Need winter advise
 

Hello everyone,

I have recently moved from Orlando Florida to Herriman Utah, and I know how to take care of the truck as far as tires, antifreeze and driving in extremely heavy rain in Florida. However, I have never driven in snow and no virtually nothing about preparing my Ford F-150 for winter, do I need to change my 50 50 mix of antifreeze out to 100% antifreeze, will my all weather General Tires work okay or do I need to buy stud-less snow tires. So my question for all you you cold weather (big snow areas) what do I need to do to prepare my truck for the winter.

Thank You

The General tires suck, point blank. I'd ask around, see how bad the winters are as far as snow and go from there. Cooper AT-3s have served me well.

Antifreeze should be kept at a 50-50 mix, that's optimum for most conditions. Pure antifreeze actually sucks as far as being a coolant and freezes at a higher ambient temp than a 50-50 mix:

http://hellafunctional.com/wp-conten...1/freezept.gif


I'm in New York we routinely get -20 to -30 F in the winter, and have had no issues with 50% mix.

I'm running 297/65/20 toyo at 2 extreme I run I've had the basic at 2 with no issues extremes are said to be better . What I can comment on is that they are a smooth running tire and I have not had any issues with mud dirt or sand or the little bit of rain we've had so far
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...4197b74cca.jpg


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...b451e4c48d.jpg


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...74fde0ebd5.jpg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...00bab38a80.jpg

Actual winter tires is optimal and they will always perform better than any AT.

But that's also a major cost to eat for 4 more tires, swapping them out 2x a year and possibly rims also.

Thanks everyone, any advise is welcomed

Like mentioned already, the 50/50 engine antifreeze is what you want. Any auto store can do a quick test and tell you what your coolant is good for.

Tires, dedicated winter rubber does work best. But on my truck I have an all weather goodyear that performs ok. The big block tread is good for snow, but not great on ice. I'd check a couple tire shops in your new area to get a better idea.

How about windshield washer fluid?? Make sure you put in the winter stuff else the plastic resevoir / pump / lines might burst at the first cold snap. Up here we run -40 fluid year round so we don't have that problem.

If salt is being used on the roads where you are, then a good rust proof will be necessary.
And if it gets real cold, then you might want to consider a block heater.

I don't believe they use road salt in Utah? So count your blessings there. As far as driving in snow goes, a lot depends on where, and when you do most of your driving.

For example, I'm in the midwest, and I am on the road at 4am most days. The roads are usually horrible in the winter that early. Lots of snow & ice. Especially in the less traveled areas, like where I live. I use to have AT tires, and just replace them every 2 years. Last year I opted for dedicated snow tires, and just swap them off in the spring. I love the Blizzaks!

#1. Flush your washer fluid out,
Put the coldest temp stuff you can find in BEFORE winter.
I learned this the hard way and got slushies on my windshield.......LoL

#2. Check your brakes BEFORE the winter season begins.
There's nothing worse then busting your knuckles in the freezing temps because you thought your brakes would make it 3 more months to Spring and they don't.

#3. Rotate your tires
Simply put most people never even do it, so it's wise to make sure you have
the beefiest tires on the front of the truck before winter begins.

#4. Underbody coating ??
Do you have an underbody coating to protect the bare painted fender wells from the road salt you're going to expose the truck to ??? If not, now might be a good time to consider doing it. Blast that under carriage, let it dry, and properly coat it to seal it as best you can.

#5. Wash your under carriage at least every 2 weeks.
I'm lucky enough to have an unlimited car wash for $15 a month that also includes and underbody spraying. That's the most crucial part you're going to need with all the road salt exposure.

You don't need special tires. I'm in Chicago and we get hit pretty good with snow annually. I've never had an issue with the factory OEM tires. Of course bigger and beefier is nice in soft snow but sucks on black ice......so it's a catch 22.

You don't need to touch your coolant either. Leave it alone.

Winter driving
 

Thanks,
Never considered the window washing fluid, in Florida you just have to make sure it is strong enough to remove love bugs. I appreciate all of the advise, being a native of Florida this will be a new experience.