Cold Weather Preparation

[Shaun K]

So I'm planning my trip to central Canada, and I need some good info. There's been a couple great threads on this type of thing, but I just want to make sure I'm covering all my bases.

My truck is basically new; 3 weeks old and 1800 miles. I have 5w30 dino in it now (changed the factory oil at 900 miles), and I'll go with 5w30 synthetic at the next change.

We're leaving socal in a few weeks and heading up though Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota to Manitoba. December isn't normally the coldest month, but they seem to be setting records up north this year so I want to prepare for the worst. Here's my list so far:

good non-freezing windshield washer fluid
plenty of sandbags or kitty litter in the bed
chains
Toyota block heater


Is there anything I'm missing? Help a California boy out!

[DevinSixtySeven]

'sup mang
my dad and i are driving from salt lake to anchorage by way of edmonton and the al-can, starting tomorrow morning, we'll be passing through idaho on our way northwest...the interior of alaska and canada is in the -20s right now (well below the freezing point of california, if you read the "we got jokes" thread ), there's a cold snap, if you're lucky it'll pass by the time you're up there.
the 5w30 synthetic is a very good choice, should be fine--the mobil-1 5w30 will flow down to about -40F, and the 0w30 down to around -60F. is your radiator fluid the proper mix of h2o and antifreeze?
kitty litter comes in buckets, according to my mother who's been getting everything together for my dad's truck right now. a pair of kitty litter buckets, one in each rear corner of the bed with some tie-down straps, should help things a bit. a spare gas can is a good idea, there are plenty of pumps but it's more a safety item.
bring the sort of winter clothing you could quickly put on in the truck if you had to change a tire at -10F...proper socks, boots, gloves and hat are just as important as the pants and coat (on that note, make sure you can actually change a tire with the stuff under the back seat...my stock gear was hopeless, and i wound up putting together a decent kit with "real" tools--breaker bar, torque wrench, etc.).
other than the right clothing, really you just need the sort of usual safety stuff for any long road trip, just make sure it'll all work, and you will work, when it gets properly chilly out. definately take a look at the "emergency stuff you keep in your truck" thread (that's actually the name of the thread).

-sean

[Shaun K]

Well, I don't think our drive will be as cold as the Al-Can, but I've been wrong before. I don't envy you, that's for sure =)

I'll be buying a test kit for the antifreeze this weekend, and I'm bringing all my usual tools/jack/jackstands that I'd bring on any trip. That combined with the weight of the shell should hopefully keep the rear end planted.

My wife is putting together a winter kit for the trucka with all the clothes, blankets, etc that she thinks we'll need (she's Canadian so I assume she's good at that).

I'm going back and forth on whether I'll need the block heater though. Some say I won't need it until it goes below -40C, but others say it's good to have since I'll be parking outside.

[sequoiasoon]

A good set of Nokian Snows would help with traction and keeping you under control. Winter wiper blades (Anco), small compressor to keep air pressure up (every 10 degree drop is 1 psi down)

[Shaun K]

Thanks guys.

Tool-wise, I'm pretty set. After years of taking my race car to the track I've got just about everything I need including the tow straps; in fact I'll probably be leaving behind alot of the tools I can't use on the truck. I will have to buy a small compressor though, since all I use at the track is a portable air tank. I'll also need a decent bottle jack, since I doubt my aluminum race jacks will work

About the snow tires, do you think it's really necessary? We don't go up to Canada often, and my inlaws tell me they never use them. I don't want to waste money on them if I don't have to.

I also doubt I'll be able to find the good wiper blades anywhere in CA or NV. Should be able to pick them up once I get into Utah though.

We both have laptops and cellphones so I'll be bringing a power inverter, and I've been thinking of getting a wireless modem just to see if it works when we're out on the road. Don't have an external cellular antenna though, maybe I'll look into that.

[sequoiasoon]

The snows are always optional (unless you get to one of the snow tire / chains mandatory areas) I had to delay a Tahoe ski trip 'cause the rental car didn't have them and DOT wouldn't let us through. Check tirerack for a lot of info on the snows(this is a great link http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/faqs.html#doneed ) and the 2 nokian websites www.nokian.com and www.nokiantires.com they both have a tips area. Your tires will work fine pending conditions. The rubber compound will get very hard at cold temperatures and they do not have the siping to allow them to grab the snow. If the roads are clear and dry no issue, if cold, wet, snow, ice, slow down take your time and allow a lot of extra space to stop, turn and avoid the rest of the idiots that think they have no issues until they try to stop. I grew up in New England winters and everybody had snows. My snows mounted on extra rims are a couple hundred more than my deductible if I hit somebody (nevermind potential injury) but I'll get 4-5 years out of them. My wife drives the Sequoia most of the time and her family is the chronic late breaking, beat the yellow light kind of drivers. She's gotten much better since the kids and I prefer to give the extra safety cushion. My Corolla starts and stops better than many SUV's and trucks during bad weather and I like that feeling. Many people disagree with my views (the outlaws definitely) but all the tools, blankets, cell phones, survival gear, you and the wife will be riding in the truck. The only thing touching the road is 4 contact points, 8" x 8" each.

If you really hate them you could sell on TS or e-bay afterward with probably only small loss. Consider it a safety rental fee.

The Nokian WR is a GREAT all weather tire that is severe winter rated, great in rain and dry and has like a 50K tread wear. Some members here have them and rave about the grip in bad weather and just leave them on year round.

Good luck, have a safe trip, enjoy the drive.

Last piece of required equipment might be XM or Sirus sattelite radio. Road trips in deserted areas without tunes, SUCKS!!!!!

[KLINDSEY]

I'm Surprised Unless I Missed Reading It , Windshield Washer Fluid, Rain-x Makes A Great Winter Blend, And Also I Grew Up In N.d,&s.d. We Always Carried A Winter Kit In The Cars In Case Of Storms. Jerky Blankets Etc. But One Thing That Really Works Is Candles ( The 1/2 Inch Type) And The Dishes From Pot Pies. We Also Used These To Keep Warm Ice Fishing. You Lite The Candle Put On The Dash Or Rear Window And Crack The Side Window Away From The Wind, It Keeps The Car Very Warm, It Will Amaze You.
Snow Tires Are Not A Big Thing Usally The Hiways Are Clean ( Or Close) Its When You Get Off Interstate To Gas Up Your Car, Or Eat And Your Tires Are Warm And You Melt Thur The Packed Snow Sometimes Hard To Move Thats Where The Kitty Liter Comes In Handy.
Other Than That Dress For It, Drive With Patience , Get Good Rooms For Rest And Have A Great Time.
Kevin

[Montfort]

There's got to be Manitoba TS members surely(?) but unless I missed it didn't see any posts to this subject. You've received a lot of very good advice. If there's going to be a challenge here it's all about timing and winter storms. Based upon your route, this challenge if any, will come before you cross the border and will be in crossing mountains. Haven't consulted the map but the farther south you can get across most of the high and hilly terrain the better. Most of Manitoba is comparatively flat and the major roads will be well looked after. Will it be cold? This is most likely...could be very cold but again it's all about timing. Having said this I can't relate personally being an easterner.
Let's hear from a Manitoban...
Dave

[KLS]

1) synthetic engine oil, 0W-30 Mobil 1 or imported German Castrol Syntec (not the U. S. stuff) if you can find it...syn 5W-30 will be OK
2) winter wiper blades with the rubber boot over the blade
3) long handle and short handle windshield ice scrapers and snow brush...use a flat file to true the scraping edge. The short scraper is for the inside.
4) windshield washer fluid good to -25F...dump the 0° stuff
5) chains...cable chains are OK
6) practice putting the chains on very tightly
7) warm winter gloves and something dry to kneel of lay on for installing the chains
8) flashlight
9) recheck the tire inflation after you get into the cold
10) couple of bottles of Heet in case you get fuel with water
11) 200-300# of sandbags in the bed above the axle, well secured so they don't move around in case you auger into a snowbank--and sleeping bags in case you're stuck waiting for a tow.
12) Amber sun glasses.

Don't use your parking brake. If it freezes on, you're stuck. Do excercise it to keep your rear brakes adjusted.

If it's -40, do you really need to travel? Even if you can get the engine started, it's really hard on the rest of the car. You probably don't need the engine block heater for a visit. (-40C = -40F.)

VERY IMPORTANT...as soon as you can find an empty snow covered road or parking lot, safely practice getting loose and recovering. Skid, recover. Spin out, recover. Brake too hard, and brake just right. Practice and practice again. When on the road, keep lots of room between you and other drivers. If the road is snow covered, you can not drive the speed limit. Let more experienced drivers pass you and don't even think you can keep up with them. They might have more suitable tires, or 4wd, or just years of experience. Dry snow has pretty good traction, wet snow and polished snow/ice has zip traction. You don't yet know the difference in the types of snow.


Ken

[Shaun K]

Hi guys, sorry I haven't checked here recently. The site doesn't email me when someone posts in my thread.


sequoiasoon: from talking to friends and relatives up in Manitoba, it seems that almost no one there uses snow tires. However, they have plenty of snow driving experience and I don't . I do plan on bringing some chains with me, and I can only imagine needing to use them in a mountain pass somewhere. I wouldn't be against some snow tires as long as they weren't studded, but I really will have no use for them when I get back to California.

As for the music, I have a laptop with about 25GB of music and a cd-rw, so all I really need is to carry some blank cd's, a cassette adapter, and a power inverter. I think that should cover it.


KLINDSEY: I've got the good wipers and washer fluid on my list, but I have not been able to find them in socal thus far. I imagine I won't be able to buy them until I get up into Utah somewhere. Also, my wife has the winter kit under control, as she lived up in Manitoba her whole life before moving to California a couple years ago.


Montfort: I agree that the biggest challenge will be timing. I'd love to stay farther south, but there doesn't seem to be any decent route going that way. I do need to keep on top of the weather though, especially when I head through the passes in Idaho and Montana.

Of course, it will be cold up there (they had some good snow before Halloween), and I'm looking forward to it. But if it's -40 I don't plan on going anywhere

[Shaun K]

woohoo! tested my coolant today, it's good to -34F/-37C

[sequoiasoon]

Shaun,
For the wipers, go to your local Autozone, Pepboys, Advance Auto or whichever chain store is around you. If they carry Anco blades they should be able to order for you in a day or 2 the Anco Winter Blade (they have a rubber boot/covering that prevents ice, snow and slush from building up on the blade itself) as well as some of the concentrate for windshield squirter. Pyroil (valvoline) makes it as well as many others. Pour one bottle in your fluid reservoir and make sure you use the squirter before it gets cold so it's in the supply lines also. (I didn't do this once on a company car before road trip, added the concentrate but didn't use it. 2 days later -10 F and snowing, I had to let the car run for 1/2 hour on the side of the road to let the lines thaw, no issue after being used). Grab one or 2 extra gallons of premixed fluid and a bottle of concentrate to each so you can refill if needed along the way. Melting snow wreaks havoc with visibility if your stuck behind a semi. Pick up some bottles of dry gas to add at every tank in case there is water in the new stuff you get (or some in your tank already).

Most of the tire companies make the snows in a non studded version but if it's only one trip with no real use after you'll probably be pissed for spending the money. Look at as you planned whichever chains are best (I like the "Z" chains, they're actually cables instead and secure to tire a lot better). Just remember to follow the directions for making them tight and max speed limit. http://www.vulcantire.com/chain.htm or http://www.performanceproducts.com/P...10&partnumber=

When is the trip?

A fresh coat of wax (or Zaino) and Rain-x (or Aquapel) helps with getting the snow and ice off the truck and windows on the real cold mornings as well as heklping to protect it. Speaking of....... did anybody mention a "good" snow brush and ice scraper. A brush long enough so you can pushh all the snow off the hood and roof. NEVER use your wipers to clear a build up of snow. If it's real heavy or stuck you'll either bend the blades or worse, strip the inside of the arms themselves!

[Shaun K]

Thanks sequoia, I'll check this weekend for those wipers. I can't seem to find the washer fluid anywhere though. Gotta order the chains soon too.

We're leaving on Thursday Dec 11th, and will stop over in Vegas that night to say hi to my dad and stepmom before they go see her family in Hungary. We hope to be in Winnipeg by Tuesday Dec 16th.

I guess I could stand to wax the truck too, not to mention wash it. I've had it for just over 4 weeks, and with all the rain here I have yet to wash it. It's probably going to be filthy after being my workbench/tow vehicle/bed during the 25-hour enduro race next weekend.

[KLINDSEY]

Shaun,
I have made the trip well most of it before when I lived in LA( Burbank) area.
I was born and rasied in Fargo N.D. and made the trip to visit in both summer and winter, have gone out I-80 to I29 and I90-94 also they are about the same Montana is better scenery that Wyoming IMO, I've also gone down as low as I-10 in the dead of winter, and have hit ice storms big time had to drive (crawl) slow, If you can't find the wipers in CA, you will be able to get them and the wiper fluid in Utah and the blades are reasonable I just put them on mine and the wifes car last week like 6.95, and rain-x fliud at walmart,auto zone is 3 bucks a jug, and while buying the fluid 2 is not a bad idea if you get into a day where it has snowed and it's warm (relative) it's still cold when driving 60-65 and the melting snow is spraying on the windsheild and forming ice you go thur alot of fluid.
It's a great trip enjoy it ,a great experince.

Good luck,
Kevin

[DevinSixtySeven]

well, the Al-Can is quite a drive .

...the Nokian snows performed very well, and are actually very quiet on dry pavement, have good traction in snow, and do a good job clinging to the ice (my dad's are studded). They do come in an unstudded version as well. Considering you'll be driving mainly through populated, well-traveled areas, you probably don't need studs--the interior of British Columbia is a little different .

Ditto on the Rain-X wiper fluid. Hard to find, but the stuff works great. It's very important to make sure it's not gonna freeze--it gets colder than you think on the outside of the truck when you're moving 70mph through snow at -10F, after the bulk of the fluid washed or was wiped to the side, the remaining film would freeze suddenly. The defrost on hot and high clears it, tho.

Wash/Wax beforehand sounds like a silly thing to do, but make it a priority. Thunder Grey turned to Turd Brown after a scant 50 miles in traffic, other than protecting the truck, it makes all that crud easier to wash off (lotta northern areas have enclosed, heated DIY carwashes).

Bring some lock de-icer. I accidentally shot some water in the lock over the gas cap, and it quickly froze during the -14F night. The de-icer (comes in a keychain size) works fast.

Plan ahead of time where you will stop for gas, eat, sleep, and pee (for your wife's sake, as we have bathrooms conveniently located just outside the truck). 300 miles is about 4 hours and one tank of gas for these trucks, if you're driving *ahem* "Fast" and in 4HI.

Bring a couple bottles of water and some paper towels to wipe off the head and fog lights if you're driving through BFE and night falls, after driving behind a semi for a few miles in the wet, other drivers will see you, but your lights will be useless to you.

...and that's the report from the Al-Can .

Have fun and watch for critters in the road,

-Sean