Before you park it for winter, make sure you’ve logged everything.
Off-season is when you make progress. Not because you’re turning wrenches, but because you’re measuring what you’ve got and planning what to change.
If you store your car without documenting its setup, you’ll start the new season with a blank slate. Months wasted.
Here’s the checklist. It takes a Saturday afternoon. It’ll save you weeks of guessing in spring.
1. Weigh all four corners — TODAY
This is non-negotiable. Before the car sits unused for months, take it to a scales and record:
• Each corner weight
• Total weight
• Cross weight percentage
• Rear weight percentage
Why now? Weight distribution shifts when the car sits idle. Fluids settle. Fuel sump empties. By spring, these numbers will be meaningless.
What to do with them: Plug them into the Corner Weight Analyser. Document the numbers. Photograph the ticket. Store that ticket with the car.
You’ll need it to compare against spring measurements.
2. Check your spring & damper condition
Look, don’t guess.
• Springs: Check for cracks, corrosion, permanent sag. If the car sits noticeably lower on one corner, the spring is tired.
• Shocks/dampers: Check for oil weeping around the shaft. A little residue is normal. Pooling oil means the seal is gone.
If it looks worn: Order replacements now while you have time. Don’t wait until pre-season and find out there’s a six-week lead time.
3. Log your suspension geometry
Measure and write down:
• Ride heights (all four corners, static)
• Camber (if you have a gauge)
• Caster & toe-in (if you’ve got the tools or data from your last alignment)
Why? Because next season you’ll make changes and forget what you started with. Having a baseline saves you from going in circles tuning the same thing twice.
4. Drain and refill brake fluid
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. Over a season, that moisture corrodes brake lines from the inside.
Before storage: bleed the system, refill with fresh fluid (DOT 4 or equivalent for your class). The car won’t move for months—you want clean fluid sitting there, not contaminated.
5. Document your motion ratio
If you’ve got an inboard setup or are thinking about one:
• Measure your spring/rod pickup point from the inner pivot
• Measure your arm length (or rocker arms if inboard)
• Calculate your motion ratio (or use the Motion Ratio Calculator)
Write it down. Even if you don’t change it, knowing the number means you can compare tuning changes season-to-season instead of guessing.
6. Photograph your setup
Phone camera. Multiple angles:
• Front three-quarter (both sides)
• Ride height from the side
• Any custom work or adjustments you’ve made
• Under-car view (if you can get a decent shot)
You’ll forget what you had. The photos are reference. And if you’re buying parts in the off-season, the images help when describing the car to suppliers.
7. Check for corrosion & rust prevention
Look underneath:
• Brake lines for surface rust
• Any exposed fasteners
• Suspension arms, links, pivots
Light surface rust is fine. Deep pitting isn’t. If you see corrosion starting, hit it with a wire brush and paint it now before it spreads over months of damp storage.
8. Empty the fuel tank or fill it completely
Condensation builds in a half-empty tank. Either:
• Run it empty and refill with fresh fuel in spring, or
• Fill it completely now (fuel stabiliser optional but recommended for ethanol blends)
Don’t store it half-full.
9. Disconnect the battery (or use a trickle charger)
A sitting battery slowly self-discharges. Disconnect the negative terminal so you’re not draining it over months. Or use a smart trickle charger if you want to keep it topped up.
Either way, don’t find out in spring that the battery’s dead.
10. Create your off-season log
Start a document or spreadsheet with:
• Date stored
• Total mileage / race count
• All corner weights & percentages
• Spring rates & damper settings
• Any known issues or notes for next season
• What you’re planning to change
This becomes your setup reference. Spring arrives and you’re not starting from “I think the rear was soft.” You’ve got actual data.
The real win
Winter prep isn’t about work. It’s about information. You’re capturing what you’ve got so you can measure what you change.
That’s the difference between tuning and guessing.
Use the Corner Weight Analyser to log your setup now.
Free to try…