Get Winter Ready with these Tips

While your local forecast may still show 90 degrees, now is as good as ever to conduct a pre-winter check on your truck. Cold weather is tough on vehicles. Snow, freezing temperatures, ice, slush and salt can wreak havoc on trucks. Keep your truck moving as temperatures fall with the below tips:

1. Monitor tire pressure and tread depth for a safe and economic trip. Rule of thumb is that for every 10 degree change in temperature, tires adjust by one PSI. Under-inflated tires wear quicker and cause loss of fuel mileage; they can also overheat and fail at highway speeds. Uneven or excessive tire wear may result from improper alignment or the need for a suspension adjustment. Some states implement tire chain laws early.
2. Inspect heaters and cooling systems to stay warm as temperatures drop. Check the radiator, hoses and belts for any issues that may worsen in colder temperatures and could lead to engine damage. Maintain the accurate freeze protection level in coolant. Replace cabin filters, blow debris from heater cores and ensure any shut off valves are reopened.
3. Load test batteries to maintain power to the unit. Cold weather can make starting more difficult and as batteries age and deteriorate, material degrades or falls off and plates become less powerful. Batteries that pass gravity or open-circuit voltage tests may still have a hard time maintaining voltage when electrical loads consume large amounts of current.
4. Prevent line freezing by checking all components of the air system. Any moisture found in the air system has a higher chance of freezing as temperatures drop. Ensure the air dryer is operating properly and drain air tanks daily. Check the fuel and water separator and drain the bowl so it does not freeze and crack.