Winterize your 4runner

[Acorn22]

Sorry to bring up such an old thread again, but I do need some help. I have moved to one of the coldest parts of Colorado (from what I understand) where it can hit Temps as low as -35 in the winter. Coming from Alabama, I have no idea what the hell I am doing when it comes to make a car winter proof.

I've seen a lot about spraying a rust preventative undercoating on the frame because of the Mag Chloride Colorado uses, as well as swapping washer fluids and having emergency winter gear, but what else should I do to prepare? Do I go straight Toyota Coolant? Do I change oil to a 0w-30 to help with cold starts...?

Thanks everyone

 

[alumarine]

Sorry to bring up such an old thread again, but I do need some help. I have moved to one of the coldest parts of Colorado (from what I understand) where it can hit Temps as low as -35 in the winter. Coming from Alabama, I have no idea what the hell I am doing when it comes to make a car winter proof.

I've seen a lot about spraying a rust preventative undercoating on the frame because of the Mag Chloride Colorado uses, as well as swapping washer fluids and having emergency winter gear, but what else should I do to prepare? Do I go straight Toyota Coolant? Do I change oil to a 0w-30 to help with cold starts...?

Thanks everyone

You don't say where in Colorado but -35 can't happen very often.

I'd use 5W-30, synthetic if you want to.

Good quality Asian type antifreeze mixed 60% antifreeze / 40% water.

Might want a block heater. But only if it's 5 degrees F or less overnight often.

Definitely want a remote starter. Takes the edge off winter.

Snow tires or tires with snow flake symbol.

 

[Hesk11dog]

dont use 0w-30, 5w-30 will work fine. Refill with 10W-30 for summer. Buy an antifreeze tester to see what your fluid is like. can drain some and refill with coolant to lower the freezing temp.

Stay away from rubberized undercoatings. Rinse the frame and wheel wells as often as you can. Common sense items for emergencies, as stated before, should be handy with fresh batteries checked periodically as cold temps drain batteries.

A decent all-terrain tire will help with traction. find an empty parking lot or road when the first snow and ice hits and practice handling your vehicle. See how it feels when it is kicked sideways and how letting off the gas straightens your rig. driving in snow and ice is a complete different ball game then dry pavement. you dont want to be in a situation where you lost control and dont know how to compensate the steering. I feel this is more important then winterizing your vehicle cause what is the point of keeping the frame rust free if you smash it up from poor driving.

Enjoy the snow and cold like the rest of us do!

 

[Sleeping-bear]

Sorry to bring up such an old thread again, but I do need some help. I have moved to one of the coldest parts of Colorado (from what I understand) where it can hit Temps as low as -35 in the winter. Coming from Alabama, I have no idea what the hell I am doing when it comes to make a car winter proof.

I've seen a lot about spraying a rust preventative undercoating on the frame because of the Mag Chloride Colorado uses, as well as swapping washer fluids and having emergency winter gear, but what else should I do to prepare? Do I go straight Toyota Coolant? Do I change oil to a 0w-30 to help with cold starts...?

Thanks everyone

Hey there,
I would highly recommend proper "Snow flake" rate winter tires.
*Silicone treatment on all door seals to prevent doors from freezing shut.
*Winter windshield washer fluid, the normal stuff will just freeze. look for the -40 rated stuff.
*an emergency kit in your vehicle, blankets, etc. (whole other topic)
*winter wiper blades, the normal ones will ice up and not work very well (the winter ones dont have the exposed metal frame, they have a rubber sheath over them, prevents ice build up).
*a collapsible snow shovel is handy if your not used to snow driving, its priceless if you end up actually needing it.
*and a general tune-up of your vehicle (fluids, battery etc).

Just normal routine up here in Atlantic Canada, -30 to -40 winters, lotsa snow and ice!!!

AS MENTIONED ABOVE: if you can find an empty parkinglot once there is some good packed snow down, go out and play, see how your vehicle reacts in a slide etc. great way to prepare for winter driving.

Have fun & be safe!!!

 

[tystaco]

Having grown up in Northern MI, and spent almost 10 years in the UP along Lake Superior, I agree with the recommendations of keeping oil at 5W-30...I never really swapped windshield washer fluid but maybe they just sell the low temp stuff up north.

If your battery is not long for this world, you'll find out real quick at -20 and below, so if you're worried, get one with good cold cranking amps...I am sure there are loads of threads on here about that.

As for windshield wipers, I recommend that if you park outside, lift them off the glass so they don't freeze down. Also get an ice scraper and use it....windshield washer solvent and using the wipers to scrape your windshield is for high school chics...you'll wreck your blades extra fast that way. No need to change to a winter blade if yours are in good shape and you don't let them freeze down a bunch.

Block heater can be nice, but really isn't necessary on a gas engine unless you are sustaining some seriously cold temps. Remote start is pretty nice...can make scraping windows easier if you remember to leave your fan settings on defrost.

Snow tires are amazing. And even though dura-tracs have the snow symbol on them, and do fairly well, real snow tire rubber is super soft and can make a two wheel drive feel like a 4WD and a 4WD feel like even more of a champ...but take a while to learn to drive on snow and ice...extra stopping distance, avoid big hills especially with gravity assisting.

 

[alumarine]

Funny, I never thought of mentioning winter windshield washer fluid because I run it all year round.

But down south it wouldn't even exist.

Good point about the battery.
You'll find out if it's good first -10 day.

 

[Acorn22]

Thank all of you guys for the suggestions, like I said, I have no experience with this new climate I'll be in but I will definitely try to keep all of this in mind. I think the biggest thing for me will be learning how to drive in these conditions!

 

[Sleeping-bear]

Thank all of you guys for the suggestions, like I said, I have no experience with this new climate I'll be in but I will definitely try to keep all of this in mind. I think the biggest thing for me will be learning how to drive in these conditions!

Good news is your in a 4runner... Its a beast in the snow!!
Just take your time, practice on ice and snow in a safe place when you can... And don't assume your bullet proof BC your in a 4wheel drive.... I've see too many accidents with over confident 4wheel drive drivers in winter weather!!!

Oh and give yourself more braking distance! 4runner is heavy and takes longer to stop on slippery roads!! Real winter tires will help with this allot.

Best of all have some fun!!!!

 

[tystaco]

Best of all have some fun!!!!

Seriously....fish tailing every turn in city blocks is the best once you know how

 

[Mark_BC]

Yeah don't assume you can stop better because it's 4x4. Don't get over confident.

If you have rust underneath I'd hit the frame with some rust paint, see the Rust Plan thread that's on this page or the next one. Then hit any remaining exposed rust with rust inhibitor.

I drove through California last January and it was BLOODY cold!!!!! Almost froze my a$$ off.

 

[Acorn22]

We had one day in Bama earlier this winter where it snowed and everything immediately iced over, let's just say I'm not a stranger to having my 4runner whip out a nice 720 lol. I will for sure be driving like an old lady as soon as the snow starts to fall, solely for the fact that I have clocked in a total of about 2 hours of snow/ice driving in my life.

Thank you guys for the tips!

 

[Dougal]

Thank you guys for the tips!

I have a 3rd Gen 4runner currently mechanically in top shape and zero rust (as sitting in NM and AZ for most of it's life) - relatively low miles anyway I've brought it over to NYC and am scared about the salt destroying the car - I only use it currently on the weekends ....my thought is just to park it and leave it for the winter.... in reality that is likely to be too inconvenient so not sure if I should undercoat it (fluid film?) and/or just wash it every week or just watch it fall apart ...

 

[brillo_76]

I have a 3rd Gen 4runner currently mechanically in top shape and zero rust (as sitting in NM and AZ for most of it's life) - relatively low miles anyway I've brought it over to NYC and am scared about the salt destroying the car - I only use it currently on the weekends ....my thought is just to park it and leave it for the winter.... in reality that is likely to be too inconvenient so not sure if I should undercoat it (fluid film?) and/or just wash it every week or just watch it fall apart ...

Welcome to the rust belt. Not driving in the winter does slow the rust die down but this environment is totally different.

Tips

1] Keep the metal as clean as possible. Wax or put some kind of protectant on your exterior steel painted body panels.

2] Even if you dont drive it on the winter, power wash the underneath and go crazy with the fluid film or something similar.

Get that fluid over everything except the exhaust and get it the rockers and inside the doors everywhere.

If you dont put some kind of protectant on the steel. Uou end up with Rust buckets like my Tetanus 1 and Tetanus 2

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

 

[Dougal]

Welcome to the rust belt. Not driving in the winter does slow the rust die down but this environment is totally different.

Tips

1] Keep the metal as clean as possible. Wax or put some kind of protectant on your exterior steel painted body panels.

2] Even if you dont drive it on the winter, power wash the underneath and go crazy with the fluid film or something similar.

Get that fluid over everything except the exhaust and get it the rockers and inside the doors everywhere.

If you dont put some kind of protectant on the steel. Uou end up with Rust buckets like my Tetanus 1 and Tetanus 2

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

Thanks - appears pretty straight forward - looks like a good couple of hrs work and cover exhaust to avoid burning it off... hopefully it will have some effect

 

[brillo_76]

Thanks - appears pretty straight forward - looks like a good couple of hrs work and cover exhaust to avoid burning it off... hopefully it will have some effect

Or just dont spray directly on it. I personally dont cover my exhaust but I use Fluid film.

Yes it's not rocket science and very straight forward.

Unfortunately though, you notice how this environment is different. Would be a pile better if these states quit using salt etc. To melt the snow and ice. That salt water or calcium chloride mist is extremely hard on steel. :[

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

 

[raKnizek]

Welcome to the rust belt. Not driving in the winter does slow the rust die down but this environment is totally different.

Tips

1] Keep the metal as clean as possible. Wax or put some kind of protectant on your exterior steel painted body panels.

2] Even if you dont drive it on the winter, power wash the underneath and go crazy with the fluid film or something similar.

Get that fluid over everything except the exhaust and get it the rockers and inside the doors everywhere.

If you dont put some kind of protectant on the steel. Uou end up with Rust buckets like my Tetanus 1 and Tetanus 2

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

Why do you suggest the fluid film even if the vehicle isnt driven? If it sits in a garage all winter I cant imagine the salt will have any effect. Do you think it gets into the air like it does in coastal areas?

 

[poochadamsville]

Just throwing this out there but fluid film by itself will degrade rubberized undercoating due to the chemical interaction of the lanolin in the fluid film. Being from NE PA where it snows in feet and the water splashing off the road will burn your eyes and your skin there is a product made by Les Frikshun in Oil City, PA that is called Rust Avert. The Rust Avert is a wax so it has no effect on your factory undercoating and it sprays equally to fluid film. Being a new 4 runner owner can anyone advise me on any trouble spots on the Gen5s? Are the fender wells vulnerable? bumpers? any advise is appreciated. Thank you,

 

[brillo_76]

Not sure about the 5th gens as this is the 3rd gen section of the forum..


I haven't seen any reaction with fluid film lanolin on the undercarriage of my 3rd gens.

I have seen motor oil react with rubber but not fluid film.


You have any documentation backing up the interaction with rubberized undercoating?


As I know, the rubberized undercoating spray on is the absolute worst thing you can coat rusted steel with. As it holds the moisture against the metal and causes the oxidation rate to increase dramatically.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

 

[VernySanders]

Woolwax. Exact same thing as fluid film. Creeps just as much but it's a lot thicker and from what I hear extremely difficult to wash off. I have some coming in the mail right now. I live in Michigan unfortunately I've got to drive my truck one last winter. Shes still rust free though and ive applied POR-15 and Eastwood internal frame coating. The woolwax I ordered is actually black as well so when everything's coated it will look really nice

 

[poochadamsville]

My only "documentation" is seeing first hand what it did to my Ford Super duty The fluid film in a full strength application did not agree with the factory undercoat at all. It almost appeared melted in some places and began peeling when the weather warmed up leaving pockets for water to lay in. After 5 or 6 hours with putty knife trying to get rid of this it did not further itself after that. The rust avert for me has been the way to go. Since it is mostly wax there is no interaction it just seals everything and stays tacky. I have not done it but I think you could get by on one application every two years instead of every year.