How to Store Parts Long Term (1 Viewer)

[My wife said no FJ!]

I will soon have a parts rig thanks to a friend. The plan is to properly remove and store all the goodies I will need to keep, and unfortunately send the rest off to the scr*p yard, as the body and frame are toast

Question...what would you do to store soft parts like window rubbers, weather stripping, rubber boots, etc?

How about mechanical parts? For instance, would you have the brake master and cylinders rebuilt right away, and box them on a shelf, or just bag then in oil and wait till you need them...I'd rather get them ready now, so they are good to go if I ever need them, but worry about such long term storage? If I get them rebuilt now, how long you figure they should be good for in a cool dry place, and what prep would you do to ensure they remain serviceable?

Basically I know I will need to become my own parts supplier, or at least try to save some of the really hard to find parts for the '64, but I do not want them to sit in a parts rig rusting away in the back yard. Plan is to remove, clean, tag/box, and store it properly, and while I have a few ideas on what I did well, (and wrong ) in the past, I am looking to see what others have done successfully.

Thanks in advance

 

[D'Animal]

Medium and Large Rubbermade tubs is what I use.

I put the "Gibblet" parts in labeled 1 gallon freezer bags and then in the tubs. The oily parts go in a tub with an oily rag wrapped around them.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Medium and Large Rubbermade tubs is what I use.

I put the "Gibblet" parts in labeled 1 gallon freezer bags and then in the tubs. The oily parts go in a tub with an oily rag wrapped around them.

Thanks Dan...pretty much what I've done in the past. Where I get buggered is with the rubber stuff. In the past I've had some dry up and crack, or turn to a gooey mess. Once the rubber stuff is all cleaned, should I oil, or lube to rehydrate the rubber, and then what...zip lock, or let air dry for a few days first...see my dilemma

 

[Brian in Oregon]

I have several clean 55 gallon drums outside filled with my army trucks parts. The lids have good gaskets and are held on by the release band clamps. They parts are bone dry, and have been that way for several years.

 

[lostmarbles]

Thanks Dan...pretty much what I've done in the past. Where I get buggered is with the rubber stuff. In the past I've had some dry up and crack, or turn to a gooey mess. Once the rubber stuff is all cleaned, should I oil, or lube to rehydrate the rubber, and then what...zip lock, or let air dry for a few days first...see my dilemma

I like talcum powder for rubber - So small items could go in a zip-lock with talcum powder.

I don't know why - but it seems to help preserve the rubber.

 

[joeyg1973]

Send all the parts to me... I will store them safely.

How about some spray silicone, it should keep out the water and preserver the rubber.

 

[Fireman]

I have an old van I throw them in. Learned it from Texican!

 

[bsmith123]

parts

if the rubber is new then talc if it is old and been soaked in oil I would use hydraulic fluid---it is made to be compatible with the rubber and not melt them down to a gooey mess like you said

For dry storage you can bag em and put a little dessicant in to keep em dry

for oil I might use a light machine oil , wd4o and silicone seem to go away after a while

for bigger parts you could paint them with old motor oil or rub them down with grease on a rag---that wont go away


for serious long term preservation if they are in finished form and you really want to keep them pristine have a look at waxoyl or the NATO mil spec equivalent

 

[wbb72fj40]

We use a product called fluid film you can get at most hdwe stores. it's the same oil that a new gun is coated with when you buy it. The mitchel mauser I got was coated wood and all and it was mint condition after being stored for 40 years.

we also use it to seal off fertilizer spreaders to keep them from rusting between use works great there too. just my 2c

 

[nuclearlemon]

i do the rubber parts in ziplock bags with son of a gun.

 

[thecrazygreek]

Treat rubber with Kerosene, then store in vacuum bags. I have some stuff (window rubber) thats been packed for 4 years, I just took them out last weekend and they were perfect...

 

[Degnol]

We use a product called fluid film you can get at most hdwe stores. it's the same oil that a new gun is coated with when you buy it. The mitchel mauser I got was coated wood and all and it was mint condition after being stored for 40 years.

we also use it to seal off fertilizer spreaders to keep them from rusting between use works great there too. just my 2c

X2
I spray the table on the bandsaw and table saw as well as the brake and shear. Works great and wipes right off with a little thinner. Good stuff

 

[JohnnyC]

i use rubbermaid bins also...i try to keep in areas that dont get all that hot...or humid.

dont do what a friend does...throw them in the barn

i quess the POO keeps them fresh?

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

i use rubbermaid bins also...i try to keep in areas that dont get all that hot...or humid.

dont do what a friend does...throw them in the barn

i quess the POO keeps them fresh?

Johnny, you don't have to worry about me doing that...the whole cruiser was "Barn Fresh". It finally smells just like any old...really old 40

Do you guys know if Kerosene, hydraulic fluid, or Fluid Film could help to actually "rehydrate" my old dried out window seals? Could I soak them for a while first, and then wipe most off to store...thoughts on re-hydrating factor?

 

[piecemeal]

cosmoline everything and it will last forever no matter the heat, cold, water. total b*tch to remove it though when you need the parts.

 

[Living in the Past]

I really don't do anything special. I store things in printer paper boxes, empty plastic pales from pet food and kitty litter. All plastic, paper, rubber and wiring is stored inside. I bought new rubber for the soft top doors fifteen years ago store in the original Toyota bags and still like new. Same with all the available seals and body mounts for the FJ45LPB. I bought it in Janurary 96 and bought what was still available right away. I just brought back from up north a stack of old empty pet food containers to store two Rubbermade full of FJ62 parts I just bought. I find it easier to keep things straight in smaller containers.

 

[rockcrawler]

Rubber degrades through oxidization so it should be stored in a vacuum sealed plastic bag with all the excess air squeezed out of it. I'd also coat it in talcum powder like Tom says. Talcum powder on rubber turns hard and sticks it all together eventually but this takes many years and should not be a concern to you if you store it as above as I'm 99.9% sure it still takes exposure to oxygen and moisture for this to occur. I have seen this happen to old WWII and post war aircraft dinghies and oxygen masks but these were not stored in air tight containers.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

OK, so I am going to clean up all the rubbers with Kerosene (easiest to get), and rub them pretty good, and wipe off the excess. How long should I let them dry before I add the talcr?

If I understand it correctly, the baby powder also helps to keep the rubber from sticking to itself when stored, so this would be my last step before I tag and box the seals....any thoughts???

 

[Bill McC]

Air tight containers are key to long storage of rubber parts. Talc is good. Ammo cans work well.

 

[KillerPea]

I use a standard kitchen vacuum packer for my trail spares...I usually throw a small dessicant bag in there which you can buy at a camping store.