i’m going to store my 99 mustang cobra for a few monthes and i have heard cars with independent rear suspension should not be left on jackstands for long periods. the reason for stands is not to flatspot tires. what is your recomendation?
This isn’t vehicle storage. It’s long term parking. If you’re going to park the car for just a few months all you need to do is add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and fill the gas tank, and disconnect/remove the battery.
I’ve stored vehicles for long periods of time without placing them on jackstands and have never flatspotted any tires. That use to happen with bias-ply tires.
Tester
Modern tires do not really flatspot anymore. Many slow selling cars sit on lots for that length of time. We generally recommend just letting it sit on its tires, but cover the tires if the car sits outside to reduce UV damage.
Your main concern is the battery; you can either take it out or use an inexpensive “battery minder” to keep it charged up. Block off the air intake and exhaust to keep animals out.
Cars spend longer than that on the dealers’ lots. And in “long term parking” at the airport. A few months is nothing.
You want to store your Mustang…,absolutely, don’t do it. Nothing will will work when you start it in the spring. It’s the absolute worse thing you can do to these cars especially the Cobra. It should be driven daily. Just drop the keys off with me and I will make that sacrifice of seeing that it is taken on frequent freeway trips of about 300 miles to visit my grandchildren and an occasional winter golf junket. In the spring, your car will be perfect !
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Short term parking (less than 6 months) should not be a problem, as indicated by the prior messages. I will only add a few suggestions:
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How secure is the location where you are parking this car? Keeping the car out of the public view will reduce the likely hood of someone stealing it. Removing the battery will make it a lot harder to steal (not thieves don’t carry an assortment of spare batteries)
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Contact your insurance company. You may be able to save $$$ on insurance by dropping the collision part and keeping the other parts (like theft) active. Just remember to reactive it before driving it. the collision part is the post expensive part of your insurance.
How about
Just to add to what Tester has said about stabilizer. I don’t feel that gas degradation is as much a problem as ethanol and moisture absorption. I would make it a marine grade stabilizer for ethanol. Condensation during winter months is the norm. Make sure you drive it with the stabil in the system before storage. You’ll want it throughout the fuel system and not just in the tank. Disconnect the negative cable on the battery, pump up the tires and you’re good to go/leave.
Oh. if in a garage, place some Decon packets in a safe higher up place so only rodents which might like to nest in your car, can get to them for food. Make sure there is nothing else in the area (bird seed) for them to eat.
nice try dagosa but i think i’ll keep the keys. just won’t be driving it much in winter, too much salt and crap on roads. this is a show car 43000 miles, #3591 of 4055 made ,convertible.won 3 first place trophies this past summer. already have stabil in gas and battery tender hooked up. it’s in attached garage and has a cover on it. i quess my main question was about independant suspension. my freind has a corvette with irs and he said he read somewhere not to leave them unsupported while raised. like its bad for the half shafts or something.
http://www.miracerros.com/mustang/t_suspension.htm
I see nothing that would make it more prone to problems…it looks as robust as my SUV. But if you think that running it is easier on it then storing, my offer still stands.