Offseason Snowmobile Care: Part One

Now that spring is in full swing, most of us won’t be going anywhere near our snowmobiles for a couple of months. But just because you won’t be on the back of the machine doesn’t mean that your snowmobile is out of harm’s way. A litany of things can go wrong with your vehicle while it’s in storage—from cracked parts and scratched paint to stale gasoline and outboard motor oil. To that end, it is imperative to take the proper precautions when storing your vehicle.

The first thing to do before putting your snowmobile in storage is to clean and polish it thoroughly. If using a pressure washer, use caution around bearing seals, as water can leak in and cause components to rust. Once the machine is dry, look for cracks and other signs of wear or damage. Now that the sled is clean and the body inspected, tomorrow we will start dealing with the various parts under the hood.