5 Great Tips to Summerize Your Snowmobile
We at BITEHARDER, along with thousands of riders across the continent, deeply regret that summer is just around the corner. This means the time has come for us all to stow away our sleds until the snow returns.
But retiring your sled until winter isn’t as simple parking it in your garage. Summerizing your sled (which is the seasonal opposite of winterizing) is one of the most important aspects of owning a snowmobile.
Always follow your sled manufacturer’s recommendations when storing your snowmobile for the summer. Failure to perform simple summerizing tasks can lead to headaches and costly repairs when the time does come to fire up your snowmobile again.
Here are a few tips which should help keep your machine ready to go for next season:
Add Fuel Stabilizer
Understanding which fuel stabilizer to use for your particular application is a must and will help keep the fuel in your machine fresh, eliminating annoying performance problems next season.
A Good Cleaning
We always say a clean sled is a happy sled. Take the time to wash your snowmobile removing last season’s belt dust and any other dirt/grime you may have picked along your travels. A good coat of wax will keep it looking like new. Don’t forget to coat any areas that could rust with WD-40 or other lubricants.
Oil Change
Oil is the life-blood of your snowmobile, particularly if you run a four stroke. Many manufacturers recommend changing the oil at the end of the season to eliminate the contaminants, as they will have a negative effect on the inner workings of your engine. We also recommend hitting all grease fittings, too.
Dry Storage
Perhaps the most important summerizing step is to find an extremely dry location for your sled. A common theme in prevention is to avoid moisture buildup. You can execute this by taking your sled off the ground and placing it onto a lift to keep your rear suspension in prime condition. Also, be sure cover your sled tightly to avoid collecting dust.
Sharpen Your Runners & Studs
Do yourself a favor and sharpen your carbide runners and studs one last time with one of BITEHARDER’s full line of runner and stud sharpening tools. Winter can sneak up on us fast, so you’ll want to be ready when the snow flies again later this year.
