NE Ford

I did my best to search for tips but figured I might as well ask the group; this winter my wife and I will be making the road trip from Chicago to Boston and back, a trip we've made a few times before during the summer months.


My question is this: are their certain preparations I should make for a 1200 mile winter road trip. The truck (2011 XLT 4x4 w/ 5.0) will have fresh oil and a good once over before the trip and is on 33" AT3s. My concern is the Ohio/PA stretch can get a little hairy in the winter months and I want to make sure my truck is ready for that.


I've got a lightbar in the front that helps and was thinking about maybe some flush mount duallys in the back with the yellow or red covers so cars behind me could see me better if we get caught in a storm (would only flip them on if necessary).


The truck has proper recovery gear but not enough for a self extraction.


I know it's still sunny and 75 for most people but prepping three months in advance gives me time to buy and setup anything that I don't already have.


Thanks in advance for the input and advice.

Chris's FX4

A shovel for digging out of needed, couple sand bags for weight or can be used for traction if stuck. Rain-X Windows and lights, helps prevent ice build. Deicer in a spray bottle for cleaning lights off. If you have the space, put the spare tire in the bed. Nothing worse than going to change a tire on a snowy hwy only to find it frozen under the truck.

Martian

Flares. Triangles. A good tow strap. A bag or two of traction sand or cat litter. A radio - preferably a ham radio if you have the license, but a CB will always work. Phone chargers and emergency blankets. Your spare key - each of you carry one key in your pocket to reduce the chance of lockout. A jump starter (mine was $60 at WalMart, cheaper at Harbor Freight). A power inverter if you don't have 120V power points. Spare light bulbs and fuses. Tire pressure gauge and pump. Ice scrapers (duh). I usually bring a full-sized jack with me, breaker bar, and set of lug nut sockets - not dealing with that factory bullsh!t on the side of the road.

130428

(I just got my winters installed, so yes, some of us are thinking about winter!)

What Chris said, we hit a concrete barricade last winter, and I was glad to have a shovel in the back to straighten the fender back to where it doesn't rub on the tire! Spare in the bed for sure, and some warm clothes, blankets just in case. If the weather is really crappy when you hit the road, don't let the tank get too low (in case you have to sit idling for a few hours)

Winter driving is hit or miss. It can be cold but sunny and no snow on the road, or it can be a real crap show. The F150 is a great winter driving vehicle, just don't over-estimate its / your abilities!

NE Ford

Good call on the shovel and relocating the spare to the bed Chris. I'll have to start putting together a good emergency tool kit for the bed with some of the suggestions.


You think the rear lights may be a bit overkill?

Martian

If you get stuck somewhere, you can never have enough lights

TuxBlackFX4

Rear lights are not overkill. Visibility is HUGE and if you are disabled you want as many people to see you as possible. Lots of people killed each year simply by pulling to the side of the roadway.

kidastra

iTrader: (1)

As a Canadian forced to drive winter roads 4 months out of the year I have to chuckle at some of these "emergency" items

Yes you can never be to safe, and never to prepared, some items for real world scenarios.
1. Since you'll be traveling I'll assume you already have spare clothes, but a fresh set left in the car is nice, if needed they will already be warm
2. Extra set of gloves, if you do get into a situation that you'll be shoveling or changing a tire, having a seconds set of gloves is very important
3. Tow strap, and tow point on the rear (on your receiver hitch) if you do go into a ditch, being able to be pulled out from both front and back is important,
4. Salt bags, sand bags. Both can be used for traction.
5. Traction aids, mine are metal, and work very well to give you traction if you get stuck.
6. Winter tires! Probably the single most important and safe thing you could install, nothing will substitute the benefits of having good tires (my province made it a law to have them now)
7. Common sense, just because you drive a truck doesn't make you invincible, be realistic of places you can go and don't try to be a hero.
8. Other great pointers already given
9. Instead of installing rear lights, if the storm is really bad I just drive with my hazards on, not blinding and can be seen easily by drivers in front and back

I could go on, but honestly the highways should be plowed regularly and you probably will just be driving on wet pavement. Biggest issue is black ice, which is a thin film of ice on pavement, not the black chunks that fall out of wheel wells (as some people think) keeping control isn't about making major steering corrections, it's about staying calm and minor corrections.

EcoBoostJake

All of these ideas are great, and pretty handy to have incase of emergency.


A few things I did or didn't see but should be considered if you have the space.

• spare gas can (full)
• food/water
• manual winch w/ extra tow straps (mine was like $60 at harbor freight and while not exactly quality, should get me out of a jam)
• sand/salt/kitty litter or other spreadable surface to gain weight and traction
• shovel
• warm blankets/clothes/gloves etc.
• emergency kit w/ flares, triangles & flash light(s)
• spare in bed
• Full size jack / spider bar
• Jumper kit w/ compressor
• LED lights font/back

The only thing I lack from the above list is the extra lighting, and I hope to resolve that this fall.


Story time. Last January my grandmother fell and I had to visit her in the Detroit area. Left Chicago on the 9th around 5pm and was lucky enough to be behind that 150 car pile up on 94. Had I left on time, I might have been stuck in it. When the winds picked up, it was a white out, and I would lose site of the car 50 yards in front of me. Everyone had on their hazard lights, but extra lights would have made me feel better about not being rear-ended by an overconfident driver.


Odds are you will be fine, but all that extra gear will not change your MPG and may just save you hours of time waiting for a tow.


Drive safe, don't take chances, and pull over for coffee when you stop seeing big rig trucks. Those drivers communicate and are always on the road. When they get cold feet, it is wise to take a look at radar and see what is coming.

Chris's FX4

I think the rear lights may be overkill. Pretty sure that section your concerned about is salted so won't have to deal with too much powder on the road. Not like up here were you get dust clouds from all the cars in front of you. Which is one if the reasons rear facing ambers are required for the Snoball Raptor run up here. But hey, you never know. Wouldn't be something bad to have just in case.