Winter storage IH tractor

[jcruise]

we don't have indoor storage for ih 2400a,is it better to tarp the 2400 and let tarp drape sides,or use a larger tarp lay out on ground pull 2400 onto tarp,pull up over the top and encapsulate the 2400? we are planning to restore it someday and need to preserve it the best possible.

[Rick McKay]

If your tarp is right to the ground, the tractor will rust worse than if you didn't tarp it at all. I ruined an engine by doing that. I had fogged it before I put it into storage, and it was sealed under a tarp. 5 years later when I took it out, it was a ball of rust inside. Ideally, if your going to tarp it, the tarp shouldn't lay on the sheet metal, it should lay across a few 2x4's or something, and be open on the bottom to "breathe". It would be even better to use a real tarp...such as treated canvas. The blue things they call tarps turn into window screens in a relatively short time.

Rick

[pegasuspinto]

If it's outside, there is no difference to the tractor between summer and winter...keep leafs and debrits from gathering on it and you should be great, assuming it's not got open covers and plates just inviteing moisture in. On my 460, the worse, and practially only damage on it, are places where past owners allowed compost to accumilate. if it runs, fire it up and move it around once a month will keep oil and lube on everything. Paint over any bare metal. Do you have a lean-to somewhere? Maybe consider one of the 'portable' tin awnings to put over it.

Robert

[Bud Tierney]

"Encapsulating" with anything plastic, like Rick said, invites moisture forming on the underneath of the plastic, right where you don't want it (put an old magazine in a clear plastic bag, put it in the sun, and watch the moisture collect inside).
Firing it up etc, as Pegasus said, is a good idea; some vehicles can sit for years and be fine--others turn out, after a few months, to have every seal dried out and leaking, clutch (if has one) stuck/rusted, brake systems ditto, etc. In Indiana, this may not be practical in -20 weather.
Build at least a lean-to on lee side of building/shed??
For the paranoid (like me), there're whole checklists of things to do if not going to be run at all thru northern winters on some of the tractor sites. Good luck.

[jcruise]

I had some doubts about enclosing the bottom of it,I had discussed with some friends but nobody knew for sure,in the past I had parked in the field,this year I'll park it on a gravel pad, thanks for the advice,thats the great thing about Smokstak,collectively there are hundreds of years of experience through its members and there willing to share their knoledge. Thanks Jeff

[Tbar]

Think about trying to prevent rodents from building nests and chewing the wiring, seat, etc.


Tbar

[ehpower2]

moth balls and if i remember correctly peppermint extract works wonders. And you will have a nice smelling tractor

[ehpower2]

OH OH OH i forgot to share my strange secret if your only going to store it for the winter like i am for my engines i have found that unlubercated condoms work wonders if you can get them cheap enough. Strangly i use them a ton from painting to storage and not what they are supposed to be used for

[Craig A]

Tarp it so it sheds snow and rain.
Wheel spokes, tie rods and drawbars were MADE for bungy cords.......

[midpw]

My '45 WC has been out in the weather for quite a few years with a coffee can over the exhaust and she fires up every time I ask her to. On the other hand; I have "shedded" a B and a C in a lean-to on the side of my barn for several years and they have done pretty well just keeping the rain off.

Right now I am engineering a temporary end and partial side "wall" to my lean-to so that my tractors will be somewhat ummmm protected. I guess my ramble could be summed up as........let it breathe......

Bruce

[jht1057]

I use a large piece of rubber roofing material to cover my 41' A. Works great and I have not had a rusting problem.

Jim