How do I prepare for winter?
 

How do I best prepare my truck for winter time?

move south...well your in NC so souther..

Make sure your fluids are good. Check your tire pressure.

Touch up any chips in your paint with a paint stick to prevent further spreading, and when possible wash it.

Since I live in an area which is winter for almost half the year, I always add about 300 pounds of sand bags in the bed (against the tailgate), a set of four winter tires (studded where legal), winter wipers, a snow brush and ice scraper, door lock antifreeze, a snow shovel, flashlight, blanket, winter gloves, etc. For out of town trips, I keep a jug of windshield antifreeze in the cab. Also, have the antifreeze checked for minus 40 deg protection. Typically, I keep the fuel tank at least half full all the time.

Dave

ouch there are a few spots that need that. No thanks to the rock thrower thing called a lawnmower.

Does the area need any special prep?

I wouldnt like living in an area with a warmer climate than this one. Id prefer to move north, or at least to the mountains.

Depending on how big it might need prep work.

If its not much bigger then a pencil eraser I just touch it up.

winter? whats that? :smile:

That’s when FL temps go to 50 degrees, remember !

Do you have these bags secured at all?

^yeah I just thought about that. Do your bags shift around any?

I lost my rear end more time than I can count last snow.

I also recommend a "winter kit". I have one in the bed in a plastic storage thing. If you have a toolbox put it all in there. All the stuff he said is good. 300 lbs is a little much. I do 200. but i also have a I4.

Souther? LOL

I have a bed liner with indents to put 2x4s in front and behind the wheel wells. When I didn't have those i built a wood but that went over the wheel wells to hold the bags.

if you do use weight place it over the rear axle or just before it. never stack extra weight behind the rear axle towards the tailgate, that will add weight to the rear axle for sure but it will also take weight off the front axle, which you dont want.

sanbags rule! if ya do get stuck rip one open and use for traction :)

i always spray some wd-40 into the locks and rub some wd40 onto all the seals on the doors. never had an issue opening the doors

Great idea Kyle thanks.

No problem man!

But yeah keep everything washed too. And re-apply the wd40 on the seals after or you'll be double screwed haha :)

I don't use any weight usually wash and wax good prior to salt on the roads and keep it clean, including the frame and rockers, under doors in the seam. Keep that salt off, attempt to keep the rust off.

keep the weight at the back of the cab. This centers the weight distribution evenly. If your towing, shift the weight over the rear axle. Im on the north east of Canada, where the weather is always crazy as hell. Also, check the condition of your block heater hook up, a really great battery with lots of cold cranking amps and the condition of the terminals. Extra headlamp bulbs in your cab and a tow hook in case you get in the ditch. Plan for the absolute worst bro, and nothing will stop you and your rig. cheers

Nope. They are just sitting on the sprayed on bedliner. I have arranged them in a criss cross manner. Seven bags in all. Once all my existing sand bags lose their "integrity" (ie., plastic bag will break open), I am thinking about getting Shurtrax, a water filled plastic liner that can be tied down on all four corners...around $130-$140 at Canadian Tire.

Dave

What do you need so muchweight for? You're a 4wd correct?

x2 i was thinking the same thing...yea a little weight helps but you dont need near as much as 2wd guys

i drove a 4.0 RWD with 3.55 LS snow tires and no weight in the back for 4 winters and i never had any trouble. for my 2011 FX4 i dont plan on putting any weight in the back, we'll see how it performs.

well the only reason I lost my rearend last winter was b/c I was either goofing off or going too fast.

I did sling her around and put her in a ditch, but 4lo solved that problem.

I might try some weight. We always have scrap steel at work I could throw back there.

DONT use ANY WD40 on your seals or locks.. if you have lock problems just put some of that lock powder stuff in there - for your seals, take a cotton swab, put some olive oil on it - and apply Olive Oil to all teh seals - dont wash your truck during winter, unless its to put a fresh wax on it in a heated garage to give it another layer of protection.

raelly? Why not wash it during winter?

Sometimes I would usually take it through the basic auto carwash just to get the grime off.