Could use advice from people in cold climates.

[OCMEDIC]

Hey everyone I was hoping to get some advice, tips and any other input from those of you who live in colder climates. At the end of the month I am moving from Laguna Beach, CA where I have lived since birth up to Sun Valley, ID which is a very significant climate change. I have never lived anywhere where it gets that cold or where it snows in the winters. So I am just curious if there's anything I need to know for the upkeep of my car. Info about what I am running is in my build thread which I will link at the bottom and since my truck is lifted with a light bar it's probably not going to be fitting in any garages so it will most likely be stored outside. If there's any other answers you need from me to give better advice feel free to ask.

Thanks
Chris

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/124868-ocmedic-build-thread.html

 

[CXS]

Just buy some warm clothes for yourself, your truck doesn't care about the temperature. Outside of making sure you're coolant is appropriate there nothing you need to do beside learning how to drive in snow.

You know every state blames their terrible winter drivers on SoCal transplants! :lol:

 

[WiscoRunner]

Maybe look into a block heater or a remote start system. Makes it a little easier for the engine to warm up before driving in the cold. I'm in northern WI where we see a lot of sub-zero temps and I've used both and they've been great! Some may disagree with remote starts but I think they've come a long way in the last few years. Definitely nice to go out to a warm truck when it's below freezing!

 

[OCMEDIC]

Just buy some warm clothes for yourself, your truck doesn't care about the temperature. Outside of making sure you're coolant is appropriate there nothing you need to do beside learning how to drive in snow.

You know every state blames their terrible winter drivers on SoCal transplants! :lol:

Love the Goku smiley haha. In traffic school they say California drivers have a reputation around the nation for being terrible drivers, and with good reason.

 

[talonjade]

Learn the different types of ice and what to do when on them. How long it takes your truck to stop and remember... your in-charge of a 2,000Lb bullet if your not in control then your going too fast for conditions... yes even if its 5MPH!

ie. OK so your going over a bridge and its icy where should your foot be? (not on the gas)...unless its in 4wd...then keep calm and carry on.

Honestly be safe man! SoCal drivers are oblivious to what ice does to cars...although this one time it snowed 0.0000000002 in while i was driving through Texas and you'd think you were in some kind of comedy show :nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono: thats all i have to say about that except i was driving 75 (posted) and everyone else was 35 (REALLY!!!) you should have seen their faces when i passed them...like i was the most crazy person in the world.... it was the dry snow that stuff that evaporates before it melts... it wasn't fit to call itself freezer burn.. I was in tears.

 

[wolf4runner]

Don't cheapen out the motor oil and battery, you are good to go.

 

[OCMEDIC]

Right on, ya learning to drive in those conditions makes me a bit nervous but the duratrac's are supposed to be pretty good in snow and I am a very conservative driver. The real difficult thing is going to be driving the paramedic unit up there. That could get real interesting.

 

[TRDCal]

Learn the different types of ice and what to do when on them. How long it takes your truck to stop and remember... your in-charge of a 2,000Lb bullet if your not in control then your going too fast for conditions... yes even if its 5MPH!

ie. OK so your going over a bridge and its icy where should your foot be? (not on the gas)...unless its in 4wd...then keep calm and carry on.

Not to be nit picky but a 4runner is more like a 4500lb bullet and if your driving over a patch of icy, hitting the brake is just as bad as hitting the gas. Your best bet is to coast, if you need to slow down just down shift.

Altho I do agree with the fact that you have to drive according to the conditions even if that means going 5mph.

Right on, ya learning to drive in those conditions makes me a bit nervous but the duratrac's are supposed to be pretty good in snow and I am a very conservative driver.

I might get flamed for this because I really don't know what winters are like in Sun Valley (they don't sound cold ). Personally I wouldn't drive in the winter with Mud/All-terrain tires. Even if there "rated" for snow.

Keep in mind you can have snow on the ground and have the temperature above the freezing point, in that situation your Duratracs would probably be fine in snow. It's when it drops below the freezing point and your Duratracs become hard as a rock, thats when your traction is significantly reduced. Even if your driving on dry pavement its the rubber compound in the tire that is not designed for cold temperatures. That's where winter tires come in, they stay soft at cold temperatures giving you exceptionally better traction.

Also don't forget to change your washer fluid to an antifreeze type.

 

[Adumb]

Also don't forget to change your washer fluid to an antifreeze type.

most washer fluids are good down the -20. The biggest upside of the winter formulated ones is the RainX brand has alcohol in it to help melt ice on the windshield. (no scraping ) and the Prestone also has Ethylene Glycol to help keep water from re-freezing on the windshield.

also get a good or a couple good ice scrapers. unless you have alot of spare credit cards.

 

[xxaarraa]

• Remote start is a nice feature in the cold. Saves a lot of time and keeps the car nice and warm when you get in.
• Get some wetahertech digital fit floor liners, they will keep the snow and sludge and **** from messing up your carpets.
• Wash your car every week or every other week. I usually wash my cars twice as often in the winter as the summer to get all the salt and crap off of it periodically.
• Always have your windshield washer fluid topped off, I leave a jug in the car at all times.
• Make sure your wiper blades are working perfectly.
• Try and fill-up with 93 or any kind of high-end blend that has minimal additives. I don't think you can get away from "winter blend" but try and get a grade that has as little of it as possible. Prepare for your MPG to drop a good 10%.

 

[Pepedog11]

Just buy some warm clothes for yourself, your truck doesn't care about the temperature. Outside of making sure you're coolant is appropriate there nothing you need to do beside learning how to drive in snow.

You know every state blames their terrible winter drivers on SoCal transplants! :lol:

Oh your truck cares about the temp outside, but ID temp probally not much you really need to change. I am in North Pole, AK and I can tell you the 4runner does wierd things and -50F at 35mph.

Good things have been said above, good tires, wipers, deiceing fluid is nice and just bellow freezing (I empty mine for everything freezes), remote starter to keep you warm.

Best rule to remember about driveing on snow/ice 4 wheel drive helps you stay moving and better sterring/control but it does nothing when you take the foot off the gas and put it on the brake.

 

[MidwestT4R]

A couple of these were listed above:

-Yes, get the WeatherTech floor mats for winter. Go back to the carpet in Summer.
- Wash the Car regularly including an undercarriage wash to remove salt if the use it where you move to.

But a couple more:

-Every fall, without fail, wash the truck thoroughly and then wax everything including the door jambs. Sure, you may do this multiple times each year, but for sure before the first snow.
- If you plan on going off road or out in the boonies, you should explore a survival kit of some sort. There are all sorts of lists you can find on the internet, but it typically includes things like some basic tools, warm clothes/blankets, water, food, some basic spare parts, and possibly some alternative communication like a cb radio. I'm sure there are better lists out there but this is a start.

 

[ebg18t]

Having lived up there the first thing I would do I get I'd get rid of your Cali plate. Cali folks get a bad rap up there..

Use washer fluid rated or -20 or -30. Use the 0w-30 oil. Make sure your battery is still good and if you are parking outside get a block heater. I used the block heater for peice of mind.

Have fun and get the season pass for the resort. It will be worth it.

 

[radlynx]

with all the things that was mentioned above about what you will need, i think it's better to have a 4x4 motor home. you'll have all the things that you need.

but seriously speaking, just go with the flow in traffic. keep your distance in front of you, don't shift lane quickly, accelerate slowly or brake slowly to avoid fishtailing. usually, the roads are plowed and no ice in it. but on conditions like it's snowing and raining with pretty much freezing temp and snow on the ground, extra caution is required.

your car should be fine outside and i don't really recommend idling the car to warm up. just start, wait a few seconds and drive, this way the car warms up quicker and you save on gas. idling will kill your Catalytic converter quicker. hope this helps.

 

[OCMEDIC]

Wow this is all a lot to take in, I'm actually not much of a winter sports guy but it was just a great job opportunity and in the warmer months with my love for mountain biking, off-roading, rock climbing, fly fishing and all sorts of river sports it will be like candyland for me. I guess I'll have to try and pick up skiing or snowboarding, probably wouldn't make much sense not to with such an awesome mountain in town.

 

[CXS]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned a very important winter driving tip - watch the lane change when there's snow between lanes. Lots of people casually change lanes only to lose control when hitting a couple inches of snow. I see it all the time in CO when CA transplants hit the road after the first decent snowfall.

 

[CXS]

I am in North Pole, AK and I can tell you the 4runner does wierd things and -50F at 35mph.

Everything's wierd at -50°! I lived in MN for 25 years and the coldest I recall was -30°, I don't miss the cold at all! Good thing wind chill has no bearing on the trucks!

 

[Park]

Best rule to remember about driveing on snow/ice 4 wheel drive helps you stay moving and better sterring/control but it does nothing when you take the foot off the gas and put it on the brake.

What if youdont have full time 4wd or awd? doesnt that make your gears bind up when you turn? Or does the loss of traction on snow allow your wheels to spin and thus not bind any differential or tranny gears? Sorry not trying to hijack thread.
And just to contribute:
I have heard that if you rev your engine up or get on it in cold temperatures w/o letting the engine warm up you run the risk of cracking a head, but if you are a conservative driver then you will be alright.

 

[KingPrat]

Personally I wouldn't drive in the winter with Mud/All-terrain tires. Even if there "rated" for snow.

Not flamed, but more curiosity. I had ATs on for years now, and was never unhappy with traction in the snow, even if my Jeep spent the night outside. How much colder is it up in Ontario than upstate NY? I've never used a snow tire, either.

Now, they were Nokian's, which is a solid winter tire manuf, but not sure what difference the compound could be between different types of AT tires.

I've heard that MTs are tough in the snow, but have no experience with them.

 

[MikeInNH]

The 4runner will be fine in the winter...you don't have to do anything. Coolant should be fine. The same coolant that keeps the water from freezing in winter also keeps it from boiling over in hot weather. It should be the exact same mixture.

Your biggest problem is driving in snow/ice. It's completely different then driving on dry pavement. If you have summer tires on your 4runner...get rid of them and get a tire more suitable to winter driving. I personally drive an AT tire (Cooper AT3's). They'll handle much much better on snow.

Also LEARN how to drive in snow. The best advice I can give you...is "SLOW DOWN"...Let me repeat...."SLOW DOWN". You want to go slow and steady in snow....The faster you go in snow the less traction you'll have.