Running in -25 Temps

[are12]

Not sure if this was ever discussed on here before.
Has anyone here ever run in temperatures from -25 to -50? What additional precautious, if any, would have to be taken to keep the truck running smoothly?
I would think the last thing anyone would want was for their fuel lines to gel and the truck to stop running. I am sure it would not take long to freeze to death.

 

[Paul56]

Not sure if this was ever discussed on here before.
Has anyone here ever run in temperatures from -25 to -50? What additional precautious, if any, would have to be taken to keep the truck running smoothly?
I would think the last thing anyone would want was for their fuel lines to gel and the truck to stop running. I am sure it would not take long to freeze to death.

Ensure there are no outstanding maintenance/operating issues with your rig before attempting to run in colder temperatures as issues can quickly go from not too serious to critical very quickly in the cold. Have all your batteries tested and replace any that are the least suspicious.

If you are coming from warmer to colder weather fuel up when you get to the colder zone.

Add Howes to your tanks well before you enter the cold zone and keep a supply with you:

Howes Lubricator: Products

At the lower end of your temperature range it is advisable to not shut the engine down for an extended period of time and you may notice that your gauges will be reading somewhat different, in particular the pyrometer, engine oil temp, coolant temp and axle temps.

If you are doing this on a regular basis you might want to consider adding fuel and coolant heaters.

Once into the colder temperature you may need to adjust your tire pressure levels as the cold will cause a pressure drop.

Once your truck is taken care of don't forget about yourself. The layering approach to dressing works best to keep the cold out, that along with having a thin layer of baby oil on your skin will keep you warm. Ensure you have a spare set of clothing in case one set gets wet. Best to have something waterproof as your outer layer.

If you are running in remote regions consider what you will do if, despite all your precautions, the truck breaks down. How will you keep yourself warm? A heavy duty extreme cold weather sleeping bag is a good thing to carry.

Ah yes, if you don't already make sure you get an extra set of keys for your rig cut... you don't want to find yourself outside at -50 having just slammed your door shut to realize your keys are inside, all the doors are locked up tight, you passed the last sign of civilization 100 miles back with nothing but remote country ahead and not another vehicle in sight. If that did happen it would become a matter of survival and you would need to obtain entry by whatever means possible into the truck sooner rather than later.

 

[greg334]

I take things on the cautious side and being broke down in the middle of ‘no where’ has its disadvantages. You may be able to communicate with someone (sat phone? amateur radio?) and end up waiting for hours for help or just waiting for someone to drive by, so as Paul said it is a matter of survival at that point.

In addition to Paul’s suggestions, here is what I would carry if I was driving up through Canada or Alaska;
Winter front (if you don’t have one, contact Alaska Tent and have one made)
2 fuel filters, an extra oil filter and coolant additive unit
At least 2 gallons of oil
Howes + a gallon of diesel fuel in a proper container
A filter wrench (ever try to get a fuel filter off by hand in sub-zero temps?)
2 of every fan belt
A large propane heater with a few lbs of propane (not for the cab/sleeper by the way)
A heavy tarp (not plastic)
An emergency blanket or maybe three (they are cheap and take up no space)
Heated gloves and socks and rechargeable batteries with a recharger – you can’t wear a sleeping bag outside, can you? (OH and if you really want to get fancy and want to spend some money, go get a Gerbing heated suit)

Make sure that your tires are in good shape, if you end up on gravel roads, you may tear up a tire or two.

Maybe this is just me but I would also get as much info as I can about the engine if it cr*ps out on you and spits out fault codes. With Cummins they have a chart you can buy at most Cummins dealers that list the fault codes.

AND tools – make sure that you take about 45 minutes to go through your tool box and make sure you have the right tools to do the job. It is a pain in the a** to find out that you have a 9/16th wrench when you need a 15mm wrench and you can’t just take that nut off to get to something you need because you don't have a metric tool on the truck. Keep at least two sizes of adjustable wrenches in the box and a long ratchet for leverage. Also get a couple long LONG screw drivers (like 2 feet long) for prying things.


As for operations, I would consider changing the oil and all fluids if you are going to do this for a season and go to a synthetic lube for everything. This will allow the components, like the rear axle(s) not to freeze up and damage anything.

Get your coolant checked and if the engine has an additive canister, replace it if it has been more than 5000 miles.



Keep the truck running if you can but remember that if you sit for any amount of time, there is a rear axle(s) that the oil does not get heat from any source and if it is frozen stick the heater under it and heat it up. Also just as a precaution, make sure that the brake cams are lubed up right.



OH I almost forgot, make sure that you have antifreeze in the air system - some trucks have air driers and need some antifreeze. Not sure anything beyond that.

I know I am missing something.

 

[Moot]

Good advice, most of the things mentioned should be in every truck. You don't need to travel to Canada or Alaska to find temperatures in excess of -25 degrees.

I have driven in temperatures below -40. Transmission was difficult to shift, steering rack was stiff and rock hard grease on the 5th wheel made it like driving a toboggan. Extreme low temperatures gave the tires the ride and feel of driving Fred Flintstone's car.


Winter front (if you don’t have one, contact Alaska Tent and have one made)

Keep a close eye on the water temp gauge when running with a winter front. Even in below zero temperatures a sealed off radiator could cause overheating.

A filter wrench (ever try to get a fuel filter off by hand in sub-zero temps?)

I have taken the belt off of my pants to remove a fuel filter. It works but the belt is trash if you get fuel on it and you will!


OH I almost forgot, make sure that you have antifreeze in the air system - some trucks have air driers and need some antifreeze. Not sure anything beyond that.

That would be airline antifreeze sold under the name of AirGuard and the like or alcohol. Not etheleneglycol.

 

[ATeam]

I am sure it would not take long to freeze to death.

Correct. Expediters could very well find themselves in a survival situation if you are in a northern state or Canada and the weather shifts to sub-zero. Worst case would be being stuck out there with no working engine or generator.

We carry "bricks" of winter survival clothing tucked deep and out of the way in the sleeper. It includes heavy parkas, face masks, mittens, heavy sox and clothing that can be worn in layers. It is all compressed in plastic bags that are sucked shut with a home vaccuum and sealed, so they take up little space. We never wear these clothes, just keep them tucked away. If we found ourselves broke down in a remote area in sub-zero temps, we would dig the colthes out and survive. Survival food is tucked away and carried too.

 

[are12]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Moot]

I carry bricks also but they ain't clothes.

 

[davekc]

Can't do it. My brain freezes just thinking about -25 temperatures.

 

[ATeam]

The topic is timely, that's for sure. The freight took us home on Friday with a Minneapolis delivery. We are dispatched for a Monday pickup. National Weather Service now says:

"A wind chill warning remains in effect from midnight tonight to
12 PM CST Sunday. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until midnight CST tonight.

"Strong northwest winds of 20 to 35 mph will continue to bring
Arctic air into the region this evening. Wind chill values will
drop to the 20 to 25 below range this evening along with areas of blowing snow in open country.

"Expect even colder wind chill values of 35 to 45 below overnight and Sunday morning... as temperatures drop below zero with northwest winds of 20 to 25 mph.

"A wind chill warning means the combination of very cold air and strong winds will create dangerously low wind chill values. This will result in frost bite and lead to hypothermia or death if
precautions are not taken."

The truck is parked at home and on shore power until Monday morning. We treated fuel with Howes at the last fuel stop, but if I knew the temps would drop this low, I would have put more in. The door locks are frozen so keys are useless. The electronic locks work. Lock deicer may be needed later.

The roof unit is running well, keeping the sleeper and water tanks warm. Winter starting aids built into the truck will be used Monday. They include an electric preheater, engine block heater and an electric oil pan heater.

If we were on the road without shore power, the generator would provide heat and power to these devices. If the generator failed, idling the truck engine would do. If that failed, we would drain the water tanks and seek shelter in a hotel or building if one was available. If not, we would try the reefer and go into a warm reefer body. If all three power sources on the truck failed (main engine, generator, reefer), the survival clothing would come out and we would wait with the truck for help to arrive.

Forecast low is minus 8, which is not uncommon in Minnesota. But the wind is strong and poses a danger to people not indoors. It would not take long for an unpowered and under-maintained truck to freeze up in these conditions.

While I am reasonably confident that the truck will do fine this weekend, Florida looks mighty inviting from here.

Expediter wannabees, take note. This job takes you into extreme weather conditions from time to time. See also this thread about tornados.

 

[are12]

We are sitting in La Salle, IL and the weather station is saying, with the wind chill, it could get down to -20. I know we will have no problems since we have been in cold weather like this before.

We use the Howe's, fuel in the colder states and keep up on the maintenance of our truck. We carry heavy clothes and extra blankets but there is just something about running in weather that would drop to -50, makes me nervous. It just seems too cold for there not to be some type of problems and I am not brave enough to chance it.

Now, if we were sitting at home and the temps were below zero, Jim would have the truck plugged in but we know as long as the generator is running, we will not have any problems.

Thanks again everyone for the great comebacks.

 

[greg334]

Hey moot, I forgot about Bricks - they make great heat storage units.... Throw a couple on the exhaust manifold before you drive to your layover and when you get there, they should be nice and warm. Just stick them in your bunk to heat it up before you jump in. Nothing better than a toasty bed to sleep in while it gets down to -25.

Oh I forgot another thing that is really good to have. I have some bunk warmers I bought from Europe, they are a two piece item, the pad that is cloth covered which is really an ice pack with a pouch and the warmer itself. The warmer is reusable and you activate it to create exothermic heat (using [SIZE=-1]sodium acetate) and stick it in the pouch. The heat that they create can burn if you do not use the icepack container which allows the heat to flow out slowly. You can buy the hand warmer types all over the place and they also make one about 6 inches square but [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]I have not seen them here in the US this large[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]. I also use the bunk warmer to heat up food when I am too lazy to use the microwave or on the move and don't want to deal with the microwave, it actually does a good job.

Opps found a source for large pads, Thermo-Pad Instant Heating Pad Home Page[/SIZE][FONT=geneva,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif][/FONT]

 

[arkjarhead]

Don't forget about putting some rubbing alchol in your windsheild washer fluid. I always carried a pry bar and a small propane torch. Just in case the brake freeze up when you park.

 

[Paul56]

For windshield washer fluid we use a product available from "Canadian Tire" stores in Canada that is good to -50 ( I believe ) and add methyl hydrate to beef it up.

Methanol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the locks we use a product called "Lock-Ease" that contains graphite and have never had a problem with lock mechanisms refusing to work.

From November thru March we do the vast majority of our running in temperatures on the negative side of the scale so I suppose we have become used to it; however, I still agree with the one poster who suggested the whole notion can be somewhat scary. Scary because you realize if something catastrophic happens it can become a matter of survival in mere seconds.

That is one of the reasons we have a satellite phone. No matter where we are if something serious happens we can at the very least make a call back to home base where the folks can make arrangements for a rescue mission.

 

[Moot]

Currently -19 and strong winds blowing on the northwest side of Minneapolis.

I have been out of service this weekend. Yesterday the Cat had me down for a Monday pick up going to Winnipeg. Just checked the website and found that someone else is on it. Scuse me while I chunk a brick!

 

[greg334]

Paul,
Tell us a little more about the Sat Phone?

 

[ebsprintin]

Tires. Isn't it about -20 that the rubber turns rather solid? Sit for a few hours or overnite, and the flat spots want to stay flat spots. Takes a couple minutes of running very slowly to warm the rubber, so the tires run smooth. It feels like running on flat tires. Danger comes from trying to take off too fast, and the unplyable rubber breaks the bead on the rim releasing all the air in the tire. Multiple flat tires is not uncommon. Most of my cold weather experience is with autos, but I have felt the flat spot phenomenon on a big truck a couple times. Don't know if it's as easy to break the bead on a heavy tire.

I lived a few years in interior Alaska, and I got to where I could tell the outside temperature by the symptoms of my car. It was something like-- -15 seat hard as rock. -20 tire flat spots. -25 doors don't close. I've seen a couple people break the drivers door window trying to slam the door shut below -25.

eb

 

[Paul56]

Paul,
Tell us a little more about the Sat Phone?

As Nicole always says... this thing ROCKS! LOL

Much more info at the link below:

Globalstar Canada :: Worldwide Satellite Voice and Data Products and Services for Customers around the Globe

 

[layoutshooter]

We carry winter clothes, 3-4 days of de-hydrated food, fire starters(brick kind) space blankets, hand saw and hatchet, signal devices. We have all but the extra clothes in a rubbermaid tube. Keeps it dry and all in one place. Dress in layers, and remeber, NO COTTON!!! Cotton can kill in cold weather. It retains moisture, that evaporates. The human body cools by evaporation. We always run on the top half of the fuel tanks and keep the cell phones charged. I need to learn more about winter lubes etc. Never thought about rear ends freezing etc. It's back to school time. Layoutshooter

 

[RichM]

I had one run when it was down around -18 in Northern Wi which went into Duluth Mn then Us 61 into Thunder Bay Ontario where it was about -25. Never again. I had no trouble but probably received some gray hair. It ain't worth the stress to run under those conditions.

 

[iceroadtrucker]

KIS
Kelly tires are soft rubber and tend to do best in the cold. Hint\While Howes is a very good Product so is Grand Dads moons shine or corn Wiskey for that matter. I Know what the Mods will say on here but Oh well I Was known as the Ridge Runner In Iowa when I Worked back in the late 70s at Timber Ridge. I drove the Ridge Runner. ;-) Extra set of keys is a very good Idea along with putting Cardboard in front of the Radiator. For the real Truckers make sure you carry an extra set of Airlines for your Trailer. Along with glad hand seals. Also Emergency air line splice kit is a must as well. (Also keep in mind as well straight Radiator fluid has a lower freeze point and is by far better than the 50/50 premix for the SUB ZERO COLD). YA Also need to Keep your idle up which also keep the fluids flowing. For Personel protection Blankets are good idea as stated. Hats subzero sleeping bags and Gloves are very very good as well. Battery operated socks or at least wool socks is a very good thing as well. Chains and Cat litter keep with ya. also spare rubber bands (Belts). Keep ya a spare set of Filters too. One last thing and the Mods may or may not agree Hot Coffe or Hot Choc in the Sub Cold works the same as Ice Water in the extreme Heat it shocks your system. Ice Water in the Heat will make your body hotter and Hot Choc or Hot Coffee in the the Cold will shock your system and make you acutaly colder. Best Liquids for you is Body Temp Liquids which will not shock your system. Somthing to think about.
About the moonshine corn wiskey it works in the TANKS . Howes good is good as stated. Also 911 is a very good product in emergency. Have fun on the Ice Roads and hope to see you in the snow.
PS. Just for your all information in my Youth I was Nicked Named
Ridge Runner. I worked at Timber Ridge In Castana Iowa.
I been driven on the Ice and snow and in the sub zero cold since I was 16 legaly and that included Farm Trucks Farm tractors and Cars Pickups and Yes a Yamaha Endouro on the ice and snow. I said I was a farm boy at Heart. However Before the MODS JUMP This dont mean Im an expert at all. I respect the ICE and Snow and the Sub zero Cold. But Im not afarid of it.
My Father who is 77 years and still working for the county and has been driving lowboys and tractor trailers and heavy Equipment since he was 24 after doing his business in the army. Told me long ago you want to drive then drive in all types of weather and conditions but be smart be safe and respect it never never be afarid of it. If your afarid of it then park it and find another line of work. As fare weather driver is all you'll be and you'll go broke.
No chains allowed.
ICEROADTRUCKER
RIDGE RUNNER
FROM TIMBER RIDGE REC RANCH (CASTANA IOWA)
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