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#1 |
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 10
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How do you prep an ATV for Winter?
WINTER IS COMING. I'm talking storage and prep.
First time ATV owner coming up on the first fall and winter with my beauty. What do you guys recommend as far as preparing your ATV to be stored for the winter? Or better yet, what do you recommend to prepare it to be rideable in the snow? Thanks in advance! ![]() |
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#2 |
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Bay City, MI
Posts: 398
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We pack ours into the garage for winter, unused during those months. I fill the fuel tank and add some stabilizer, drain the carb float bowls and run them dry. Then remove batteries and place them in the basement in a cool, dry space connected to a battery tender.
Come spring, put battery back in, turn fuel on and fill carb, start ATV and then go through the rest of the maintenance checks- tire pressures, cables, lube chain and suspension, adjustments and check bolts- then ride. |
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#3 | |
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 10
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Quote:
Do you find that the temperature drop combined with being parked on pavement for several months affects your tires? |
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#4 |
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: CO
Posts: 1,525
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A small list of stabilizers (or company/brand names that have fuel cleaners/stabilizer mixes for sale) that seem to work for at least one year when added to the fuel... I have a few engines that have a Nuetra/Star Tron/2 stroke oil doped gas that has to be at least 5 years old*... they start and run every time I need to move the vehicle/yard equipment
![]() Sta-bil Marine formula, "SeaFoam", Schaeffers Nuetra 131, Star Tron, Biobor, Yamalube, K100, some of the higher priced "2 stroke oil" contain stabilizers (about 1 ounce into 4 to 5 gallons for most 4 stroke engines), BG, Amsoil, Quick Silver/Mercury, CRC, Gold Eagle... the list goes on forever... probably easier to ask if the brand you like to use works as advertised ![]() * Used to "rotate" my lot full of old vehicles every year or so for road use... with my gut issues it was easier to keep my 20 to 30 year old, 200 to 350k mile vehicle(s) maintained when I had a year (or 5+ ![]() ![]()
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"Think as you like... but this self proclaimed Professor is always right" - Buckshot ![]() "You never know what someone is hiding beneath their smile..." - NinjaTom - R.I.P. |
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#5 | |
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Bay City, MI
Posts: 398
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Quote:
As for the tires, naw.. they're parked in the garage.. we roll them around back and forth once a month, but that's about it. We find that keeping the battery indoors and always topped off with a .5A battery tender is more critical. Unless you like buying new batteries every year. |
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#6 |
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 347
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If you top your battery off in the fall you can likely get away without a trickle charger. That's what I do with all my batteries and they last many many years. I fully change mine before storage and fully charge it again when removing from storage. It's not good to overcharge a battery and some trickle chargers will actually reduce the life of your battery depending on how "smart" they are. A good one will stop charging when fully charged until the battery drops below a threshold. Stupid trickle chargers keep charging 24/7 and after months will reduce the capacity of the battery. Trickle chargers are really designed so your battery is ready at a moment's notice, great for fire trucks and ambulances. Not ideal for months of storage and not what their actually designed for.
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Electrician & Electronics Tech 2014 Honda CB500XA 2016 CSC TT250 1976 Honda CJ360T 2022 Honda Navi |
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#7 |
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Strong Island New Yawk
Posts: 464
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Curious why people fill their tanks (with Stabil ) for the winter...not the Stabil part..I get that, but why not run the tank bone dry for the winter?
Much like you do with the carb ? That is how I store my lawnmower, run the tank and carb dry and leave the gas cap off for the winter ? Not saying I am right... just curious |
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#8 |
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Houma, La.
Posts: 11,654
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Filling the tank will prevent the tank from rusting. If you live in a dry climate it shouldn't be a problem. I live with high humidity and moisture will form in the metal tank if not kept full. If you have a plastic tank then I would just drain it.
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#10 |
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SASKATOON
Posts: 1,161
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fuel stuff
if you use non ethanol gas ( premunin ) you do not need any thing in the fuel... for winter it is best to put some metalhydrafe in for the moisture ( water ) to mox witht he fuel and not freeze or rust out the tank.. it is good to charge the batteries every month... just a tickle charge.. no need to waste power and keep it on there,, do not drain the carbs.. you can use whatever for stabilize … sea foam or other stuff.... but spend the money if you can use the preminun fuel... no trouble with the fuel problems.. if you can … just to be safe... take the weight off of the tires ,,, incase there is a slow leak... then they will not sit on the flat tire and crack the up..
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#12 |
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 41
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Same here, I mount the plow & tire chains and keep it backed into one of my garages ready to plow snow. I bought mine primarily to plow snow but found it so handy all year long, and a fun play thing too.
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#13 |
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Boone, NC
Posts: 187
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I park the bikes in Winter and ride the ATVs more. Here, in the South, they are our snowmobiles.
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Tags |
atv, snow, storage, winter, winterize |
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