Truck Topics
Chill Out Clean Up, Check Up & Stock Up For Winter
This article is reprinted from the September, 2004 issue of Big Rig Owner magazine with the kind permission of the editor.
While some truckers may be lucky enough to stay in the warmer southwest during the winter, most others will soon find themselves making at least a few trips through the cold and snow.
And even if you stick entirely within the sunny southwest, you can still be caught by the occasional freak snowstorm in that region, so spending a bit of time and money now, can be a lot more convenient than getting caught unprepared once it’s cold outside.
With that in mind, here’s a list of things that you should clean up, check up and stock up while the weather is still nice.
CLEAN UP
Fall Cleaning
The winter months generally require you to have a bit more “gear†on board, so now is a good time to go through your tool boxes and sleeper compartments to get rid of anything you don’t need out on the road. A good house-cleaning will make your truck a pleasant place to work.
Glass Clean-Up
During the humid summer months, all sorts of crud will build up a film on the inside of your windshield. Left alone, this film will make it tougher to de-fog the windshield and see clearly. Now is the time to thoroughly wash the inside of your windshield and other windows.
Opinions vary as to whether you should use a mixture of vinegar and water, or a premixed window cleaner, but whichever you choose, make at least two thorough passes to remove any residual film. On a related note, now is also a good time to put your ice scraper back in the truck.
CHECK UP
Undercarriage Check
Because ice will tend to collect on just about any surface under the truck, you should make a thorough inspection of the underside of the truck, looking for any wires, hoses or brackets that aren’t firmly secured to the truck. Although a loose wire may look just fine right now, it can easily be ripped off the truck when a heavy accumulation of ice becomes attached to it. Tighten any loose brackets and zip-tie any unsupported wires or hoses to the appropriate location.
Coolant Check
If you’ve added any make-up water to your engine’s cooling system over the summer, you may have affected the coolant’s anti-freeze protection. Follow your truck manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the freeze-protection temperature (generally -30 F or lower) of your engine coolant.
If the coolant is near the end of its lifespan, around 200K miles for standard coolant or 600K miles for long-life coolant, change it now before the winter rush. Even if it’s not yet time to completely replace your coolant, you may need to add some corrosion protection additive between coolant changes.
Battery Check
Cold weather puts extra demands on your truck’s batteries, and can reduce their output. As much as you rely on the batteries, it pays to check up on them from time to time. Today’s OTR sleeper cabs feature any number of electrical accessories that can place extra demands on the batteries. A thorough electrical check, including a battery load test, will help to avoid a jump-start call during the chill of winter.
Brake & Clutch Adjustment Check
“Self-adjusting†is another concept that should be checked out from time to time. Many of today’s brake and clutch systems benefit from self-adjusting features. Before it gets too cold, it’s a good time to make sure that the self adjusting mechanisms are still working. Contaminated or dried out lubricants in the adjuster mechanism can harden when temperatures drop, so a thorough clean, lube and inspection is in order before winter arrives.
Fan Check
Because many engine fan drives are designed to fail-safe into an always-on condition, it’s important to inspect and test the fan clutch as part of your pre-winter check-up. If the fan is running continuously, it may not be much of a problem in the summer, but it needlessly robs some of your horsepower, and in the winter, it can prevent the engine from reaching the proper operating temperature. Less critical, but still important, is your HVAC fan. If the blower fan is squeaking or inoperative on some settings, get it fixed now before you need it for window defrosting and heat.
STOCK UP
Tire Chains
Many routes through the mountains require truckers to carry and use tire chains when dictated by weather conditions. If you don’t have any, get some now. If you already have chains, check them for broken segments and wear before loading them into your truck for the winter.
No-Idle Heating
Rather than using your truck’s engine as a 600-HP heating system, buy and install a fuel-fired heater in your truck. These units are available for heating engine coolant and/or cab air. The fuel consumption is about one-tenth of that required to idle the engine, and in cold climates, the heaters can usually keep you warmer than idling the truck’s engine.
Survival Supplies
Even in inter-urban areas, it is possible to get stranded by a snowstorm for several hours or even a few days, longer in rural areas. Packing a few survival supplies into your truck now, could mean the difference between surviving comfortably or risking your life when a bad storm hits. Key items include a shovel, flashlight with extra batteries, space blanket, extra dry socks and gloves, energy bars or other non-perishable food, bottled water, and spare charged-up cell-phone batteries.