How to Prepare a 4 Wheeler for Storage: Tips to Keep Your Vehicle in Good Condition

How to Prepare a 4 Wheeler for Storage: Tips to Keep Your Vehicle in Good Condition

If you're not going to be using your 4 wheeler for a while, it's important to take some steps to prepare it for storage. Not doing so can result in damage to your vehicle that can be expensive to repair. In this blog post, we'll discuss some tips on how to properly store a 4 wheeler.

Storing a 4 wheeler for a while takes more than just placing it in a garage or behind your house. If you don't prep your vehicle before letting it sit for a while you may encounter some issues when you go to use it. Luckily the prep work isn't extensive and with a little bit of time, you can ensure your vehicle will be the same way you left it.

Store Your ATV Indoors

This may seem obvious to some, but if you aren't going to be using your 4 wheeler for a while, you should make sure you keep it inside. This will greatly reduce the potential damage that can happen. Rain, sun, and animals will be sure to affect your vehicle. Not only will this hurt the exterior of your vehicle, but many engine problems also arise due to exposure to the elements. If you don't have a garage or space in your garage it may be worth looking into a storage shed, or finding a local storage facility you can keep your vehicle in.

Cover Your 4 Wheeler

Whether you keep your vehicle indoors or not, (we hope you do!) it's important to get a cover for your vehicle. 4 wheeler covers protect your vehicle from sun, rain, hail, and other harsh elements outdoors, and help with dust and mildew build up indoors. Regardless of where you store your vehicle, investing in a cover will surely pay off.

Clean Your Vehicle

Before you cover and store your 4 wheeler make sure to give it a thorough clean. You don't want to leave dirt on your vehicle, as moisture is inside of dirt and will cause your ATV to rust. It's a good idea to lubricate all the parts that need it. It's also recommended to cover your exhaust (only after you have parked it in storage. Do not cover your exhaust while the engine is on ever) Covering your exhaust will prevent animals from climbing in and potentially damaging parts. Mice love to make nests in exhausts.

Take Care of Your Gas

Depending on what type of gas tank your 4 wheeler has you will have different tasks. If you have a plastic tank it's recommended to drain it. This will prevent your gas from going bad while in your vehicle. If you have a metal gas tank, do not drain it. Instead, fill up the tank and add a fuel stabilizer. Then run your engine for a few minutes to mix the stabilizer. This will prevent your fuel from going bad and damaging your engine.

Maintain Your Battery

You have a few options when it comes to battery maintenance. No matter what option you choose you will want to detach the battery from your ATV. The best option is getting a battery tender. This is a device that keeps your battery from fully dying and keeps the health of the battery high.

The other option is to simply detach the battery and keep it in a cool dry place. This may hurt the battery long term but should prevent any serious damage from happening while it's being stored.

Maintain Your Tires

Inflate Your Tires

Tires tend to lose air whether you use them or not. We recommend you fully inflate your tires before storing your 4 wheeler to prevent them from getting too low. Low tires are more likely to get damaged and can cause your vehicle to sit unevenly which can lead to other problems.

Block Your Wheels

Now that your tires are inflated it's time to block your wheels. This is done for two reasons. The first reason is so your vehicle won't roll while in storage and potentially damage something. The second reason is to keep your tires from getting flat spots. When a tire sits on the ground for too long it can form flat spots. These flat spots will make your ride less comfortable and may cause your tires to wear out quicker. Make sure you keep your tires off cold concrete or metal. Putting a block of wood under your tires will help prevent damage from the cold.

Replace Your 4 Wheeler's Oil and Filters

You don't want your vehicle sitting for long periods of time with used oil in it. This used oil most likely has impurities in it that will slowly damage your engine. It's best you drain and dispose of your old oil and replace it with new oil before storing your vehicle. This will help keep your engine healthy and working properly. The same goes for filters. It's best to replace them before you store your vehicle to prevent any long term damage.

Storing Your ATV Outdoors

If you don't have the option to store your vehicle indoors, in addition to the tips given above there are some other maintenance tasks that may help prevent extensive damage from happening.

Keep your vehicle on the side of a building

The goal of this tip is to protect one side of your vehicle from wind damage. By being next to a building you will essentially have a wind shield that can help prevent debris from building up on one side.

Get a Waterproof Cover

Regardless of where you live you should be putting a cover on your 4 wheeler if you keep it outside, even if it's only for a day or two at a time. If you are going to store your vehicle outside for a long time it is incredibly important you have a high quality waterproof cover. Preventing the rain and snow from sitting on your vehicle will be crucial in prolonging the life of your vehicle.

Lock Your 4 Wheeler

This should go without saying, but 4 wheelers are expensive, which makes them susceptible to being stolen. If you are going to keep your 4 wheeler outside, you should get a lock that will prevent anyone from easily stealing your vehicle.

Conclusion

Storing your four-wheeler properly is important to maintaining its condition and preventing long-term damage. We hope these tips help you in storing your vehicle. If you have any questions feel free to contact us and we'd be happy to help. Thanks for reading!