle in storage outside for a year and a half while I was deployed. I waxed it, put on a good car cover (the Noah I think) and covered it in one of those car bags that you drive onto and then zip over the car. I kept silica gel packs inside the car and inside the "bag". I also drove it up on those round blocks to keep the tires from flattening out (or you can leave on jackstands).

 

I also took the battery out and kept it on a Battery Tender. If I were you though, I would keep the battery in the truck with the tender attached, only because I do not know how it may affect the computer if it is disconnbecetd all that while.

[RaddHazzard]

These are good opinions. I would also fill the tank up to full then add the appropriate amount of stabilizer and drive it for a few minutes to allow the stabilizer to reach all through the fuel system. Moisture can collect in a less than full gas tank.

[Mckenzie]

let a good neighbor or trusted cousin store it at there place, and just tell them to drive it around every month or so

[DwelveAT]

Are you in the service? Well seems like you are in the same boat I was in back 2006-2007 when I was stationed in Korea for a year. My advice to you is leave it with your parents or a trustworthy family member. Second, turn in your tags so "legally" nobody can drive your car up and down the main roads with out running the risk of getting pulled over. Third to save you money, depending on your lean holder, see if you can have your insurance lowered seeing your truck will be sitting for a year. I forgot what its called, but the only thing covered at the time was theft and collision, just incase some freak of nature storm caused damaged. Lastly, what I did before leaving was take the battery out and stored somewhere in the storage shed, keeping it off the ground. Worked great for me and the only thing I Had to do when I came back was to wash and wax, clay bar, take the battery to advance to have them charge it for me. The truck at the time was a 2005 Silverado with lift, tires the works.

[Diesail]

Hook up a battery tender and forget about it!

[jro909]

don't forget to plug to tail pipe...unless you want a mouse living in there