How do you prepare for winter?

[TeamCaffee]

Starting September 1st we are required to carry chains in Colorado... That is when I start thinking about preparing for winter.

The first thing I do when I see the notice about chains in Colorado is get online and order my Slush Busters The Slushbuster Winter De-Icing Strip - Safer and better than Winter Blades alone! The Cascadia is much taller then the M2 and the only way I could pop the windshield wipers when they are covered in ice would be to open the hood and climb up to the windshield. I have ordered my Slush Busters and they are on the way. I always order two sets as usually one set gets put on wrong.

I also start carrying two sets of clothing one for summer and one for fall. I also add our heavy blanket to the truck, gloves, hats and mittens and keep this in a back bin till needed.

I also start buying different food items and cannot wait to make my first pot of chili and soup.

I look forward to fall and seeing the leaves changing colors. I enjoy the sounds of fall when the wind swishes the dried leaves around. Halloween will be here before we know it and seeing the huge fields of pumpkins is something else I look forward to!

 

[layoutshooter]

6 new tires. Slush Busters. NO coolant service this fall. It was just replaced in July.

We carry boots and extra clothing. We carry a winter "kit". It has 3 days worth of "freeze dried" meals. It has a hatchet, a small wood saw, lighters, matches, fire starters, space blanket, signal mirror etc.

We fuel more often in the winter. We prefer to run off the top half of the tanks. More fuel in the tanks means longer heat times if we get stuck.

 

[ATeam]

We run a four-season truck all year. Slush busters stay on all the time. Tire chains remain with the truck year 'round. Clothing for all seasons is carried at all times (lots of storage space in a big sleeper). Etc.

While the freight takes us home every once and a while, and while we will make a special trip home for business reasons if necessary, we do not make trips home to configure the truck for the seasons.

The weather varies greatly around the country and at different elevations, especially in the spring and fall. It seems best to us to be ready for anything all the time. How do we prepare for winter? We don't because we are always prepared for winter.

 

[layoutshooter]

We keep our Slush Busters on all year as well. Broken windshields interfere with that idea. We keep the chains in all year, they are just to heavy to play with twice a year. We do not keep the "winter kit" snow boots etc, space is an issue for us.

 

[jjoerger]

I ordered our Slush Busters last night and am making plans to get an Espar heater this year.
Chains stay in the truck and most of our winter clothes are still in it from last year.
Hopefully it will be a mild winter.

 

[chefdennis]

since the truck was new in March and this is its 1st winter, there won't be much to change there....but yea, I am looking forward to having good homemade soups in the frig!!!!

Oh wait, i did pickup the "Big Buddy" and propane tanks (2 16 lb tanks) when i was home last weekend....

 

[Slo-Ride]

By getting as much hunting in as possible before the real bitter cold sets in..

As far as the truck goes:
New tires are in place already.
Need to service the air dryer,drain bottom of the fuel tanks,and get a good cleaning on the inside of the sleeper..

I also enjoy hearing the sounds of wind and swishing leaves,,as long as they are blowing into the neighbors yard and out of mine.

 

[ATeam]

We keep our Slush Busters on all year as well. Broken windshields interfere with that idea. We keep the chains in all year, they are just to heavy to play with twice a year. We do not keep the "winter kit" snow boots etc, space is an issue for us.

Thanks for the reminder about windshields and slush busters. We have never had a broken windshield but replace them every two or three years to maintain clear vision. I used up our spare set of slush busters at the last windshield change and will order a spare set today. Wouldn't want to be without those slush busters!

(Windshields develop hundreds if not thousands of tiny pits over time that make night driving and driving into the sun less clear. The difference between a new windshield and a pitted one is profound and well worth the low cost of a new windshield.)

 

[ATeam]

I should add that while we are prepared for winter driving at all times, our season strategy is to spend as much of winter as we can in our Florida vacation house.

Last year it was six weeks with no runs. Now with a carrier where agent relationships can be developed and directional freight is easier to obtain, we might try to stay longer, using the Florida house as a hub of sorts around which we'll do regional work to keep the truck limber and ourselves warm.

 

[Jenny]

We actually carry most of our winter clothes year round. This trip home I will drop off a few of the summer shirts and grab some longer sleeved ones. Jackets will come out in October. we have hats and gloves year round stored away. We fired up the Espar yesterday to check it out, plus I was cold. It was like 50*. We will be replacing our tires within the next few weeks as well. We always have an emergency kit with solar blankets matches zippos and such.

 

[Poorboy]

I just go to my winter home in Ft.Myers beach and stay there for the winter. I have a cousin who has a small local expediting business that I'll work part time for till spring, then come back up

 

[Poorboy]

and you call yourself a man....LOL

Uh Huh, A very Smart man Lol I'm to the point that I actually despise the cold and snow, But am stuck up here until around Dec.8 because of the late harvest caused by the spring rains

 

[jujubeans]

The geese are flying over this morning..another sign..

 

[layoutshooter]

The geese are flying over this morning..another sign..

The sandhill cranes and blue wing teal are moving, as are the doves and blackbirds. Fall is nigh.

 

[charlies1gal]

My husband & I too carry chains year round though we have NO intentions of EVER using them AGAIN!! We also carry all weather clothing year round except for heavy coats, hats, gloves etc... We also don't have the space for them. We unfortunately also don't have the space for cooking appliances. We tried it & it was a HUGE pain in the A#%. We have also never heard of these Slush Busters. We have only been driving since 2006, but I am very interested in knowing where you can get them as I don't like the snow\slush\Ice build up while trying to see while driving in it. Can you Please, let me know how to get them? I would appreciate it greatly. Thank You.

 

[layoutshooter]

My husband & I too carry chains year round though we have NO intentions of EVER using them AGAIN!! We also carry all weather clothing year round except for heavy coats, hats, gloves etc... We also don't have the space for them. We unfortunately also don't have the space for cooking appliances. We tried it & it was a HUGE pain in the A#%. We have also never heard of these Slush Busters. We have only been driving since 2006, but I am very interested in knowing where you can get them as I don't like the snow\slush\Ice build up while trying to see while driving in it. Can you Please, let me know how to get them? I would appreciate it greatly. Thank You.

Look at Caffee's first post. They put a link in it for ordering them. They work great. I even have them on my pick up truck.

 

[iceroadtrucker]

Miss the old Air wiper system on the FLD I Drove.

I got my Chains already and my spiders I bought last year.

Going to get a Shovel just in case.

Check the Farmers Almac could be a rough winter.

 

[chefdennis]

Ok, I just ordered 3 sets of the "Slush Busters"...

 

[leezaback]

Like everyone else-same stuff-plus we carry carpet pieces-once in a while you may get stuck-put them under the tires and they will get you out-the down side-you have have to find them after you're unstuck !! but it works great.

 

[cheri1122]

Thanks Linder, for the Slushbuster reminder - new windshield. I wish they could be found other than online, where I have to pick them up next time I get home, but after a year of looking everywhere, I guess not. I always order 2 sets [to justify the s&h, they don't weigh as much as a canary], but I end up giving the second set away, lol.
With the carpet pieces, I keep a jug of kitty litter for traction in icy spots, and Diesel 911 in case of gelling, and extra gallons of water.
Oooh: chicken & dumplings, soon!