Summertime is full of adventures. RV road trips, dirt bike tracks, and ATV treks fill the warm days. But as winter approaches, it’s time to take care of your favorite summer vehicles. Winterizing helps to make sure your vehicles will be in good condition when good weather and vacation days come around again.
We’ll help you with a quick guide to winterizing your RV, motorcycle, or ATV.
RVs & Motorhomes
RVs and motorhomes have built-in facilities like a kitchen, bathroom, and power generators. This makes them complex to winterize, so you’ll need a comprehensive checklist to make sure your camping vehicle survives the winter in good condition.
• First, you’ll need to drain and purge the water and waste. Then you’ll want to fill the lines with RV antifreeze to prevent winter damage. If you’re not feeling DIY (or don’t have the equipment), a visit to your dealership will take care of this task.
• Your generators need to be empty of fuel and switched off. Run them to empty and then hit the kill switch.
• Disconnect your battery and store it some place warm, ideally inside the house. Do not leave it on a cold concrete floor.
• Remove all food from your RV to avoid attracting pests or surprise spoilage. If necessary, lay traps or pesticide.
• Keep your RV safe from sunshine’s UV rays and bad winter weather. Throw a cover over the RV or keep it inside a shelter.
• Air compresses in the cold causing tires to deflate. Top up the air in each tire.
• Change the oil, top off the coolant, and make sure there’s some fuel in the tank for restarting your RV in the spring.
Motorcycles
Motorcycles can wait for you in the garage all winter. But if you want your motorcycle ready to go on the first day of spring, a little winterizing is a good idea.
• Add fuel stabilizer to the tank. Then let the engine run so the stabilizer cycles into the carburetor and injectors.
• Top off the fuel and anti-freeze. Then change the oil of your motorcycle.
• Park your motorcycle on a surface other than concrete. If your garage is concrete, lay down a mat or rug.
• Keep your motorcycle covered or sheltered to protect it from the elements.
ATVs
ATVs are a ton of fun, but they are not enclosed or safe from the weather. Therefore, winterizing is an important process.
• Go through the motorcycle winterizing checklist, but add the following steps.
• Replace or clean air filters.
• Clean and lubricate the control cables and pedals of your ATV to ensure they stay in working order.
• Pull out the spark plugs and store them somewhere safe nearby.
• Pour a tablespoon of engine oil into the cylinders, then crank the engine to coat them.
• Put the battery on a trickle charger to avoid winter discharge.
Protecting your favorite summer vehicles for the winter ensures that they will be ready for you when summer returns. Contact a local, independent insurance agent today to make sure you’ve got the coverage that fits your summer vehicles perfectly.