Make Sure Your Rig is Ready to Run

Five DIY spring service tips to ensure smooth travels this season.

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Words by Peter Boyer

If your 4X4 was in storage over the winter, you have probably been counting the days until the warmer weather of spring when you can take it out for the first trail run of the season. Before that long-anticipated time comes, however, there are some common DIY tasks to ensure pertinent components and systems work properly before you once again get behind the wheel of your beloved off-roader.

There are many storage options for your 4x4 and whether you kept it in your garage (with a tarp), a designated, humidity-controlled storage unit (also covered with a tarp), or simply in your driveway, successfully easing your rig out of hibernation to 100 percent road-worthiness not only depends on how you stored it over the winter, but the maintenance you do before you run it again.

For me, I properly store an older but modified Jeep JK in my garage where I can do off-season upgrades. Come spring, I take the time to get it ready for the season. Here’s a five-point checklist that I always follow to ensure smooth travels for when the warmer arrives.

1. Battery

If it was connected to a battery maintainer, it should be capable of holding a charge and able to turn the engine over since there haven’t been any accessories or electrical faults siphoning the power. However, it’s always a good idea to give it a quick test using a multimeter to confirm its status (see sidebar).

In the event your battery connections are showing signs of fraying or corrosion that developed over the winter (and they commonly can), this is the time to replace or clean them up with some emery paper, steel wool or a wire brush. You may also want to coat the exposed battery connections with dielectric grease to repel moisture and prevent future corrosion.

Since it’s common for many 4X4’s to have a lot of point-to-point wiring that powers auxiliary fuse blocks, lights, winches, fridges and sound systems, make sure your battery is still durable and up to the task. This is especially important if you use a winch as the battery needs to have enough reserve capacity to also run the engine during a recovery.

As a final check, inspect the battery tie-downs (or clamps) to ensure they are secure to endure rough terrain and extreme approach/departure angles on the trails. I once had a battery strap break while fording a glacial stream and battery acid spilt throughout the engine compartment and stranded me mid-stream  - not fun. Remember, even the most insignificant components can sometimes create some big headaches when they fail.

2. Oil

This is a no-brainer for many tech-savvy wheelers, but it is worth mentioning. If you changed the engine oil before storing your rig last fall (and you’ve resisted the temptation to start the engine over the winter), it will still be good to run with before the next scheduled change. However, if you cranked the engine once a month while your vehicle was in storage or if you didn’t replace the oil before the winter, be sure to replenish it.

The value of running the engine when not in use may be argued but the reason to avoid it is it’s difficult to attain a  proper operating temperature during a short start-up. Condensation is a culprit and short start-ups don’t allow moisture to be evaporated out of the oil system sufficiently to protect the engine and exhaust system from corrosion.

I prefer not to leave any used oil in the pan over the winter and always change the oil for peace of mind. Those minute particles from wear and combustion that are suspended while the vehicle is in use will settle during extended periods and can coat themselves onto the interior surfaces and tiny passageways of the engine. Cleanliness is next to godliness in protecting the tolerances of your engine.

3. Brakes

You will undoubtedly have left your emergency brake disengaged but work it a few times just to make sure it releases and sets properly. If it doesn’t, you will need to check the mechanisms at the rear brakes to determine the cause.

It doesn’t hurt to apply some silicone brake lube to any exposed linkages and give the brake pedal an initial test pump and assess how it feels. If it doesn’t feel right, check the brakes further, change the brake fluid or have them serviced. Don’t worry about flash rust on the rotors as that can be easily polished off with the first few gentle braking applications.

Your brake pads may be fine but perhaps clean the pistons and callipers with compressed air and grease the calliper pins, bleed the brakes and put in fresh brake fluid. These components are always under stress on the trail and a little extra TLC never hurts. It doesn’t take much for these parts to seize after they sit idle for a few cold months.

4. Tires

If you set your vehicle on jack stands (or use another means of avoiding flat spots on your tires), now is the time for installation, inspection, and checking the tire pressure (even on the spare). The larger tires used on 4X4s can be susceptible to flat spotting. One way to determine flat spots is to slightly inflate the tire so it will hold its shape better.

I like to remove the wheels and tires completely while in storage since it allows me to get under the vehicle during the winter and inspect the chassis. This also provides the opportunity to touch up any scuffs and scrapes with POR 15 chassis paint during the winter.

Even if you haven’t taken special measures to protect the tires against flat-spotting, check the pressure and adhere to the recommended specifications for the vehicle and from the tire manufacturer.

5. Remove Rodent Barriers and Detail Your 4x4

Last fall, when rodents were seeking out a cozy place to survive for the winter and you didn’t use any sort of repellents, there’s a good chance some critters moved into your vehicle. A mouse or other critter living in your engine bay or interior can do a lot of damage.

If you blocked the tailpipe, duct-taped the air inlet and used rodent repellent in the interior, remove them. This is also the time to check if any wiring has been chewed. Damage can get extensive, so it’s best to look closely at the wiring for the lights, signals, radios, and other systems and check to see if they operate properly. Exterior wiring like trailer connectors needs to be inspected as well.

If your 4x4 was stored in an enclosed space and covered with a tarp (and you haven’t found any damage to repair), no further action is required to get rolling on the trails. In the event it wasn’t covered, give it a quick pressure wash to remove the fine dust. Of course, your vehicle will need a good exterior blasting and buffing if it was parked outside without a cover to restore any oxidized paint surfaces.

Soft tops, like the one on my JK, always need a good cleaning and they should be treated with a quality coating to protect them from UV rays and resist weathering or cracking. Soft top zippers on Jeeps can be vulnerable to the ravages of time so lubricate them thoroughly with a solution like Bestop’s Soft Top Zipper Cleaner and Lubricant.

With proper preparation in the fall with some spring pre-season TLC, your rig will once again look good and drive great.

Give Your Battery a Basic Check with a Multimetre

  1. Attach the leads to the appropriate ground and voltage terminals and set the voltage scale to 20 V.
  2. Touch the leads to the battery terminals (e.g. black (ground) to black, red (positive) to red) and the reading should be 12.5V.
  3. Turn on the headlights for one minute to draw any surface charge from the battery.
  4. Turn over the engine and observe the discharge during starting. It shouldn’t be less than 10V for an instant and then rise back up above 14V once the alternator kicks in
  5. If the draw while starting the engine is less than 10V, the battery is weak. If it’s less than 5V, the battery should be replaced. Most batteries last four to five years but many fail before then so always check it a few times throughout the season.