An hour spent today prepping your snow machine for off-season storage will save you a big headache – and potentially a pretty penny – next ice-fishing season. Before storing your Polaris, follow these simple preventative measures to prolong its life.
Start by cleaning, washing, and waxing the hood, side panels, chassis, and plastic parts. Wipe down remaining surfaces with a damp cloth. Clean and touch up with paint any rusted or previously painted surfaces. Remove any corrosive salt and acids from surfaces before beginning preservation with waxes and rust inhibitors (grease, oil or paint).
Store your Polaris in a dry garage or shed, out of direct sunlight, and covered with a fabric snowmobile cover. A plastic tarp may cause condensation to form and damage snowmobile components.
Clutch And Drive System
Remove your Polaris’ drive belt and store it in a cool, dry place. Do not lubricate your clutch components, except the drive clutch shaft bushing, as outlined in the Master Repair Manual.
Engine Protection
Preventing rust and corrosion on precision engine parts during storage is vital to ensuring the longevity of your engine and fuel system.
The engine of any snowmobile stored for more than 60 days must be “fogged.” Spraying fogging oil into your motor’s cylinders creates a thin layer of oil that protects rod pins, cylinder walls and crankshaft bearings from humidity, which can corrode parts quickly.
“Proper fogging now will prevent crankshaft failure later,” advises ICE FORCE Pro-Staffer James Holst, host of In-Depth Outdoors TV on the Fox Sports North Channel. “And It’s not as complicated as it might sound – just follow the engine-fogging instructions provided on your oil container.”
Always add Premium Carbon Clean or a fuel conditioner/stabilizer to the fuel tank. Follow the instructions on the container, running the engine for five minutes to get additives through the entire fuel system.
Top off with fresh fuel. Do not allow the snowmobile to run out of fuel.
Electrical
Replace worn or frayed electrical wire and connectors. Be sure your wiring harness is properly secured away from sharp edges, steering linkage, moving parts, and hot exhaust parts.
Prior to storage, charge your battery fully. Check battery voltage every three months and charge as required. If possible, place the battery on a voltage regulated charger to maintain proper voltage.
Track And Suspension
Moderate track tension should be maintained during summer storage. The snowmobile should be supported off the ground to allow the track to hang freely.