MTFCA Forum

I’ve heard advice from people on the forum to put the model T up on jackstands for periods of extended non-use….. aside from keep the tires from getting flat spots. Does it do anything else that I am missing?

Thanks yall

That is the only reason I have ever heard. Long ago it was pretty normal to lay the car up for the winter, or if a family had two cars one would be laid up for the winter.
The old (older rubber technology) bias ply tires would really take a set over the winter and it would take a couple of days for the "thump thump" of the flat spots to smooth back out again if the cars were not blocked up. I have not done it and have had no ill effects.

Tires sitting on damp concrete also causes rot.
If your tires dont hold air for long periods, having a low/flat tire raised will prevent tire cracking.
Stands or blocks are worth the effort to set.

I'd run the car a few miles, then put the car on secure jack stands. Fill the gas tank and add 5 oz Marvel Oil or use Stabil. . Shut off fuel and run carb dry. Lower tire pressure to 1/2 of normal. Remove battery and store safely. Be sure antifreeze is suffcient or drain system. If you have the slightest doubt about head gasket integrity, drain the system.

It also relieves the pressure on the one or two wood spokes bearing all the weight.

Good ideas there Pat. I just drain the carburetor. That way varnish cannot build up on the needle and then you have a stuck needle in the spring. Better to let the float just hang.

The alternative is to move South where we don't put up our cars for any season.

Ned L wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 26, 2023 4:07 pm

That is the only reason I have ever heard. Long ago it was pretty normal to lay the car up for the winter, or if a family had two cars one would be laid up for the winter.
The old (older rubber technology) bias ply tires would really take a set over the winter and it would take a couple of days for the "thump thump" of the flat spots to smooth back out again if the cars were not blocked up. I have not done it and have had no ill effects.

I'm with you. I raised em up once and then didn't and saw no difference. As for the "weight" on spokes...avg. 1400 lb. car, divided by 4 wheels, divided by the "two spokes" weighted down, equals 175 lbs. per spoke. If they can't take that over winter then it's time to replace them anyway. Sometimes I think we overthink things. Best thing to do is lay up with fresh oil, full tank of fuel with stabilizer. Tape the fuel tank vent hole...ethanol loves to draw moisture, even through the little hole. That's all I do and never had troubles, let alone the "thump". I get tons of thumping off my expensive radial tires on my F150 even from just OVERNIGHT.

If the wheel is tight, more than two spokes will share the load, and they're always preloaded anyway.

I put my T’s on stands over the winter. These work well for me and it only takes a few minutes to jack up the car.