tire racks Archives - Garage Tailors

Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter Driving

November 6, 2018 by Rick Scully

When it comes to winter, we want to get to our destination without mishaps. The best way to weather the cold and snowy days is to prepare the vehicle for safe winter driving. Here we’ll review a number of ways in which you can prepare for the potential mishaps of winter driving as well as things which make winter driving more pleasurable.

Red Cross "ready to go" preparedness kit

Garage Storage Solutions for Winter Driving

We should start that preparedness right at home. If you’ve had a garage renovation specialist plan out your storage space for you, you’ll have a space specifically designed to place your shovels, snow blower and road salt conveniently near the garage door where it is easily accessible.

In addition, a typical slatwall organization system would offer a place to store car or vehicle accessories such as winter grade antifreeze, winter / summer windshield wiper blades, fuel line antifreeze, WD40 and more. And, of course, a storage solution to store the change of winter or all-season tires. Tires can be stored on specialty tire rack or overhead platform which can easily handle 400 – 800 lbs worth of garage items when they have been installed properly into the walls and ceiling of a garage.

A Healthy Battery for a Dependable Start

Next, if your vehicle battery is on the older side, you might want to get it tested and make sure it is holding a strong charge. Batteries without enough CCA or cold cranking amps will not be able to turn over the engine on colder days. In the summer, a battery does not need to provide the same amount of charge to the system to start the vehicle but colder temperatures will require that higher CCA which the engine will need.

If your battery is older and may not be carrying the original CCA value, it may be time to replace this battery before that cold day of winter comes along. One thing to note is that some of the newer vehicles require the battery to run the vehicle’s computer so when the battery dies or needs to be replaced, it can affect the computer in the vehicle. Having a service professional help you out with the battery replacement should avoid any potential computer issues.

Install Winter Tires

What makes the winter tires so different from all-season tires is the rubber with which each tire is made. All season tires are made of a rubber which starts to freeze at a higher temperature than winter tires. Winter tires are made of a softer rubber and will maintain its malleability and ability to grip the road reliably even at colder temperatures.

To keep your family safe when driving everyone to school or work, install winter tires to keep your vehicle road worthy even on cold snowy days.

Winter Survival Kit

For longer trips and more rural locales, driving any distance where it may be difficult to find help quickly in case of an accident or getting stuck at the side of the road, it’s important to have a survival kit to be able to help yourself out of a situation or to be able to wait for help to arrive.

Here’s what should be part of the winter survival kit of your vehicle:

Emergency kit containing non-perishable food, blankets and first aid supplies
Windshield scraper and snow brush
Extra windshield washer fluid
Spare tire, wheel wrench and jack
Shovel and traction mat, sand or kitty litter
Fuel line antifreeze
Flares and matches or lighter
Tire chains and gloves
Flashlight and extra batteries
Battery jumper cables
Extra clothing and footwear
Sandbags for extra weight

Use Winter Windshield Washer

Windshield washer fluid for winter typically has a lower freezing mark and a few more cleaning features than the typical summer washer fluid. This helps make sure the vehicle’s windshield will maintain a clear and visible line of sight to the road and surroundings so drivers can drive safely navigate their vehicle on a snowy winter day. Switch to the winter windshield washer fluid for an improved winter drive.

Winter-Grade Engine Oil

Engine oils have a variety of viscosity. While some vehicles can operate well with a lower viscosity engine oil in the summer, the colder weather of winter means a lower viscosity oil may not be effective. It’s advisable to get a maintenance service of the vehicle before winter or at least, an oil change so that the correct engine oil is applied to your vehicle for the winter months.

Cell Phone Charging Kit

Almost all of us have a mobile phone. It’s also one of our most valuable tools for getting help when we’re having trouble. Once you have a good battery in the vehicle with a solid charge, you can use it to keep your cell phone operating to make calls or to be found by emergency search crews. If you don’t already have a cell phone charging kit in your vehicle, get one today. It will come in handy for a wide variety of emergencies including getting stuck during a heavy winter storm.

Top Up the Gas Tank

Throughout the year, it’s a good idea to always top up the gas tank when the needle hits the last quarter tank of gas so that you can maintain the engine’s lubrication. In the winter, it may be wise to top up the gas tank when the needle tips just below the half way mark. Winter storms can sometimes double or triple our travel time home. It means that we use much more gas for the same commute home or to work. Be sure to either have extra gas in a jerrycan inside the garage or keep the gas tank topped up above the half tank mark. You’ll be sure to make it home or to work without fear of running out of fuel.

Heated Seats

Many vehicles come with heated seats but a heating pad for the seat can be purchased at your local hardware store. For the longer drives home, a warm seat will keep your back from freezing up after sitting for long hours at the wheel in cold weather. It’s practical but it can also make the drive much more pleasant too, especially when the winter commutes tend to be longer and slower.

Preparing & Storing Accessories for Winter Driving

When it comes to being prepared, it also means we’ll need to store a few extra things in our garage to remain prepared. An organized and well-planned garage storage solution helps us plan for driving our vehicles throughout all four seasons of the year.

If you need help being prepared, contact one of our garage renovation specialists and we can plan a garage storage system which will meet not only the winter driving challenges but a wide variety of family lifestyle needs for the garage. And, whatever you do, drive safely this winter.

Find Space for Hard-to-Store Items

October 7, 2014 by Rick Scully

In nearly every garage there are items that pose a serious storage challenge. Winter tires, luggage carriers, leftover siding, lawn mowers, snow blowers, truck caps, motorcycles and other bulky items command a huge chunk of the already limited real estate in a garage. This makes such items particularly difficult to store.

Sports enthusiasts often have additional difficult-to-store items on hand. Paddle boards, kayaks and canoes and sports equipment carriers, like Thules, create additional storage dilemmas.

Many homeowners simply store bulky items on the garage floor perimeter. Eventually over-sized items can take over the garage, leaving one or more vehicles outside during cold, Canadian winters. However, with a bit of forethought, large, unwieldy items can be stored inside the garage while still leaving room to park vehicles.

Specialized Solutions

In response to homeowners’ desires for simple and efficient ways to organize their garages, there is a growing market of specialty items for this express purpose. Below are a few specialized storage solutions designed to store over-sized or bulky items.

Tire racks

Specialized storage racks come in a variety of configurations, allowing tires to be stored vertically or horizontally, on a wall or overhead. To determine which tire rack is right for your space, first create an overall plan for your garage organization. Then choose the best space to install the tire rack. Tires should be stored horizontally, unless they are being stored in a rack that can store them vertically, while keeping them suspended to avoid flat spots.

A set of tires can easily weigh eighty to one hundred pounds. Therefore, installing the rack securely is critically important. If not properly installed, your garage walls and ceiling can sustain unsightly damage. Make sure that the rack is installed by someone who understands how to safely install a shelf capable of bearing heavy loads.

Lawn mower racks or lifts

Both riding and push mowers take up substantial space in a garage, making it difficult to park vehicles inside. Worse, vehicles often get scratched when the door is opened, or while the lawn mower is being removed from or returned to the garage.

Specialty racks allow lawn mowers to be stored off the ground, so that additional items can be stored underneath. This type of rack works best for a push mower. Upper body strength is required, since the mower must be manually lifted onto the rack. On the other hand, a motorized lift will cost more and should be professionally installed. However, lifting and lowering the mower will be as easy as pushing a button.

Motorcycle lifts

Motorcycles can also damage vehicles if squeezed into limited garage space. During the cold winter months, a motorcycle stored inside the garage may take up space needed for the snow blower, or to park a second vehicle. A professionally-installed motorcycle lift can safely store the bike off the ground, reserving premium garage floor space.

Kayak and Paddle Board racks

Kayaks and paddle boards provide a fun way to spend a hot day at the beach. Finding a place to store these seasonal items in your garage can be anything but fun. Boards and kayaks propped against the wall or around the floor perimeter can easily be scratched or toppled, posing a tripping hazard. However, specialized kayak and paddle board racks provide safe, attractive storage for these items.

Kayaks can be stored in overhead or wall-mounted racks which can hold one or more units. Wall racks typically come in two styles: padded metal bars or straps which hold boards in place. Freestanding racks that hold multiple kayaks are also available.

Stand up paddle board racks also come in several styles. Wall-mounted racks are made of steel and have a heavy padding to protect boards. Depending on the size and style chosen, a metal wall-mounted rack can accommodate from one to four paddle boards. Another option is a wall-mounted rack that uses heavy straps to hold one or more paddle boards in place. Lastly, simple overhead rack systems are also available to store one or more paddle boards.

Overhead pulley systems

Canoes, truck caps and other heavy items which must be lowered onto a vehicle are good candidates for an overhead pulley system. Such a system allows users to lift and lower heavy items with minimal effort. To ensure that your system operates safely and will not damage your ceiling, have your unit professionally installed.

Customized Solutions

Despite the growing market to accommodate specialty storage, there isn’t always a ready-to-buy solution available at your local home improvement or sporting goods store. Additionally, on-the-shelf storage solutions may not be practical for the layout of your garage. In such instances, customized storage solutions are required.

Custom-built, overhead platforms

A custom-built overhead platform or mezzanine provides the perfect place to store items used infrequently without sacrificing floor space. Store-purchased units don’t always accommodate your unique space or fit your specific needs. However, a custom-built, overhead storage platform offers greater possibilities and more flexibility. A garage renovation specialist will work with you to create a solution that meets your exact needs.

Custom-built slings

There are a variety of pulley systems and slings on the market. Finding one that can safely accommodate your space and lifestyle can be a bit more challenging. A garage renovation expert who is experienced at building custom solutions can design a sling that meets your storage and use needs.

Foam-covered, heavy-duty chains can be used to create a simple, effective sling suitable for lifting and lowering items like canoes, sports equipment storage containers and truck caps.

Finding space in the garage for those hard-to-store items can present a challenge. Storing items around the perimeter of the garage floor eats up valuable space and makes it difficult to park vehicles inside. There are a variety of specialized and custom-built storage solutions for bulky items. Consult with a garage renovation expert to determine how to best integrate such solutions into your space.

Simple and Secure Tire Storage

November 20, 2012 by Rick Scully

If you’re like most people, you might be pretending that despite the raked leaves, frosty mornings and occasional dusting of snow, winter is still far away. Or maybe you’re thinking that given last year’s virtually nonexistent winter and lack of snow, we’re in for the same this year. Either way, it’s hard to imagine getting excited about the task of hauling out the snow tires and heading to the garage for a changeover. But if your tires are stored properly and easy to access, this seemingly fraught task is simple.

At Garage Tailors Garage, our garage renovations are designed to maximize storage and organize your belongings efficiently. Tires require a designated space for safe storage. Many of our clients opt for wall tire racks, which can accommodate tires with or without rims. These racks are mounted securely to the wall and ensure that the tires don’t touch the floor putting unnecessary pressure on the rubber. This configuration is especially practical for people with physical limitations who are unable to lift heavier objects or for people who simply would rather not. Depending on what other items you want to store and the size of your garage, cabinets are another close-to-the-floor option that also keeps tires out-of-sight for a sleeker look. These cabinets must be at least 48 inches deep and 30 inches high to fit most tires.

For tires without rims, we often suggest overhead storage solutions that also include room for storing heavy-duty floor mats and other out-of-season belongings. One of our more common installations involves suspending steel racks from the ceiling. This system is both strong and secure while also being easily accessed by a stepladder when you need take care of the seasonal tire changeover. It’s also a good option for people with one or two sets of tires. Platforms can support more weight so I often suggest them for clients with multiple vehicles, sets of tires and other automotive accessories.

Of course for people with very large garages and a penchant for high-tech storage solutions, we recommend hydraulic lifts. These sit flat against the wall and lift the tires but since you can’t store items underneath, you’ll need space to accommodate the snow blower, bicycles, garden equipment and any other things that live in the garage.

Proper tire storage is easy and doesn’t require a lot of space or expense, just a bit of planning so you can transition effortlessly from season to season. Make your life easier with a Garage Tailors Garage transformation. That way you’ll always know where to find everything when you need it, and in winter you’ll even be able to park your cars in the garage where they belong and save time clearing snow off windshields in the morning.

To ensure minimal disruption, our renovations can be completed in as few as two days. I’d be happy to come over to discuss options and give you an estimate.

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