Friday, July 27, 2012

Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage

Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage


With the show and racing season wrapped up and the temperatures beginning to drop, it is time to start thinking about what you are going to do with your ride. Many of you will drive your car over the winter months; many others will store your car for the winter. Information on storing your car will not apply to all, especially those in the sunny southern states. However, if you plan to store your car during the winter months, this is a must read.

Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage

Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage

Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage


Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage



Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage

Cleaning

Getting your vehicle clean now will be much easier than after it has sat for a few months. Clean the car completely. A thorough clean will include the interior, exterior, undercarriage and under the hood. Any dirt that has accumulated on the vehicle will be much easier to remove now than after it has set forseveral months. Starting with the interior, be sure to vacuum, dust, and clean everything. The cleaner the car is, the better it will handle storage. Make sure you thoroughly wash the undercarriage. The dirt left on the undercarriage will rust or corrode metal parts while in storage. Cleaning the exhaust thoroughly, especially chrome or stainless exhaust tips will help to keep it from corroding. Once you are done with the undercarriage, it is time to move on to the exterior. Wash the vehicle. Washing can be a daunting task but in the end, it will be worth it. Once the car is clean, give it the best wax Job it has ever seen. Wax everywhere there is paint-your car will love you for it. Polish any chrome on the car to keep it preserved over the winter months. Go over the vehicle and makesure it is completely dry before putting it away. Any moisture that remains will corrode metal parts while the vehicle is in storage.

Maintenance/Preparation

Preventative maintenance will help prepare your car for sitting over the winter. You should change the following fluids:

or Engine Oil

or Brake Fluid

or Coolant

or Washer Fluid

or Clutch Fluid

The next step in preparing your car for storage is to change the engine oil and Filter. As soon as a vehicle is driven after an oil change, small amounts of condensation begin showing up inside the engine. If the vehicle is not being driven, this moisture increases the risk of rust on internal engine parts. By changing the oil prior to storage, you will minimize the moisture in the system. Youshould be sure to use synthetic oil, as it has enhanced coating properties and does not break down as easy as regular oil.

You should then top off your gas tank. Since most gas tanks are metal, by filling up the gas you will not allow moisture to form from the gas vapors which can cause corrosion. Fuel stabilizer should also be used, as gasoline can break down over an extended period of time.

Next, disconnect the battery. If the car will be stored for an extended period of time, remove it completely. Age and low temperatures in the winter can cause batteries to crack, thus subjecting your engine bay to battery acid. You should also use some type of battery maintainer or battery tender. These devices connect to your battery terminals and will provide the battery to continuous and consistent charge. Battery maintainers will shut down periodically to prevent overcharging. Vehicles have electrical accessories that can use battery power even when the car is not running and will run the battery dead. Battery maintainers can extend the life of the battery in your car stored.

You have a few options on how to protect the Tires. You can jack up the car and place it on jack stands, coat the Tires in lithium grease, or over inflate the tires. By placing the vehicle on jack stands it will prevent the tires from developing flat spots and it also reduces the strain on suspension bushings and other parts. Another option is to coat the tires in lithium grease. This isdone to prevent the tires from drying out, cracking or developing leaks. You should not use petroleum based lubricants, such as Vaseline or Armor All, because they will eventually dry out and will actually dry and crack the tires. Lastly, by over inflating the tires you will prevent them from developing flat spots.

Use a silicone lubricant or lithium grease to coat the weather stripping and door seals. This will preserve these seals over the storage period. Also, make sure you lubricate the door hinges, door latches, door locks and the hood and trunk latches as well. If these latches lose their lubrication, they will become difficult to open.

Your next concern is critters, such as mice or other vermin that can get into your car and destroy it. You should Plug your tail pipewith aluminum foil or steel wool to protect it from mice getting into it. You may also want to do the same on your intake, depending on its design.

You should roll up all the windows on the vehicle and also keep the doors, trunk, and hood closed to eliminate pressure on the hinges and keep out critters. Convertible owners should leave the top ups, as it will keep the cover stretched. Another measure is to place packets of silica in the interior and trunk of the car to keep the area free of moisture. Manual transmission cars should be left in gear, as this will eliminate the possibility of shift rod corrosion. Lastly, no matter what you do, DO NOT APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE. By leaving the brakes engaged, the shoes can freeze to the drum, making it difficult to freethem.

Storage facilities

Storing the car into a fully climate controlled building is the best choice. Unfortunately, this is not possible for most people. However, there are other options. Storing your car in a building without climate control can be equally efficient, but you must take the proper precautions. If the storage area you are using has concrete floors, placing carpet over the concrete will keep moisture away from the underside of the car. Concrete holds plenty of moisture and the carpet will help keep it away from the bottom of your car. It is suggested to at least cover the length of the car, but you can also carpet the entire concrete floor. Another option is to buy a plastic sheet or tarp and use it for the same purpose.

You can use an outsidecarport, but make sure you have protection from all sides against wind. Car covers can be used, but you must be very careful and consider the conditions the car will be subjected to outdoors. If it is in an area where it may experience a lot of wind, you have to make sure the cover is tight so that wind cannot flap the material as this can wear painted surfaces. If you know anyone who has owned an improperly tightened front end bra, unfortunately they will be able to tell you all about this. The most important feature you should look for in a car cover is that it is made of a breathable material. If moisture is trapped between the cover and the car, the breathable fabric will allow it evaporate quickly. If you store your car outside, check to make sure that no moisture (from rain ormelting Snow) is allowed to accumulate under the vehicle or between the car and the cover. A car cover protects your car from light, dust, and the accidental bump. It will do this whether the car is stored indoors or outdoors.

It should be noted the information contained in this article applies to short-term storage. Short term storage is a period of several months, not to be confused with long term storage, which lasts for a period of several years. Vehicles stored long term need to have much more in-depth preparations than those described here.

Preparing Your Car for Winter Storage

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Battery Tender Charger

Battery Tender Charger


How would you like a battery charger that doesn't damage your batteries? A battery charger that can lead-based charger any battery? In this article we're going to discuss the battery tender charger and all of it's capabilities! The battery tender charger is spark proof during lead connection. It's also reverse polarity protected and includes a five year warranty. It's perfect for charger all 6-volt lead acid batteries, flooded, or sealed maintenance batteries.

Battery Tender Charger

Battery Tender Charger

Battery Tender Charger


Battery Tender Charger



Battery Tender Charger

The battery tender charger impleMents a three step program to charging your car battery. Those three steps include the initial, bulk charge, and float modes. We'll discuss those in detail below.

Initial: The initial charge is used togiven how much your battery needs to be charged. In the initial sTAGe, your battery is being checked to make sure that it needs to be charged. At this sTAGe the charge cycle is just beginning.

Bulk Bulk Charge: The charge is when your battery is actually being charged. At this sTAGe your battery is being charged as Fast as possible. Keep in mind that too much volTAGe could potentially damage your battery. Which is why this stage of the charge is crucial. With the battery tender charger you'll get just the right amount of charge to your batteries.

Float: The float mode is to prevent any damage to your battery. If you apply voltage after the battery is fully charged it could potentially damage your> battery. Which is why this step is crucial when charging any blink. Let's assume that your battery drops below the fully charged level. Your battery will then begin charging again. This step optimized your batteries charge cycle and prevents damages.

The battery tender charger is one of the best battery tender products on the market. In fact there is a community built around this product. This product is perfect for charging the batteries. If you own ATVS, Jet Skis, or boats then this is the best charger for you. If you need help using this charger it's fAirly simple. All you have to do is Plug the charger into the wall. Then clamp on the red (Positive) and ground the black (negative) clamps. This step is extremely crucial andshould be handled by an expert.

Make sure you only work with your motorcycle when it's turned off. Also be sure that you don't work when the motor is hot. Doing these two things can prevent injuries to you and anyone around you. Also make sure that you wear protective gear. Using the battery tender charger is straight forward and you shouldn't have any trouble.

If your product becomes damaged it's covered by a five year warranty. The people at Daltron were so confident in their product that they include this guarantee. If it doesn't work and the damage is covered under the warranty you can have it repAired enTirely free of charge. As for the reviews, there was a total of 345 people who reviewed this product. The battery tender charger managed toaverage in four out of five star rating. What makes this product great is the fact that customers love it. If you can't trust the 300 + people who are saying good things about this product then you can't trust anyone!

Some of the positive reviews come from people who were surprised this product works as well as it does. Some people bought the charger not knowing what to think. After using it for a while, they've grown to love it. After all this charger is a favorite among the pros. In fact we've visited several online communities and people have only good things to say about this charger.

Battery Tender Charger

Monday, May 21, 2012

Farm Tractors

Farm Tractors


A farm tractor is a very efficient way of managing your farm. Regardless of the type of crops you plant on it, if you have farm tractors with you, you Job will be easier and simpler. There are different ways on how farm tractors can help you carry out basic farm activities. One way or another, the success of the crop yields are partly dependent on the efficiency of farm vehicle you have. However, there are some things that we have to consider with regards to the proper care and maintenance of your tractor.

Farm Tractors

Farm Tractors

Farm Tractors


Farm Tractors



Farm Tractors

You have to bear in mind the things that you have to consider after getting your farm vehicle. For longer use, it should be cared and maintained accordingly. If we exploit our farm tractor, we might end up regretting it in the future since we didnot use it in a proper way. This article will deal more about the common constraints in maintaining and caring of farm vehicle.

Fuel maintenance is one of the constraints. You might end up buying a lot of fuel for emergency use. There are a lot of farm tractors that are not too costly in terms of fuel. However, most of the brands and types of farm vehicle consume a lot of fuel. You might end up purchasing bulks of fuel and whether it used or not being used. We have to make sure that our gain is proportional to our expenses. What will happen if there is less gain than expenses? I think your business is near bankruptcy. There should be profit regardless of the total expenses. Even though fuel maintenance is costly, make sure that there is still a profit.

Another thing thatshould be considered is the part replaceMent. There are some issues that may arise like the parts are busted and substandard that it needed a replaceMent. Mind you, the parts of a farm vehicle are costly and difficult to find. Most of the time, you will end up finding the right part in some distant stores and shops. I take note that you clean the farm vehicle as often as you can and inspect the parts for good standing to ensure safety and proper maintenance.

Another thing is the wheels. If the wheels are bald, the farm tractor is prone to accidents that might harm your workers. Make sure to inspect the wheels. There are times when you really have to be careful in inspecting the wheels since the quality and efficiency of the workload greatly depends on the ability of thewheels to carry out the Job and navigate back and forth.

There are some things that you can do to prevent future issues with your farm tractor like checking all the crucial parts especially the wheels to check the condition, making sure that the controls are fully functional, and estimate the workload for the day to make sure that there will be enough fuel for it.

These are some of the constraints that you need to consider for your farm tractor's maintenance. This information is to educate farm operators and those who are on the verge of purchasing one for preparedness and added knowledge.

Farm Tractors

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Winter RV Battery Storage

Winter RV Battery Storage


The two most common causes for RV battery failure are undercharging and overcharging.

Winter RV Battery Storage

Winter RV Battery Storage

Winter RV Battery Storage


Winter RV Battery Storage



Winter RV Battery Storage

Undercharging is a result of batteries being repeatedly discharged and not fully recharged between cycles. If a battery is not recharged the sulfate material that Fasteners to the discharged portions of the plates begins to harden into crystals. Over time this sulfate cannot be converted back into active plate material and the battery is ruined. This also occurs when a battery remains discharged for an extended period of time, like during storage. Sulfation is the number one cause of battery failure. The second leading cause of battery failure is overcharging. Overcharging batteries results in severe water loss and plate corrosion. With thatsaid let's look at how to properly store your RV batteries.

Before we talk about storing the batteries we need to talk about battery safety. Lead acid batteries contain sulfuric acid which is extremely corrosive and can cause severe burns or even blindness. And the hydrogen gas that batteries produce when they're charging is very explosive. When you work around batteries you need to wear goggles and gloves, remove all jewelry and do not smoke or use any open flames.

Caution: If you accidentally get battery acid on your skin, flush it with lots of water and if it gets in your eyes flush with low pressure water for 15 minutes and call a doctor.

When you put the RV in long term storage it's a good idea to remove the batteries and put them in storagetoo. This is quite simple to do. The first thing we want to do is visually inspect the batteries for any obvious damage. Any fluid on or around the battery may be an indication that electrolyte is leaking from the battery. A damaged or leaking battery should be replaced immediately. Whenever you remove any battery always remember to remove the negative terminal or cable first, and then the positive cable.

Battery Tip: When you remove a battery turn off the ignition switch, all electrical switches, and any battery disconnect switches before you disconnect the battery cables. Whenever you remove any battery cables label them first so you remember how they go back on the battery. When you reinstallthe battery do it in the reverse order. Install the positive cable first and then the negative cable.

Clean the batteries with a 50-50 mixture of baking soda and water if necessary, i.e. use one pound of baking soda to one gallon of water. Now you can check the electrolyte level in each cell and add distilled water if necessary. The minimum level required is at the top of the plates. If it's below the plates add enough distilled water to cover the plates before you charge the battery.

Test the battery state of charge with a voltMeter or flyoverpasific and charge any batteries that are at or below 80%. An 80% charge is approximately 12.5 volts for a 12 volt battery and 6.25 volts for a 6 volt battery. Lead sulfation starts when abattery state of charge > drops below 80%. After charging the batteries check and fill each cell to 1/8 inch below the fill well with distilled water. Overfilling cells will cause battery acid to overflow.

Caution: Batteries should only be charged in a well ventilated area and keep any sparks and open flames away from a battery being charged. Check the electrolyte levels before and after charging batteries.

A discharged or partially charged battery will freeze much Faster than a charged battery. Store the batteries in a cool dry place but not where they could freeze. Batteries in storage will loose a percenTAGe of current through internal leakage. It's not uncommon for a battery to discharge up to 10% a month when it is beingstored. Cold temperatures slow this natural discharge process down and warmer temperatures speed the process up. Test the
the stored battery state of charge every month and charge batteries that are at or below an 80% state of charge.

Completely charge the batteries before re-installing them next spring. For optimum performance you can equalize the batteries after they are fully charged. An equalizing charge is an increase in charging volTAGe similar to a charge to convert any bulk crystallized lead sulfate back into its original components.

If you decide to leave the batteries in the RV while it is in storage remember to check the state of charge monthly and charge any batteries at or below an 80% charge. Some RV converter multi-sTAGe chargers and aftermarketchargers are designed to maintain a float charge on the battery without removing the batteries from the RV. Remember, for the converter charger to work the RV will need to be Plugged in to electricity.

For more information on RV batteries check out our Deep Cycle Battery Care & Maintenance DVD.

Happy Camping,

Mark Polk

Copyright 2007 by Mark j. Polk, owner of RV Education 101

Winter RV Battery Storage

Monday, March 12, 2012

Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains

Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains


Tractor Tire chains like in many of the same models, styles, and designs as other Tire chains. Depending on the size and brand of the tractor and tractor wheel, a variety of Tire chains can be found.

Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains

Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains

Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains


Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains



Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains

Like most other types of tire chains, there are many different options available in tractor tire chains. The most popular choice, and the most widely recomMended, is two-link spacing with an optional V-Bar. Two link spacing means that there is a cross chain every second side chain link. Basically, it has twice as many cross chains as the four-link spacing, which only has a cross chain every fourth side chain link. The extra> chains provide for a more steady, smooth ride and more steering control. The optional V-Bar chains are extremely helpful on ice, hills, and other hard-packed conditions. While V-Bar chains are available in both two-and four-link spacing, they should not be used on paveMent since they can damage the surface of the road.

Kubota Tractor tire chains are available in the basic two-and four-link chains. Kubota recommends using tire chains and wheel Weights in icy conditions. Even when using tire chains, drivers should still drive at a speed slow enough to maintain complete control of the tractor at all times.

Choosing the Right Tractor Tire Chains

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Car Towing

Car Towing


Even the best car will break down at some time or another-it is the nature of the beast. When it does, it probably won't happen at a convenient time or under favorablercumus stances. A Tire blows, the engine dies, there's a pileup and bingo, it's towing time.

Car Towing

Car Towing

Car Towing


Car Towing



Car Towing

To start off, car towing is not something one should try without proper experience and equipMent-especially valuable cars are involved. Improper car towing can result in a lot of damage and personal injury.

Towing experts are specifically trained for their Jobs; they have years of experience and also appropriate equipMent for such work. They also need to be experienced car mechanics who can handle contingencies like the need for jump-starts and on-the-road repAirs. Furthermore, they are insuredagainst unforeseen "– mishaps.

In other words, it is worth the extra expense to engage the services of a reputed towing company when it comes to having one's car towed. The Job takes much more than a lot of willingness to do-or-die attitude, and a sturdy car or even truck. Cars are relatively light and wieldy by nature and tend to shimmy around a lot during the towing process-unlike the dead weight of a construction material or a boat.

The towing vehicle needs special cooling systems, extra suspension, and must have calibrated gear ratio and engine power. It must not have a four-wheel drive and exceptionally efficient brakes.

Car Towing

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Where Do Old Tyres Go?

Where Do Old Tyres Go?


With so many cars on the roads in Great Britain alone, it is no wonder disposing of old tyres is so important. It is now a legal requireMent that they are reused or recycled - they are no longer allowed to go to landfill. So what are they used for? Half of them are broken down in some way and recycled, while a quarter of them are given a new purpose in life. The remaining tyres are resold as part-worn tyres, and they may be retreaded first.

The tyres that are broken down go on to be used in a wide variety of ways. They can be broken down into granules which can then be used as they are. The granules can be used in gardening as a mulch in place of bark chips. This isn't just a case of making do - they are actually better than bark chips as they never need replacing! The tyre granules can also be fashioned into soft, safe, springy surfaces for children's playgrounds or athletic tracks. Alternatively the granules can be pressed into blocks to surface level crossings and roads, or flattened into sheets to fit as an underlay beneath carpets. Cut into pieces, tyres can be used to create pencil cases, notebook covers, the soles of shoes, and even trugs and kneepads for gardening.

If you have any unused tyres lying around, there are so many different ways it can be used without breaking it down. They can be rammed with earth or filled with concrete and used like bricks for building walls or stacked together under the ocean to create artificial reefs to provide a habitat for a variety of sealife. In the garden they can be used as planters, stacked one on top of the other as high as you want and then filled with soil. Things like potatoes that need earthing regularly, and rhubarb that needs forcing. A cold frame is easy to build with an old tyre and a sheet of glass or perspex.

Tyres make a perfect cheap, recycled toy for children. They can be slung with ropes or chains from a tree to make a swing for children (or monkeys at the zoo!). You can set up an obstacle course around the garden for an army style workout, or use a tractor tyre as the basis of a sandpit.

The compound that car tyres are made from is extremely long lasting and doesn't break down if it goes into landfill, so it's good that we are continually finding new ways to make use of them once they are too worn to stay on our cars.

Where Do Old Tyres Go?


Where Do Old Tyres Go?


Where Do Old Tyres Go?