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I take it that now would be a good time to replace my frosted and cracked up turn signal lenses? Probably the same for the missing washer nozzles as well?
Yes, perhaps it might. The idea is to make your vehicle right before the snow flies, if not it’s a cold mess to work on after.
I’ve found that using Rain-X windshield washer fluid really helps keep your Rain-X application working.
You can use kitty litter, but keep in mind, kitty litter is basically clay, and it is designed to absorb moisture, so it will get soft. Sand is a much better idea. They actually sell “Tube Sand” at places like Lowe’s, Home Depot, your local hardware store, etc. These are even better because the sand is the same that you would find in a plow truck, and it’s packaged in a way that makes it convenient. Stays put for driving traction, and you can open it up if you get in a jam. They also come in plastic bags instead of paper bags like kitty litter. And they’re less than $5 a bag for 60 lbs, which is actually cheaper than an equivalent amount of kitty litter.
I used to work at a Lowe’s up here in Maine, and we kept pallets of them right by the doors, and every winter they were a sure-seller.
Keep the great, informational videos comin’, Eric!!!
BTW, the ski-mask was a nice touch. B)
Couple of things to add. First, use synthetic oil as it flows to -60. Second keep you battery charged using a maintenance charger so its always charged when you leave. Third, it probably goes without saying these days, but having a cell phone is a must, because if you can’t get yourself out, you can always call for help. Last, if your wheel wells get full of snow, ice slush or whatever, try and remove the big chunks before you drive off next time.
Oh, and don’t forget to clean the lights when you take the snow off you car, its amazing how many people forget the tail lights.
My check list is:
Oil check/change
Coolant top off
Tire inspection especially spare
Battery test
Extra oil, coolant, jumper cables, spark plug&wire, and basic tools in the trunk
And maybe most importantly, keep a full charge on my cell phone in case anything does happen.I never thought to RainX the windshield and lights – solid idea! Definitely going to do it this year 🙂
What do you guys think about keeping a large bag of rock salt and using it like sand or kitty litter if ya get stuck? I imagine it would provide better traction that sand because the pieces are bigger size, and would help to melt the snow/ice that’s got me there in the first place. Thoughts?
I kinda have a few thing to add and say about this topic but i am sitting in my car on my phone and don’t wanna be typing for an hour so i will say one thing.
Changing your thermostat made me giggle. Easy cheap way is to block off the bad with some cardboard. It does work done it lots.
It gets to -50c where i live. So i do got lots to add.I live in Seattle suburbs, we almost never have snow, so I don’t really have to worry about corrosion on my underside.
There is a youtuber (corvairwild) who sandblasted his underside of his suburban, spray painted it black, and coated it with fluid film. He used marine grade fluid film on the fenders and other areas prone to a lot of splashing.
Eric, great video as always. This time of year might also be good to “re-promote” your video about how to unclog a heater core with an air compressor. It is what brought me to your site initially and kept me from freezing my a** off last winter. Worked like a champ, and kept me from having to pull the dashboard on my Tahoe. :woohoo:
Thanks again for all that you do. You have taken my backyard mechanic abilities to a higher level.
if your car sits during the winter put stabil in the tank to preserve the gas. studded tires are only good on packed snow, you actually get better traction with all season tires on black ice than with studs. I run studless snow tires like Michelin ICE-X on my car because then i dont have to worry about dates, and i get good all around traction. Also carry tire chains. just the cheap ones from walmart that are metal sleeves over cables will work well enough. and bungy cords.If you do crash you can hold broken bits together to get home or to the body shop with these.
I carry a tow chain because i make money pulling AWD Legacy and Imprezzas out of the ditches.
more importantly if your stuck in a ditch or stuck helpin someone in a ditch, spending an hour or two shoveling, pushing, towing or wutever eventually your gonna get hungry! so make sure you have an appropriate amount of snacks in your vehicle at all times.
At Subaru this is our winterizing process:
– Put on snow tires.
– Flush coolant system. (This is because during the summer when ever people are low they seem to feel just putting water in is a great idea.)
– Clean off battery terminals and cables and coat with Vaseline.
– Replace the washer fluid with a special winter blend.
– Replace all wipers with winter wipers.
– Service the transmission and differential fluids.
– Oil change.
– Recharge AC and ensure heating works.Also, putting Stabil or Heet in your gas is counterproductive now-a-days. I don’t want to call the stuff snake oil, but it’s usefulness has gone the way of the birds. All it is is alcohol, which absorbs water. The thing is, all the gas you buy now-a-days has ethanol in it, so water in your gas really doesn’t happen.
There are a lot of places where tire chains are illegal, so before you waste your money, make sure that they can be used in your area.
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