All posts tagged cold truck repair

Winter is the worst season for driving. The roads get snowy, icy, and wet. They become very slick and your chances of getting in an accident if you’re not careful will increase. Few drivers want to think of the coming cold weather and what it means for a truck, but it’s important to prepare for the worst and if nothing else to be prepared. Here are five repairs you should do before the weather gets cold.

The Anti-freeze

Change the anti-freeze. The anti-freeze strength in your cooling system is important. In the summer, it keeps your truck’s engine from overheating, and in the winter, it protects your engine from cold temperatures while the truck is idle. Check the strength of your anti-freeze before the temperatures plunge. Do not hesitate to flush and replace the antifreeze if routine maintenance calls for it.

The Battery

A truck battery repair is fairly straight-forward, so don’t hesitate if your battery is weak. You’ll realize how important the battery is on the first cold morning that your truck refuses to start. Batteries have a definite expiration date. While a battery living on borrowed time may not have been a problem during the hot months of summer, it quickly dies during the cold months of winter. Truck batteries have a four-year life usually. Have a garage mechanic check the battery before the cold air arrives.

The Tires

If you’ve worn the tires bald during the summer months, be sure to replace them before winter arrives. Do a visual check on the tires for wear and tear. According to Tonka 4-Wheel Drive Ltd., worn tires will not grip the road, and the truck could end up in the ditch on the first morning of a snow accumulation. Put a quarter in the treads and check to make sure Washington’s head touches the top of your tread. If Washington’s head is separated from the tread, it’s getting low.

Body Dents

Body dings and dents will quickly rust with the exposure to road salts. Get your trucks dings and dents repaired to protect the metal body parts against corrosive elements of winter driving. If you don’t do this keep in mind that you are not just allowing the body of your truck to rust, but to become corroded as well. You will also start to lose the color in your body paint and will likely have get it redone at a later point in time.

Windshield Cracks

You may not want to drive around all winter with a long crack across your windshield. You may wonder if it can support all that snow that piles up on the windshield during the winter. In most states, this is an equipment violation, so it’s a good idea to get it taken care of.

Unfortunately, not all repairs are this easy to predict. When a warning lights flash on, or if a gauge indicates a problem with one or more of the truck’s systems, get it into a repair shop for diagnosis and repair before the cold weather arrives. It’s best to get a warning light’s severity confirmed by a mechanic before going on the road.