Getting Your Truck Ready For Winter 2021 – 10 Tips That Will Help

1. Check Your Truck’s Battery

Getting your truck ready for winter does not have to be a time-consuming task. Read through this short article and see how our 10 tips will help you prepare your heavy truck for this winter season.

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If your truck won’t turn over and start, you won’t be driving too far down the road. Remember, nothing will drain the juice from your battery faster than being bombarded by the cold.

The first thing you need to do is a test for the reliability of your truck’s battery. If your battery has seen a lot of harsh winters (more than three), it might be time to buy a new one. At the absolute least, you need to check the strength of the charge and your cable connections.

2. Stock Up on Emergency Supplies

If you have been trucking for more than a few years, you have likely encountered a blizzard or two that left you stranded on the side of the road. If you were unprepared, it’s surely something that is burned in your memory.

Don’t take a chance of getting stranded without some of the key emergency supplies you might need. Here’s a list of some things you should include:

  • Extra winter clothing, including extra gloves, boots, and warmer coat
  • Flashlight with plenty of batteries
  • First aid kit that includes items to combat frostbite
  • Radio with batteries
  • Reflective vest and road flares to pinpoint your whereabouts
  • A good supply of tools for both truck repairs and building
  • Shovel for the removal of snow from around your truck
  • Extra supply of oil and oil filters
  • Anti-gel fuel additives
  • A good supply of food and water

3. Get Your Truck Ready For Winter IMPORTANT Tip! – Check Your Tires!

In wintertime, you need snow-ready winter tires. When you check your tires, you should be checking for healthy tread and air pressure. In fact, you should check your tire pressure every time before you hit the road. Remember, cold air acts to compress air. If your air pressure is consistently low, you run the risk of extra wear and tear. Also, it will adversely affect your gas mileage.

4. Check Your Seals on Your Cab or Sleeper

You would be amazed at how much water and cold air can seep through even the smallest crack in a truck’s door seal. If you anticipate having to sleep in your truck/cab, you would surely want to keep as warm as possible. You should address and shore up your door/window seals as soon as possible. Also, you should make sure you have a little extra bedding to help keep you warm.

5. Check Your Tires Chains

As you well know, chains are required on some roadways when a certain amount of snow and ice is on the road. You need to make sure your chains are present in your truck/big rig and that the chains will fit your tires. By the way, make sure you remember how to use them.

6. Getting Your Truck Ready For Winter BONUS Tip: Consider Buying an Engine Block Heater

Given the possibility you will get stranded in your truck/big rig, there is a risk your engine could freeze up due to inactivity. You won’t be able to keep it operational because of your limited gasoline resources. A good engine block heater is just what the doctor ordered. If by chance you already have one, you need to take a minute and check to make sure it is working properly.

7. Examine the Condition of Your Radiator

Your radiator is responsible for keeping your truck engine cool while in operation. The problem is radiators have a lot of parts that can be affected by cold weather. Now is the time to check your antifreeze levels and belts. It would be a good idea to keep an ample supply of antifreeze in the truck and top it off as needed. Also, be sure to check your hoses and clamps for leaks.

8. Inspect Your Windshield Wipers

Your windshield wiper might seem to be an insignificant piece of automotive equipment. Your opinion would change on that the moment you need to keep your windshield clear while trying to drive through a snowstorm. You need to keep extra wipers and anything else you might need to keep your windshield clean at all times.

9. Purchase a CB Radio

A truck driver with a CB radio might seem a little cliche. However, you need to have the ability to communicate about upcoming road conditions with other members of the trucking community. It’s also a great standby option in case you are trying to report an emergency and your cell phone is suddenly operational.

10. Check Your Brake Line Air Drying

With rainy and snowing conditions, your brakes get exposed to a lot of moisture. To avoid getting moisture in your truck’s brake lines, you will want to make sure that the associated air dryer is working efficiently.

Remember, getting your truck ready for winter is about maintaining your safety under difficult weather conditions. As a trucker, you can ill afford business interruptions.