Effective winterizing strategies can protect your equipment from corrosion damage during cold seasons. The cold season increases the risk of corrosion due to high exposure to salt and water. Not only can this damage your equipment, but it can also become a safety hazard. You can save your machines from rust and weather damage by taking steps to winterize them before and during cold periods.

Equipment winterizing checklist

Winterizing your machinery is crucial for preventing corrosion, so having a checklist of some essential steps is helpful to ensure you cover all your bases. There are several core components of any piece of machinery that may need winterizing — the engine, batteries, undercarriage, ties, treads, hydraulics and joints.

Engine

The engine is a good place to start. Many people warm theirs in winter by idling it for a while, but this wastes fuel and strains the engine. Instead, you can invest in a coolant heater that readies your engine block while using much less fuel than idling.

Batteries and electronics

Winter can wreak havoc on your machinery’s batteries. In fact, cold weather is one of the biggest threats to electric vehicles because it drastically reduces batteries’ energy capacity. If you have any electric equipment, make battery inspection a top priority.

Winterizing equipment batteries is mainly a process of testing and inspecting each one in the fall. High summer temperatures can reduce battery performance, but it’s often only noticeable in the winter Test all your batteries before it gets cold and replace any that show declining performance.

Additionally, check the wiring and electronics in your machinery. Cold weather can cause corrosion in inactive electrical components, so you may also want to schedule inspections throughout the winter.

Undercarriage

The undercarriage is often the most susceptible to extensive corrosion since it’s the area most exposed to salt and liquid, and also generally difficult to see. Ice and salt buildup can easily go unnoticed long enough to create large amounts of rust.

Prevent this by applying a corrosion-resistant coating to the equipment’s undercarriage. You can also apply grease to exposed metal parts to help prevent ice formation. This is especially helpful for joints and moving mechanisms. 

Oil and hydraulics

It’s a good best practice to change machinery oil before winter. It helps keep your equipment in top condition, but it’s also an excellent opportunity to swap out high-viscosity oil for low-viscosity oil, which will perform better in low temperatures.

Likewise, inspect any hydraulic components. Make sure hydraulic fluid chambers are cleaned and filled with fresh oil. Some equipment may even benefit from special winter-rated hydraulic oil, which can help prevent freezing and maintain good performance in the cold.

Tires or treads

Your tires and treads can take a lot of damage during winter, so they’re more likely to need replacing in the spring rather than the fall. Even so, make sure you inspect your tires and keep their PSI high. If you have low-tread tires on your equipment, replace them with high-tread ones to improve handling in snow and ice.

Treads require special consideration during winter storage. They’re not at an especially high risk of corrosion, but they can freeze to the floor or ground if left out in the cold for long periods. It’s often helpful to store equipment with treads on raised platforms and minimize moisture exposure to prevent freezing.

Winter corrosion prevention

In addition to inspecting and prepping everything on your winterization checklist, you can take a few steps throughout the season to prevent corrosion. These tips can help you minimize the risk of salt accumulating on equipment and causing rust formation.

Utilize the user manual

Many people don’t realize their equipment user manuals often have winterization tips. Make sure you check them to refresh your knowledge each season. A user manual will give you information and guidance specific to your machinery, which can include some vital winterization info.

For example, some equipment may already have built-in corrosion resistance features. This often comes in the form of coatings or structural metals designed to prevent rust. Certain alloys — such as martensitic or super duplex stainless steels — include metals that are naturally less prone to corrosion, like nickel or copper.

If your equipment is made of corrosion-resistant alloys, it may require less winterization prep. Additionally, your user manuals may also have information on parts or systems that are especially susceptible to cold and corrosion. Knowing your machinery's strengths and weaknesses can help you focus your winterization efforts where they’re most necessary.

Wash equipment with soap and water

One of the best active winterization steps is simply washing your equipment regularly. This might initially seem counterintuitive since water is a main component of corrosion. However, washing down your machines with soap and water removes salt, which is the real catalyst behind rust.

Matt Bruning — a spokesman for the Ohio DOT — explained in an interview, “We’ve tested a variety of anti-corrosion products, and honestly, soap and water is just as effective as anything.” You don’t need to invest in expensive rust-prevention cleaning products. Keep it simple with soap and water.

Make a regular habit of giving your equipment a quick wash after using it outdoors in the winter. Simply removing salt can prevent most corrosion. Plus, it will keep your gear looking nice.

Use dry, warm, sealed storage

Finding a safe place to store your machinery should be a top priority in your winterization planning. It’s not always possible to shield your equipment from the elements completely, but take whatever measures you can. If possible, find storage accommodations that are dry and sealed off from the outdoors.

If you’re storing your equipment in a garage, you may want to check your door and window seals before winter and throughout the season. Weather sealing garage doors is mainly about the door and threshold seals where the door meets the ground. The rubber on both can wear out from prolonged exposure to harsh weather.

Inspect both seals and replace them if needed, ideally in the fall. You can also add weather stripping around doors and windows to prevent moisture from creeping in through cracks and drafts. Any dampness in your storage facility can increase risks of corrosion, so try to avoid it however possible.

Certain types of equipment or parts can benefit from heated storage. For example, liquids and batteries can hold up to cold weather more easily if they’re near a heat source. You don’t want your battery to be hot all the time, but it’s helpful if electronic components aren’t sitting idle at sub-zero temperatures, either.

Winterizing to defend against corrosion

Corrosion can lead to expensive repairs and even permanently damage your equipment, but you can take steps to prevent it. Winterizing your machinery can protect it from salt and ice buildup, which commonly lead to rust. In addition to pre-winter preparations, remember to use strategies like dry storage and regular washing to protect your equipment throughout the cold season.