Going away for a while, need tips please

[scubakleev]

Well when the end of September rolls around i'm going to be getting deployed for 4 months and was wondering if anyone know's the best thing to do to store my truck. I do have a garage and plan on putting it in there. Is there anything else I should do?

[mjw357]

place jack stands under the frame to raise the tires off the ground and take some of the load off the springs. pull the spark plugs and put about a teaspoon of oil in there, pull the ignition fuse and crank it 2-3 revolutions. make sure you have a full tank of gas, not a bad idea to add some fuel stabilizer.

or if you have a buddy that you trust, have him drive it weekly.

[Russell]

Take the plates off and put them in the dash. I would also buy a descent cover. Also seeing you used the word deployed I would also put your next of kin and who and how to contact if anything bad happens. Make a copy of your insurance and registration and store your originals somewhere safe. Lock the steering wheel and put the parking brake on and if all possible pull inbetween two car. This makes it alittle harder to tow. Also maybe spend alittle money and buy a spare tire lock. When I went overseas I came back to a half stripped car. Door handles, some trim peices and a antenna missing. If you really love your truck rent a garage. Between 2 door handles and the trim peices $350. Renting a garage for 4 months $400. Just my .02

[mjw357]

He has a garage.

[Russell]

I guess it would have helped if I could read

[Face0ff26]

Personally I always pull my battery when storing for more than a month. If you can't put it on a trickle charger while your gone, just charge it for a solid day before you put it back in.

[GETSOMZ28]

I think mjw357 has pretty much covered it. Good luck and God speed!

[Bayou Titan]

I've always found that long periods of non use of anything mechanical is extremely harsh. Power generators at hospitals and other places are pre programmed to turn on for a few hours a month to make sure they will work properly when needed.I crank my riding lawn mower year round and it keeps everything ready for the spring when everyone else has theirs in the repair shop. I personally feel it is better to have someone drive your Titan a couple of times a week or more to "exercise" the belts, cooling system, fuel system, suspension, air conditioning, etc. I would look for someone you could trust to drive your Titan "sanely" while you are gone. A good person to trust might be a relative or the pastor of your church. If you let someone drive it be mindful that it will have some minor scratches and other normal evidence of use while you are gone. I think you'll still be better off in the long run however.

[GETSOMZ28]

I remember when I got orders to Korea. I just gave my car to my brother for the year I was there. He is pretty responsible and I knew I could trust him. Heck I even paid for insurance for him also.

[Cienfuegos]

Stay Safe man, and watch your 6

[RS250R]

Good Luck, great winds and fair seas.... Thanks for serving your country!!!!

[rrumaner]

Come back to us safe and whole.

[caltitan]

Obviously, clean and wax it before storing. I agree that it is better to have someone drive it about once a week. Just starting it and letting it run isn't enough, your tires also need to get exercised. Maybe to be more cost effective you can cut down on some of the insurance coverage for that time - perhaps liability and theft insurance only if you're comfortable doing so. All my best for a safe and and speedy deployment. We appreciate all that you military guys and gals do.

[scubakleev]

I guess i'm going to have to find someone I can trust to drive it while i'm gone. I let my sister drive my old dodge last year while I was deployed and I found a bunch of new dents on it, and about another 3000 miles on it. after I told her to drive it very little, Ahhh well. I think I might drop it off at my parents house while i'm gone. Thanks for the tips all!!!