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Winter Storage - To Cradle, Or Not Too Cradle??

I've done a bunch of searches and read a bunch of material on winter storage. Of course, with every issue, there are varying opinions. Having read both sides of most

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Old 10-02-2010, 09:58 AM   #1 (permalink)
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Default Winter Storage - To Cradle, Or Not Too Cradle??

I've done a bunch of searches and read a bunch of material on winter storage. Of course, with every issue, there are varying opinions. Having read both sides of most arguements, I've pretty much got my prestorage routine down, except for one issue - the tires.

There are definitely two sides to this arguement. One side saying get tire cradles to keep the car off the concreate and prevent flat spots. Flatstoppers being the most recommended, but expensive solution. Then there is the other side who say todays tires are not that subject to flat spots and it isn't an issue. Just inflate to max pressure and there will be no flt spot issue.

I've read enough on the subject that I've decided against jacking the car. I'm inclined to believe the people on that issue who say a cars wheels aren't meant to hang and it can put unneccessary stress on your suspenion components. So, it's wheel cradles, or nothing.

The question - how many of you Ontario folks have stored your Z's on a concrete garage floor? I'm looking for an informed answer from someone in the same climate as me. Did you get flat spots? If you did, how quickly did they disappear?

At this point, I believe I will forgo the cost of flatstoppers and just jack the car and then lower it onto a couple of Michelin garage mats that can be had at Costco for a fraction of the price of flatstoppers. They are foam and the weight of the car will cause them to sag and imprint the shape of the tire. I'll end up with the same result as the flatstoppers at a fraction of the price.
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Old 10-02-2010, 10:25 AM   #2 (permalink)
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I like the idea of styrofoam under the wheels but I think it's really not neccessary.

I've been winter parking my cars for 7 years now in cold and warm storage and it does get cold here.

I've never had a problem with flat spotting any of my tires while sitting on concrete over the winter. I just pump up the pressure to the max cold pressure rating on the tire and call it a season. Adjust the pressure to what I run in the spring and it's done and ready to go.
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Old 10-02-2010, 10:32 AM   #3 (permalink)
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I've stored my vehicles for years now during the winter i.e Dec-Apr on average, in my heated (kept above 0 C) garage. I don't do anything to prepare the cars/bikes. It's only four or five months - not years. In summary, no flat spots, no contaminated gas, no dead batteries, no dried seals, no issues. They all run fine come spring - believe it or not.
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Old 10-02-2010, 10:37 AM   #4 (permalink)
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I cradle.



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Old 10-06-2010, 09:17 PM   #5 (permalink)
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^^wow crazy! I would be scared of someone pushing it into a wall or another vehicle!! I like it though! and I like your garage! good size!

I am in the same boat as the first two ppl, I have stored my older Z (Z32) for 2 winters and had no issues with anything tires, gas, batteries nothing.......
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Old 10-07-2010, 10:47 AM   #6 (permalink)
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I used styrofoam, about 1.5 inchs under each tire to store my 240Z convertable and never had any flat spot issues. This year with my Z'd I'm going to drive it once a week or every two weeks on warm days with no snow instead of storing it. With the weathers in Toronto it should be ok.
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Old 10-07-2010, 10:56 AM   #7 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zat_Zuma View Post
I like the idea of styrofoam under the wheels but I think it's really not neccessary.

I've been winter parking my cars for 7 years now in cold and warm storage and it does get cold here.

I've never had a problem with flat spotting any of my tires while sitting on concrete over the winter. I just pump up the pressure to the max cold pressure rating on the tire and call it a season. Adjust the pressure to what I run in the spring and it's done and ready to go.
I've done the same here. Cradling is a waste of money (IMHO).
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Old 10-07-2010, 10:57 AM   #8 (permalink)
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might be a little extreme but when my friend got deployed to korea for two years he jacked his car up, took the wheels off, then set it back down on pieces of wood under the control arms so that the car sat where it normally would like the wheels were still there but they were off. he wrapped the wheels and tires and stored them along side the car. can't remember what all else he did but i know he took the battery out and discharged the system. think he just put fuel stabilizer in but i can't remember
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Old 10-07-2010, 02:19 PM   #9 (permalink)
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I parked mine over the winter last year did nothing to the tires, drove it home without ANY issues
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Old 11-05-2018, 11:07 AM   #10 (permalink)
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Just Buy Some Cheap Carpeted Rubber Floor Mats And Park On Them
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Old 11-05-2018, 02:26 PM   #11 (permalink)
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I overinflate (45psi or so) and be done with it. Tried and true with re050, indy 500s, re11s. Will find out oem nismo rubber does but not expecting anything different
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Old 11-05-2018, 04:01 PM   #12 (permalink)
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A lot of good answers and advice here. With todays modern radial tires , the old bias ply flat spot days seem to be a thing of the past. This will be my 20th year of storing a car & basically I fuel it up, add fuel stabilizer , which is really not required for short term storage (4-5 months) & plug in my Battery Tender . I have parked on carpet, styrofoam, & pieces of 2 X 10 wood, & nothing at all. Never had any issues . I did have one car with really wide tires (30 series) on 2ft X 2 ft X 2 inch blue house styrofoam & the car sank into it perfectly. It was so perfect ,( and stuck) that when I tried to back out of the garage in the spring the clutch got a real work-out. It was like to get unstuck in sand.
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Old 11-05-2018, 08:43 PM   #13 (permalink)
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I store my vehicle every year. I do not use wheel cradles but do park my vehicle on soft foam type floor squares that I purchased at Home Depot. I do increase the PSI in the tires to 40-45ish, top off the fuel, add fuel stabilizer and and use a battery tender. Don't forget a vapour barrier under your Z, a nice big piece of plastic sheeting will work. This keeps the moisture away from the underbody of the Z. Also, I tend to put mothballs around the Z, fabric softeners inside the interior and engine compartment of the Z and SOS pads in the exhaust tips, just to keep those sneaky lil mice outta the Z. Finally, the cover goes on and it's see ya in April/May. Gonna be a long winter. Time to get the ski gear outta storage.
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Old 11-08-2018, 10:00 AM   #14 (permalink)
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A box of baking soda inside for me. I use a wire gauze brush thingie to stuff the tail pipes.

Fml i forgot to take my terminals off my wrecked z. Trying tonfind the clips that came with my jr tender. Might need to buy a new one :'(
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Old 11-08-2018, 07:48 PM   #15 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mishuko View Post
A box of baking soda inside for me. I use a wire gauze brush thingie to stuff the tail pipes.

Fml i forgot to take my terminals off my wrecked z. Trying tonfind the clips that came with my jr tender. Might need to buy a new one :'(
I bought a longer harness from a shop in Montreal last year.Good service & fast shipping.FortNine.ca


Just checked on Amazon.ca. Lots of Battery Tender harnesses/hookups.Just unpacked another box (moved recently) & found a spare BT harness with alligator clips, new unused. I'm not a fan of alligator clips, usually cut them off & crimp on eye terminals & attach to the battery permanently.
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Last edited by Airwilf; 11-08-2018 at 08:32 PM. Reason: add info, add info again
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