Winterize Your Pickup Truck
December 15th, 2008You may think your truck is tough, but is it tough enough for winter? For many of us, winter brings cold, snow, and ice–all conditions that can tax every part of your pickup. All systems should be prepared for winter, from the battery, to the cooling system, to the paint.
Check the Antifreeze
Antifreeze and water are normally mixed at a 50/50 ratio–half water, half antifreeze, a mix that usually brings your protection level to twenty degrees below zero.
If your area temperatures dip below zero, drain a small amount of mix from the radiator and replace it with straight antifreeze. Check the protection level and repeat to adjust as needed.
Check the Battery
Water should cover the lead plates inside your pickup truck’s battery. If levels are low, add distilled water. Adding water will dilute the electrolyte solution within the battery, so be sure to recharge it afterwords.
More battery checks:
* Make sure battery cables and terminals are clean and tight.
* Remember that no matter what you do, a battery can fail without warning.
Winter Tire Safety
* Tires should have good tread. Inspect them for wear.
* Cold temperatures lower tire pressure. Adjust pressure as needed based on the manufacturer’s recommendation. Remember that pressure stats printed on sidewalls indicate the maximum amount of air pressure tires should be inflated with they are not recommended pressures.
* Switch to snow tires if you regularly travel through snow, or if the snow you do get falls on hilly or steep roads.
* Depending on your weather and road conditions, you may need to use either studded snow tires or tire chains. Many states have laws prohibiting their use or limiting use to certain months of the year, because using chains or studded tires on dry roads can cause damage to roads. Chains and studs greatly increase stopping distance on hard roads, so must be used with care.
Paint Protection
* Cold, ice, snow, salt, and cinders are hard on your pickup truck’s paint finish, so start winter with a good coat of wax.
* Wash the truck as often as possible during the winter. Be sure to clean in the wheel wells and underneath the truck.
