Hamish Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 I didn't want to hi-jack the engine storing thread. But what you you chaps and chapesses do with your cars over winter. Done you drive them - and risk the salt Garage them and run them up occasionally Garage them and "winterise" them (how?) Do you axle stand them to protect from flat spotting tyres. ? ????? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Hi Hamish, my 4a is driven all year and has a good wash underneath and behind its ears in the spring. The TR4 lives in a garage all year so has a quick 20 minute turn over and general cuddle every now and then. If you can get the car out there and use it. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR5tar Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 (edited) Hi Hamish, It's one of those questions that pops up most years around this time, and you'll no doubt get lots of differing views. My preference is to continue driving mine through the winter, but I won't if there is salt on the roads. If there is salt and I'm unable to get out for more than a week, I'll then start the car and run it up to temperature (about 15-20 minutes), a couple of times a week. Whether in summer or winter, my car sits on a tarpaulin (to stop moisture from beneath and to catch oil drips) and I use dehumidifiers to keep the relative humidity below 55% (the point at below which condensation cannot form regardless of temperature). If I know I'm not going to be able to get out for several weeks, I'll place the battery on a trickle charge or disconnect the negative terminal. Other than that, it's business as usual. Cheers, Darren Edited November 16, 2016 by TR5tar Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 I hope to use mine. Popping out on those sunny dry winter days. It's what I did with my SP250 and the body never suffered any rust at all ?!?!,??!???? The chassis was waxoyld. H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Freer Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Keep driving it on and off. I try to avoid salt but realistically dry bright days in the winter probably means frost at night and gritted roads so like Roger I will give it a nice bath in the spring! (Note to self I must put the heater back in otherwise I'll be driving on my own! - Ben's wife is cold blooded) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Hi Hamish, isn't the SP250 fibre glass . I would be amazed if you had a rusty body Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR5tar Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Keep driving it on and off. I try to avoid salt but realistically dry bright days in the winter probably means frost at night and gritted roads so like Roger I will give it a nice bath in the spring! (Note to self I must put the heater back in otherwise I'll be driving on my own! - Ben's wife is cold blooded) They have heaters? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richardtr3a Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Roger He was joking Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Surely not!!!! Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 (edited) My TR3ghiA has a TWO speed heater, it gets your left knee hot or VERY HOT Edited November 16, 2016 by McMuttley Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Hi Hamish, isn't the SP250 fibre glass . I would be amazed if you had a rusty body Roger Glad someone picked up on that bit !!!???????????? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sadman Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Car on axle stands in garage & the 4 anti theft devices (wheels!) in the shed. Doug Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Drive it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 It's on axle stands rigtht now, but then I'm changing the shockers. I've put some 'stuff' in the fuel tank that's supposed to stop fuel going off. Recommended for lawn mowers! (Briggs & Stratton Fuel Fresh - other products etc etc) The worst salting I ever had was coming back from a "Winter warmer" in Anglesey - Trac Mon - with the car on trailer, when frost was forecast and Priffyrdd Cymraeg (Welsh Highways) got busy with the gritters. White with salt it was I tell you! The modern looked as it always does, slightly grubby. JOhn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snowric Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 Have it waxoyled by someone who knows how to and where to - Enginuity do a service. Fit heated screen and backlight. Take off bumpers or wax them. Then carry on driving it unless there is a lot of salt on the road. I give it a good power wash focused on getting rid of salt. Sadly I do this and I have some rust now to prove it. Be prepared for your car to look like a real car and not a concours beauty. :-) Snowy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike3739 Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 Just drive it!! Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 +1 Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianhoward Posted November 17, 2016 Report Share Posted November 17, 2016 Weather permitting, I take the car(s) out throughout the year though certainly endeavour to avoid salted roads. I reckon it does the mechanicals good to get used rather than stood for lengthy periods through the winter. Obviously if you've a Carcoon or similar then that must help no end against corrosion... Cheers Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PaulAnderson Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Saw the first salting of the local roads yesterday. Hoping tomorrows expected downpour washes it away again. Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Freer Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 We gave "Geoffrey" a 200 mile round trip run on Saturday. The last 30-odd miles included a heavy downpour (and wet legs for the occupants - we must sort out the windscreen-to-hood leaks) as Storm Angus arrived! By this morning the car was mostly dry - the benefit of a well ventilated (draughty!) garage. If there was salt on the roads hopefully it was washed off......... Next weekend he is performing as a "Sleigh" driven by a "reindeer" delivering Santa to the village Christmas Bazaar so I hope the weather is more clement by then!! (Yes...... I will post pictures never fear!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR5tar Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 We gave "Geoffrey" a 200 mile round trip run on Saturday. The last 30-odd miles included a heavy downpour (and wet legs for the occupants - we must sort out the windscreen-to-hood leaks) as Storm Angus arrived! By this morning the car was mostly dry - the benefit of a well ventilated (draughty!) garage. If there was salt on the roads hopefully it was washed off......... Next weekend he is performing as a "Sleigh" driven by a "reindeer" delivering Santa to the village Christmas Bazaar so I hope the weather is more clement by then!! (Yes...... I will post pictures never fear!) Sounds good Ben. I look forward to seeing the photos. Have fun. Cheers, Darren Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Hamish, Like most have said, just drive it occasionally to keep the wheels moving. But is this not possible then keep it on charge using an intelligent charger e.g. CTEK and move the car's position every couple of weeks or so to prevent the tyres being flat spotted. I would advise against storing it on axle stands as this hangs the suspension and that won't do it any good either, plus it's a pain to keep dropping it down if you want to go for a drive. Avoid the temptation to run the engine when its laid up as this causes condensation with consequent results to engine internals. Cheers Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 (edited) " If there was salt on the roads hopefully it was washed off " ... err...no. All the splashing from a run on prewetted and salted roads does is ensure that the underside of the car gets an accelerated corrosive wash. Indeed some of the gritters have a "brine" function where the salt is "sprayed" on in a wet mix rather than gritted, this ensures an even road surface coverage. The amount of salt per square metre to ensure snow melt is impressively small from memory only about 35 GRAMS...yes grams, the secret is to get it down before the snow hits the deck, the falling flakes then turning to water, highly corrosive water. How would you feel about driving your car through the waterline on a beach ? In my previous working life for the last 25 years I sold trucks with gritting equipment to local and county councils along with some of the National gritting organisations, their equipment is specially protected from the ravages of road gritted brine and salt but even their trucks start to dissolve after about 4 years. Their regime including high pressure steam cleaning of the entire vehicle after EVERY shift (written into their daily standing orders) and having a vehicle cleansing crew especially trained as to how to removes the leaching mix from off the trucks. You may think that this is an accelerated corrosion test process but remember that trucks and their chassis are made from battleship like girders and are much more easily open for steam cleaning lances and other salt removal techniques. The longer bodyshell life from modern cars owes a lot to modern production and design methods, lie on your back under the car and check out the number of seams, you'll be pushed to find more than 4. the entire floor is now normally a single piece and attached around it's periphery at front, rear and both sides. Protected by phosphating and other anti corrosive practices combined with modern production methods from new and then encompassed within an all enveloping underseal and covering method with wheelarch covers to protect the splash areas they have their best chance of surviving for long periods and they do. In comparison our TRs are a patchwork quilt underneath of seams running in all directions welded ( by spot welding with gaps in between unless you follow Stuarts excellent preservation methods) into a semblance of a tub but with an unrivalled amount of flexibility compared against a new shell allowing creeping and cracking of paint finishes with consequential corrosion when the councils salt treated wash gets into it. After every run certainly you would have to wash and steam clean as thoroughly as you could but their antiquated design and moisture traps means ultimate failure and only a delaying tactic. This is above all an individual choice, but to subject all your hundreds (sometimes thousands) of hours of work to this torture seems to me a step too far, I only have one lifetime and too many other things I wish to do. My everyday classic (Stag) goes into it's Carcoon with hood up but unfastened at the front header bar, rear zip window undone and draped down over the back seatrest and with the windows wound down, comes out late March ready to use with no accelerated corrosion, I think I can sacrifice the maybe 7 or 8 nice days and runs I'd enjoy in between November and March. As regards storing the car on axle stands the clue is in the name, place the stands under front wheel pans or rear axles or trailing arms and the car doesn't know it's in the air, it's springs and all other equipment lines up into normal attitude with the additional benefit of the tyres having no load on them. Mick Richards Edited November 21, 2016 by Motorsport Mickey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 In the middle of repairing the side of my 4a after some scrote tried to drive me off the road and to do so had to remove front and rear wings. After 22 yrs there was only a very small area of corrosion between one of the rear wings and the deck where water must have been getting through and the front end of the sill behind the front wing was still mint, that shows the value of proper assembly and sealant and a good coat of waxoyl every year as it gets used in all weathers and Im no polisher! Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 (edited) As regards storing the car on axle stands the clue is in the name, place the stands under front wheel trays or rear axles or trailing arms and the car doesn't know it's in the air, it's springs and all other equipment lines up into normal attitude with the additional benefit of the tyres having no load on them. Whether the 'clue is in the name' or not, I wouldn't want to support my TR on the suspension. Edit: and yes, I know that's what the tyres do, I was referring to axle stands. Cheers Andrew Edited November 21, 2016 by Andrew Smith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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