rfn026

I have to agree with NoWhere. Drive it. I used to live in Michigan and there were always a few days every month where the streets were dry and the sun was out.

Driving it is also good for all the seals and brake components. Just make sure you drive it at least 20 miles to get everything nice and warm.

I try to drive my cars at least once a month. It's a lot easier than putting them on jack stands. And - it's more fun.

Richard Newton
Car Stuff for Dummies

JrRifleCoach

QCVette

I believe a lot of people over think this and make an issue out of nothing or something trivial.

If you are worried about tire flat spotting add a little more air pressure and it will help (Not excessive, but maybe 5 lbs more than normal). Also move the car a few inches if you are still concerned. However, with a few more lbs I have let mine sit for a couple months and no issues.

I think putting the car on jackstands is overkill. Yes it may work for flat spotting tires, but that isn't usually a big deal. Some people think it is better for the suspension, but I don't believe it. Cars a made to sit on the ground for their whole life.

I don't think putting the car on jackstands will hurt anything though. The suspension is made to go through the whole range of motion without damage. There is a stop built inside the shock absorber that limits downward travel. Basically the suspension will hang from it. As for damage to the shock, the stop is designed for this stop while in motion so a slow movement to loading the stop is not an issue. The comment about extended shocks rusting, the center rod that comes out of the top of the shock has the potential to rust which could damage the seal as it slides in and out, but in practice I have never seen that. In addition that rod is exposed during normal useage. If it were a problem, we would see that problem in a lot of cars, but we don't.

In short the best choice is to drive the car once in a while to warm it up fully if that is possible. Next I would simply park the car with maybe a little higher air pressure in the tires. And for overkill, I might move the car a few inches to let the tire sit in a different position (although I have never done that).

Good luck.

Tom400CFI

Exactly. Why I questioned that comment made earlier by someone else. More "**** that don't need worryin' about".

Cruisinfanatic

I'm wondering where people get this stuff

Tom400CFI

I know it.

FresnoVette

Internet research?

Just put wood blocks under the suspension points (knuckles) at the wheels.
Tires off the ground, suspension still holding the weight.
What is so difficult about that?

kael

I smell someone takes a car out of storage, has a problem, takes to a mechanic and shady mechanic sells a few extra parts, saying 'Oh, such and such ruined due to blah blah and blah blah'.

Klondike

I had my car up on stands for a few months while I was doing work on it. When I put it back down on the ground, it sat high for a week or so before it settled back down. I guess the springs took on a new set from being under no load for so long!
Now I have some of those play room interlocking rubber pads under my tires in my garage. It's like Dr. Scholls shoe inserts for my tires!

Tom400CFI

It's a time consuming, unnecessary, PITA. Fairly unsafe too, if you ask me. What's the wood black rated at? You realize when you lower the suspension onto the wood blocks, they'll be forced outward as the lower arm moves through an arc. That's a lot of fiddle f'king around for accomplishing nothing.

383vett

My car lives on jackstands. The only time it is on the ground is when I take it out for it's weekly race. I have slicks and avoid flatspotting the tires by keeping the car up in the air. If I have 2 races scheduled 2 or 3 days apart, the car stays on the ground. It doesn't hurt the car or the suspension.

mcguirjf

Go on CL. Buy a used set of C5 wagon wheels with crap tires. $200. Done.

I have two sets of wagon wheels. I put RE-71r's on the 18's for autocross and the 17's use them for winter storage. They can get flat spotted, dry rotted, and I don't care.

Cruisinfanatic

so it must be true, LOL

jmgtp

Lots or replies and people on both sides of the fence. Thanks for all the feedback.

Im leaning toward on jackstands because it's no risk to the tires, it's no risk to the bushings (poly) and it seems that damage to the shock is unlikely. The extra benefit is that I can now store some stuff under the car to save space. I have a deep 2 car and the vette goes along the backwall in winter so the other vehicles can garage inside. 3 cars in a 2 car garage gets you looking for creative ways to store your other stuff!

BrandensBeast

That's what I said

tomcamaro97

as others have said... fill up the gas tank, change the oil if you want.. and park it in the corner.. I also put fuel stabalizer and a trickle charger on mine..

ive been storing my cars for 20 years now, i used to put um on jacks or wood block and even put oil in the cylinders... but when your car is only sitting for a max of 6 months, none of it is really needed. i would however be sure to start up my carborated ones a few times, just so the carbs dont varnish up.

as for driving year round.. eh.. with having to put insurance back on, maybe you have it stored in a funky spot. etc.. its just not worth it... and with salt and crap on the roads your not gonna be getting on the gas anyways.. atleast in the northern states.

Nowhere Man

I'm always paranoid to leave a car on jack stands if there is a emergency like the event of a fire you have no option to get the car out.

JrRifleCoach

Ziggy*

"Her" show car queen 90 is on top of the lift with Nitto 555...No problems...My 86 W/ BF Goodrich summer tires runs to my old home town in nowhere land to get hotdogs at Famous

Nowhere Man

Still taste the same