Winter Prep

BubbaJo · Aug 28, 2020

Asking you guys who live 'in the north'..

my truck came from Utah and Indiana and doesn't have a block heater cord. I have since purchased said cord, but haven't had a chance to install it just yet.

What do you guys use for a grille blocker?

Do you use weight in the rear end? if so, how much?

I am coming from a f150 with a topper and that did amazing in the snow (once i got good tires on it). Never added weight to the rear end of it, but with these things being sprung totally differently in the rear, i want to make sure i'm getting as much traction as i can

Dennis Shellito · Aug 28, 2020

My Laramie came with the cold weather package that included a grill cover and the block heater cord already in place. My truck is 4x4 so I don't need weight in the box to get around. I quit buying 2WD trucks,which I am assuming describes your truck, many years ago because I got tired of getting stuck and having to be pulled out.

BubbaJo · Aug 28, 2020

mine is 4wd but the tailend of these things are so light. Heck i hit bumps on the highway and i swear my rear end comes up off the ground

Gr8bawana · Aug 28, 2020

BubbaJo said:
mine is 4wd but the tailend of these things are so light. Heck i hit bumps on the highway and i swear my rear end comes up off the ground

Well no...it's not that the rear-end is so light, it's that the front end is so heavy.

Arctic Flyers Fan · Aug 28, 2020

I'm in the real North, Northern Canada where -40 for 5 weeks is common. A lot of us use a block heater and a battery tender. Some use a winter front too.

BubbaJo · Aug 29, 2020

Arctic Flyers Fan said:
I'm in the real North, Northern Canada where -40 for 5 weeks is common. A lot of us use a block heater and a battery tender. Some use a winter front too.

dang you are 'up there' alright lol. This is my first diesel, but i've been around them for a bit. I'm no diesel mechanic but i know enough to make me dangerous, hence my question(s) lol.

My truck will hopefully fit in the garage at the new house. It isn't heated (i don't think anyways), but it will be out of the weather and it's attached to the house so it should be 'warmer' than a detached garage. My stepdad has a dirtymax and my parent's garage is detached. He has his plugged in with a Christmas light timer switch (an old trick his dad told him about) to keep the plugs/block warm. He rarely drives it during the winter (it's their tow pig), so he hasn't used a cover on it since the first winter, mainly because it just fell apart after the one season.

with mine being our tow pig and my daily driver, i want to make sure i'm doing everything i possibly can to make this beast last. I have seen people use cardboard to block the cold wether/wind.

avantiguy · Aug 29, 2020

Are you farther north than Utah? If not there's probably not much to worry about, although I would use a block heater just to help the batteries and make the starting easier.

Apparently your wife doesn't heat the basement.

BWL · Aug 29, 2020

If you're in a 3500 then it rides better with at least 500lbs in the back because they're sprung to be loaded up and I mean year round if you're not hauling. For me my slip tank handled that. You shouldn't need a grill cover, but block heater helps a lot, switching to 5w40 synthetic in the cold months will also help starting and faster oiling. Instead of a battery tender go for the battery warming wraps, but unless you're colder than -20c regularly they really aren't needed. If it has the def system make sure you run it enough to thaw it out occasionally or you'll get stuck in limp mode. On our heavy equipment we put heating pads on the tanks to keep it thawed tor this reason even though they have elements in them or coolant lines running through them to thaw it when running.

WY-Dave · Aug 29, 2020

No grille blocker, and for rear weight, my main weight

Then one tub with the essentials, shovel, blamkets, straps etc. The other one is for shopping

BubbaJo · Aug 30, 2020

avantiguy said:
Are you farther north than Utah? If not there's probably not much to worry about, although I would use a block heater just to help the batteries and make the starting easier.

Apparently your wife doesn't heat the basement.

lol.. you are a little more north than i. I'm in grand rapids michigan. We can get some good snow falls here and not to mention those stretches of bitter cold (-20*F+ windchills).

Should i also use the 'high idle trick' combined with the heater cord to make sure it gets up to temp safely/quickly?

BubbaJo · Aug 30, 2020

WY-Dave said:
No grille blocker, and for rear weight, my main weight
View attachment 220155

Then one tub with the essentials, shovel, blamkets, straps etc. The other one is for shopping
View attachment 220156

My inlaws got hit hard by a storm yesterday and i ran over there with gas and a chain saw. Maybe i should invest in a box like yours so my stuff isn't sliding all over creation on the plastic bedliner

WY-Dave · Aug 30, 2020

BubbaJo said:
My inlaws got hit hard by a storm yesterday and i ran over there with gas and a chain saw. Maybe i should invest in a box like yours so my stuff isn't sliding all over creation on the plastic bedliner

I started having a "winter" box with the Jeep. With the bedliner the whole box will slide around. Might try a rubber mat to keep it sliding around. I used these before and worked out pretty good
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Motor-Trend-Cargo-Trunk-Floor-Mat-Trimmable-Utility-Mat-Black/50159500

Robeffy · Jan 3, 2021

On my other truck, which has a cap, I have been attaching everything to a few ropes, anchored at the tailgate end of the box. No matter what goes in the back, there is a rope on it. I just got tired of trying to fish stuff out. You can tie from one side to the other side, a lot less sliding. Handy for bringing home sheets of wood too, just loop the rope over the end of the plywood, tie to the other side, not coming out and secured

Winter Prep

BubbaJo

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Dennis Shellito

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BubbaJo

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Gr8bawana

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Arctic Flyers Fan

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BubbaJo

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avantiguy

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BWL

Embrace the skeptisism

WY-Dave

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BubbaJo

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BubbaJo

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WY-Dave

Senior Member

Robeffy

Senior Member

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