Storing Riding Mower Outside

[Neschenbrenner001]

Hi,

I'm looking to free up some garage space over the winter. Was wondering if any of you guys have ever stored you mower outside under a tarp or some sort of cover over the winter? If so have you ever ran into any problems? I live in Northwest Ohio so we do get some pretty harsh winters. Any thoughts on the subject would be great.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[twosocks90]

I stored mine outside for a year after we built our house, before I had a garage.

It was tough to keep the tarp on it in the Nebraska wind and snow, and mice nested under the deck. The mower had a rough time outside compared to being in the garage.

I wouldn't do it again if I could avoid it.

 

[jdcompman]

I stored mine outside for a year after we built our house, before I had a garage.

It was tough to keep the tarp on it in the Nebraska wind and snow, and mice nested under the deck. The mower had a rough time outside compared to being in the garage.

I wouldn't do it again if I could avoid it.

This would be my biggest concern!

 

[APEowner]

The mouse nests are the biggest issue. The like to build in the deck and also inside the cooling duct-work on the motor.

 

[78Bird]

Could you put bundles of something, like moth balls or some pungent spice, under the cover to ward off critters? As far as I know snakes, mice, etc hate moth balls with a passion and won't nest near them especially if it's covered to keep the 'stink' in.

 

[jJon G]

I have a Canam ATV crate that i store things in. drain the carb and tank and hit all metal with a storage oil, put in crate with a tarp over it, put the top on crate.

Best of all you can get the crates for free

 

[38Chevy454]

I have a Canam ATV crate that i store things in. drain the carb and tank and hit all metal with a storage oil, put in crate with a tarp over it, put the top on crate.

Best of all you can get the crates for free

That is a god idea! Especially if you get the crate for free.

 

[Train]

Well, I'll be the " I can't believe he treats his lawnmower like that " guy. Mine stays outside year round. Not even a tarp on it. The tank gets filled twice a year so I make sure to put fuel stabilizer in the last fill, that's all the pampering she gets. We're in southern Alberta so we know what a real winters all about. Oh, and she's 14 years old and still runs like a champ.

 

[Gary S]

I've never had a riding mower because I can't use anything that big, but I stored my push mowers outside for many years. I had a patio with a fiberglass roof over it. I simply parked the mower under the roof, summer and winter. The roof kept the summer rain from getting directly on the mower, but the winter snow blew in around it and covered it up. It didn't appear to do much harm to the mower. It was a low priced mower with a Briggs and Stratten engine, and it lasted 20 years with no problems anyway.

 

[Mmfh]

Mine sits outside under black plastic. It keeps it fairly dry. Last spring when I wanted to use it for the first time that year, the shifter cable had frozen in its cable housing, sheeth?

Anyway, I had to remove it and soak the ends in WD to get it free again. Now it rains a lot here, but it was covered.

Mm

 

[Need4racin]

I wouldn't unless it's an old pos you don't care about.

 

[mikec35]

Mine stays outside under a tractor cover I bought from Sears. It gets wet through the cover but dries out shortly after the rain stops because the cover is breathable. Never thought of the moth balls - good idea to keep critters away. Moth balls stink...

 

[Grayguy]

When I use to work landscaping out $3500 Graveleys sat out all winter in northern MN and were fine.

 

[astropuppy]

Have it shrink wrapped like they do for boats.

 

[58Yeoman]

I've had mice build a nest in one of the drawers on my roll-around tool box. Last week, I started up the log splitter that sits outside under a tarp, and a mouse nest in the shroud caught fire. I've since put some mothballs under the tarp to see if that helps.

 

[mikec35]

Make sure if your gas cap has a vent hole its covered, if exposed it could allow a little water in the gas tank and over time you will have running problems

 

[JMcFly]

I would put some aluminum foil in any ducting/openings. Mice do not like to chew on aluminum foil. Plus I'd probably lift it up off the ground.

 

[cashishift]

I stored mine outside for a year after we built our house, before I had a garage.

It was tough to keep the tarp on it in the Nebraska wind and snow, and mice nested under the deck. The mower had a rough time outside compared to being in the garage.

I wouldn't do it again if I could avoid it.

Agreed.

Good to see others from Nebraska

 

[magilla]

I wouldn't store mine outside for the winter. I'd rather park one of the vehicles outside.

 

[Bronson]

I scored some 8 foot sheets of corrugated tin , 14 sheets, at a garage sale last month. I just built a 8 foot by 8 foot shed on the back of My shop for the rider, and push mower, and rakes, shovels, etc. Total cost $58.

 

[sberry]

That is a good idea. I have several pieces of used equipment that I store outside in the winter, have made some sheets to fit/cover them and it keeps the snow off, all that is needed. I have engines and trucks outside, really old stuff that is used seasonally, I take 1/4 hardware cloth and screw over air cleaner intakes, same for some pumping units that sit outside under their own covers, keep mice out of air filters. Couple self drillers its a done deal.
The stuff is awkward, is already used and I use a lot of storage space in winter for a parking lot, hate to work around it all. Same situation as you, make cover, move it out of the way.

 

[philwire]

I store my push lawnmower under my balcony year-round. It rains on it in the summer and snows a little on it in the winter, but there's no place in the shed for that. I could at least get up my **** and put a tarp over it.

 

[boiler7904]

Rent a storage unit for the winter?

 

[Burl]

Moth balls stink...

How do you get their little legs apart to smell 'em?

 

[Displaced Hokie]

Storing it outside won't hurt it. Most people treat them like **** and they soldier on. A tarp or fitted cover would help. I stored mine under the deck for two years with no issues until this year when mice made a nest in the engine blower housing. And that was our fault, as my wife had a bird feeder on the deck that kept spilling seeds down there and drawing the mice in.

Don't sweat it.

 

[hmbemis]

Well, I'll be the " I can't believe he treats his lawnmower like that " guy. Mine stays outside year round. Not even a tarp on it. The tank gets filled twice a year so I make sure to put fuel stabilizer in the last fill, that's all the pampering she gets. We're in southern Alberta so we know what a real winters all about. Oh, and she's 14 years old and still runs like a champ.

My neighbor does the same... leaves the thing wherever he finishes mowing. It's faded, but basically still in good shape, starts easy. About 15 years old.

 

[dirttracker18]

Funny how many people would argue that it us too nice/good/valuable to stay out but they park their cars outside in the winter.
Northern Ontario chiming in here and I know harsh winters. Mine goes outside year round to make room for the car/ truck and projects. Never had any issues. Although I do duct tape up the exhaust and intake of any motorized vehicle stored outdoors over the winter to keep the mice out.

 

[brownbagg]

mine been in the middle of the yard without a cover for about seven years, nothing wrong with it

 

[crewchief888]

i leave mine outside all year round.

i run the carb dry and leave it till spring..

 

[Neschenbrenner001]

Thanks for all the posts. I think what I'm going to is drain the gas, tape all ports closed, throw a tarp over it and hope it starts up in the spring. It wasn't an expensive mower so I'm not super picky about it. I think the extra garage space out ways any possible adviser effects the outside storage may have.

 

[mikec35]

Ha Ha Burl, I was trying to set someone up for that joke.....you got me.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikec35
Moth balls stink...

How do you get their little legs apart to smell 'em?

 

[mikec35]

An important thing to remember about storing a riding mower outside is to clean the top of the deck off so that accumulated grass does not pile up on top of it. Wet grass on top of the deck will cause it to rust and it will also block to cooling fins on the blade spindles..of course make sure the mower if off before sticking your hand in there!

 

[henrysgarage]

I keep the JD inside a small plastic covered shelter all year round, just knock off the snow once in a while.
Sberry, that's what I do for the attachments on the MF when not in use. Someday I will build a shelter.

 

[bhclark]

I've got one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000L0EAGE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Jagmandave]

I have an expensive ZTR that is now 8 years old, it has spent every summer and winter outside, and while I'd much rather have had a nice storage facility to keep it out of the weather, the sad truth is I don't. I did buy a breathable cover made for it to keep the leaves/snow etc off of it, but that's it. My car lives outside too (one of them anyway).....it hasn't seemed to have bothered the ZTR any and it starts, runs and mows like it did when new - I do keep it maintained tho....

 

[camarotoolman]

get some 2x4s, metal roofing, and build a cover over it.

 

[Lippyp]

I reckon you'd probably be better off not putting a tarp over it as a non breathable cover tends to sweat and encourage rust if you get warmer damp days. Just cover the seat and any elecrical bits, give the motor a good spray down with WD40 and rub some grease on any exposed metal and a good polish and wax on any bodywork. Ideally like the others have said, get some timber (go dumpster diving if you want free wood) and build it a kennel, old pallets would work well and then some OSB and either a tarp, some wriggly tin or even good old fashioned tar paper to waterproof it. Just make sure theres some airflow to keep condensation down.

 

[BWS]

Like others have posted......lean-to built on the cheap,up against garage is where alot of "stuff" can be stored.

We have one space thats a little garage.....tractor fits neatly between shovel rack,piles of scaffold parts/acces,cpl contractor wheelbarrows......scatter a bunch of steel drops,angle,plate around.Gravel floor w/homebuilt trusses.2x4 top/bttm cords with a center vert,cvrd with 1x6" and cheap metal roofing.......bunch of PVC plumbing pipe and elect conduit gets stored in the "rafters".Throw a mnt bike or two and a hung up kayak in to complete.

So yeah tractor has its little space,but thats nuthin compared to what else gets stored in there.And the whole thing is sort've hidden from view so it only needs to be kept "so" clean.BW

 

[Kevin54]

You can keep it under a tarp for the few months that we have winter. Bungee the tarp down real good. Cover the exhaust pipes and any other place a mouse can build a nest. On the other hand, if you are just wanting the room for projects or whatever, keep it parked at the garage door and move it outside when you need the extra space.

My JD is sitting in the garage now, but one year I had it in the shed, come spring it wouldn't start, so I pulled the air cleaner off. It was completely full of Indian Corn kernels and a mouse nest. My wife had a large display of Indian Corn that she hung on the doors for Fall and put them in the shed when done. The damn mouse found them and also found a nice cozy place to hang out for the winter.