Quote:
Originally Posted by family wagon
Though tires won't wear out, they will still age out. IIRC chemicals in the tire rubber diffuse out over time and result in the dry cracked appearance sometimes seen on old tires. It's like maintenance charges on a gift card to a place you never actually shop at: even if you don't use the tires, their life eventually withers away anyway.
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No doubt!
I lost a rig that way. I put 8 new Yokahamas on my last bus. Drove it 2000 miles and parked it. Work and life got in the way. Job status changed. moved across the country. When the time came for me to rescue my bus I found that the 8 "brand" new tires that had been on my bus were all shot. At the time I could not afford 8 new tires or to continue paying storage. I pretty much gave the bus away
Tires, belts and hoses age and break down over time. Keeping things sheltered. If you can park the bus under cover that helps a lot. If not, at least get covers for the tires.
Oil changes: Even if you only drive 300 miles a year I would strongly recommend that you don't wait for a particular mileage. Recommendations vary. 6 months or 6000 miles whichever comes FIRST. Others have recommended on very low mileage vehicles that you can stretch this out to 12 months max. An oil change on my 5.9 Cummins takes me less than 20 minutes and costs less than $100. Twice a year is not a big deal.
I don't have any solid data to back it up but I am of the opinion that for best longevity that ALL of my rigs need to be on the road and brought up to full operating temperature at least once a month. Not just idled in the driveway but a 20 mile trip at 55mph. Last stop before home - top off the fuel tank.
Fuel: Diesel does not last indefinitely. It will last storage in a FULL tank. If you are going to store the rig for a while take it out for a good run and then fill the tank before parking. You may even want to consider a fuel stabilizer.
Coolant: Get coolant test strips and check (& adjust) prior to storage.
Storage in general: I don't know what part of the World you are in. Here in the Pacific North Wet, I keep a dehumidifier running in stored RV's and a block heater in the winter.
Ok... I am going to stop rambling...