Winterizing Your UTV
As the fall progresses and temperatures drop, you may be considering storing your utility terrain vehicle (UTV) over the winter instead of using it. You also may wish to use it through the cooler months. Below-freezing temperatures and winter precipitation can both take a toll on various parts of your UTV, especially the engine, so it’s important to take the time to properly winterize your UTV for storage or usage in cold weather.
Dever Golf Car Sales, with locations in Lexington and Louisville, is your Kentucky UTV dealer. Here are five steps to get your UTV ready for winter.
1. Clean & Lubricate
The first thing you’ll want to do is to give your UTV a thorough wash because it’s likely pretty muddy and dirty after a summer of riding. Choose a nice, sunny day in the fall to give your UTV a good scrubbing down, then once it’s dry, apply lubricant to the components likely to get sticky or rust otherwise, including lug nuts, chains, sprockets and cables so that these parts continue to work smoothly.
2. Change Fluids
Your UTV’s oil likely needs a change at this point, so make sure to change it out and also change the oil filter at the same time. Old oil should never be left in your engine during storage, because it contains acids and other corrosive materials that can cause rust to form.
Your engine’s gasoline should be drained and replenished with fresh, clean fuel, to which you’ll want to add a fuel stabilizer. Gasoline that doesn’t have a stabilizer in it is liable to separate, which can leave a lot of water condensation in the gas tank that might rust it out over time. Run your engine with the stabilized fuel for a few minutes to permit it to thoroughly circulate.
3. Inspect Tires
If you can, try to elevate your UTV when storing it for weeks or months on end. This way, the tires don’t have to bear its weight over an extended period of time so they can’t develop flat spots. Otherwise, you can inflate them according to the type of tire you have. For radial tires, increase the psi level a little higher than normal when storing the UTV. For bias-ply tires, deflate them completely and inflate them to the correct pressure. Check each tire for signs of wear as well so you can replace them as needed.
4. Tender Your Battery
Your UTV’s battery is liable to lose its charge over the long winter. To avoid this, remove the battery from the engine and place it on a tender in a warm, dry area to keep it charged up. You don’t want the battery to drain, as it may not be able to hold a charge again and batteries are expensive to replace!
5. Store Safely
Finally, you’ll want to store your UTV safely so that it’s not vulnerable to weather damage or theft. If you absolutely have to store it outside, try to store it out of sight of the street and underneath a protective waterproof cover. Otherwise, store your UTV in a locking garage or shed for the best protection.
Do you need some assistance with maintaining your UTV? Get in touch with the Dever Golf Car Sales service department! Schedule an appointment with us and our professional mechanics will address any problems you’re experiencing and get your UTV functioning correctly again.
Looking to buy a new UTV? Visit one of our two Kentucky dealerships today to view our current stock of new and used UTVs for sale. Dever Golf Car Sales proudly serves Lexington and Louisville, KY.