Off-Season storage tips

[AlumaDoo]

That time of year is quickly approaching us, and I'm sure this year's awesome snow has produced a few new sledders. Let's share our storage tips. What do YOU do to protect your investment? Who wants to go first?

[PAULARIS600]

start out with a good grease job. maybe even go as far as pulling skid and dis-assemble/clean then grease. either empty gas tank. not all sledders do it. others fill and add preservative. be sure bowls are empty. Give it a good bath and wax. Then mine will go off to dealers for indoor storage. I take home-made stand along to lift track off floor. I add moth balls in mesh bag to keep the critters out. well there's a little start.

[braindead1684]

Ditto on the Skid i have not in the past but consider it a must after rebuilding it this year.

Here is what most due parts.

Fog Engine, or choke heavily and kill.
Wash off sled and clean off shock shafts.
Dryer sheets over Airbox opening and by majority of electrical.
Plug Exhaust Pipes.
Grease Skid heavily and check over bearings and shaft bushings replace before winter if necessary.


Now the arguable parts
A lot of people drain the tank completely or for the most part then fill fresh for the beginning of the year.

Some Add stable and run it through topping it off with fresh gas at the beggining.

I have done both and have not had a problem either way.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After Storage
Clean carbs, Check and clean airbox, Remember that you put a rag in the exhaust :)

[snowmutt]

Ours never get put away;), well kinda lol
When I store for the off season I'll wash them up and treat the fuel w/ stabil.
I normally start them once a mo to keep things lubed up and I like fogging the garage for skeeters:D. IN my off season I go through a teardown mode.
Any summer mods and manitance gets done , it's alot nicer to work on a sled when its warm out vs's the cold .
Each year I have a idea of what I want to do for next season so what better time to get it done.
The summer I bought my new rev I had it tore down the next day to put the 136 kit in it . In our house the sled season never ends some people think I need to be comitted due to me working on my sled and having parts laying around .You get some funny looks when your out working on a sled during the 4th of july:eek:
This yr on my list is pulling the drives out and swapping them with 9 tooth extros and re-gearing .Also replacing ball joints and all bushings in both sleds.

mutt

[1fastmxz]

Don't forget to give your cover a good washing, all that road salt will do a number on them.
Summer is also a good time to go through your trailer. check & grease bearings and if your wiring is getting iffy it's alot easier to replace now than next winter laying in the snow at 20*

[snowmutt]

Don't forget to give your cover a good washing, all that road salt will do a number on them.
Summer is also a good time to go through your trailer. check & grease bearings and if your wiring is getting iffy it's alot easier to replace now than next winter laying in the snow at 20*
YES !! wash covers. I have full body covers for trailering and washing them up in the spring is a must, also give them a good coat of water repellant. I try to keep them rinsed off during the season too.
Trailer gets done in the summer mo's, just did bearings& tires this last summer. This year the salt shield gets some TLC

mutt

[slideways]

Hey braindead, I'm caught up with what you said, but what are the dryer sheets and the rag in the exhaust for?

I'm guessing the sheets are for rodent control because of where you suggested putting them. I am not sure about the rag in the exhaust though. Please enlighten me. I'm not trying to be a wiseguy-I'm just trying to get educated. Thanks.

[snowman777]

Rags keep them there little mice from using your pipe as a storage place. Even Worse, depending on where you piston stops in the cylinder, they might decide to nest in there.

[slideways]

Thanks snowman......I just wanted to make sure that those things were for critters and not some sort of "moisture issue" that I wasn't aware of.

I used to live on a farm that the owner used for a storage place. While watching people store their cars, sleds, boats and stuff, I've seen some really neat things. I've also seen some stuff that made me question peoples' sanity!!!

[braindead1684]

Yep the little rodents can get in there and possibly just scratch the crap out of the piston or worst get in the engine if the piston is down enough. Better safe then sorry
I know guys who don't and don't have a problem, but after i had one in the airbox (but had a rag in the exhaust) i always make sure its in there (usualy a greasy one too) just so it stinks for them if they check it out :).

[snowman777]

I heard human hair in a sock works really well to keep mice outa stuff. Never had enough hair on my head to try it.

[1fastmxz]

I also like to soak the seat with pledge, don't ask me why pledge but it seems to work good.

[Dirty Birch]

Why Pledge?

:D

[gordie57]

Thanks for all the tips ! new to sleddn this year so we need all the info possible.

To Howler love the graphics specially FEAR TASTES LIKE CHICKEN !!

[AlumaDoo]

Welcome to the sport!!!
Maybe I go over board, but here's what I like to do:
Wash, wax polish etc...
Fill the tank to prevent condensation
Dump in a can of Seafoam
Grease every fitting I can find to get all the moisture out
Spray ALL metals with WD-40 (usually takes a good full can)
Armor All the seat and vynils
Degrease what I can in the motor area
Run the motor to circulate the fuel treatment
Park it where I wanna keep it for the summer
Fire up the motor one last time and fog the engine until she dies out
Pull the plugs and squirt a little more fogging oil into the cylinders
Put the plugs back in
Wipe up excess fogging oil
Let it cool down then put Bounce Dryer sheets all over the place
Stuff some dryer sheets in the exhaust
Pick the track up off the floor
Cover, and let simmer for the summer

Did I miss anything?? I hope not, I have 3 of 'em to do this spring! LOL

Spanky

[gordie57]

I apologize for being for the long ? But need all the help we can get.Thanks again ! If I may, me and 2 sons have xcsp 6,7,&800's we love em
All have m-10 n studs. My 800 has a 15x121x1 - 144 pix & needs new track, srarting to tear. I just put new 8" dual carbides (they were gone) & it's awesome. Accelerating is horrible due to no traction. I'm thinking ripsaw 1.25 with 96 pix down the center (to prevent wear on the hyfax) should I do 144, it breaks loose at any speed. Will also replace bogie & idler if needed. I do have a boost bottle & will do a clutch up grade when I find out what it should be? I'm planning to install a SLP air intake & v force 3 as well. Can anyone tell me if I need the spacer or shim that I've read about for the reeds.
Thanks again for any input you may have for us newbie's. We're severly addicted

[gordie57]

Added note
we do mostly trail riding in new hampshire, on the aggressive side

[braindead1684]

I apologize for being for the long ? But need all the help we can get.Thanks again ! If I may, me and 2 sons have xcsp 6,7,&800's we love em
All have m-10 n studs. My 800 has a 15x121x1 - 144 pix & needs new track, srarting to tear. I just put new 8" dual carbides (they were gone) & it's awesome. Accelerating is horrible due to no traction. I'm thinking ripsaw 1.25 with 96 pix down the center (to prevent wear on the hyfax) should I do 144, it breaks loose at any speed. Will also replace bogie & idler if needed. I do have a boost bottle & will do a clutch up grade when I find out what it should be? I'm planning to install a SLP air intake & v force 3 as well. Can anyone tell me if I need the spacer or shim that I've read about for the reeds.
Thanks again for any input you may have for us newbie's. We're severly addicted



Post up in the Techtips and you should get a response there.

[AlumaDoo]

Yup, Gordie57, you'll have better luck reposting your question as a new thread under "tech tips". More folks will see what you need answered. Just a suggestion. Good luck

[2doo]

let simmer for summer lol I dont do any of that fogging stuff-i get em out once in a while and rip around the yard fer a minute!!

[braindead1684]

let simmer for summer lol I dont do any of that fogging stuff-i get em out once in a while and rip around the yard fer a minute!!

Just to keep the mosquitos down right ;) ;)

[AlumaDoo]

hey, now there's a good idea. Who needs deepwoods off or yardguard?

[1fastmxz]

Go with the spacer, you'll notice the throttle responce.

[1fastmxz]

If your gonna start your sled during the summer make sure you run it long enough to get it good and warm. short start ups aren't very good.

[gordie57]

Will do.
Hopelessly lost but making good time LOL

[braindead1684]

When in dought just ask, everyones good around here as long as you keep it real and don't attack anyone.

[snowman777]

Summer time is mod and test and tune time. Put new parts in at take it to the lake with the boat. Don't forget the anchor, you might need a rope.

[snowmutt]

I used moth balls to keep critters out . Just put some in the engine compartment . To keep from chasing them around in the belly pan , I put some in a sock and drop it down in the belly. I also put some in areas of the garage to help chase them out . I have wood on the inside of the wall studs 2ft high so I can store stuff in the wall, so thats a good spot to drop a few in there , its the smell they dont like.
If you dont start your sled in the summer some have duct tape over the can outlet to keep them out too.

mutt

[sledheads4]

I put stabil in and start them once a month or more. Summer is when I get them ready for next season. Have track to replace, shocks to replace, carbides. Usually store them on the trailer with covers on. We put dryer sheets all over the sled to keep rodents away. This summer I will be replacing the floor on the trailer and a redoing the ramp:D

[snowsledfred]

I agree with 2doo