cold weather checklist.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
cold weather checklist.
In a couple af weeks I will be pulling a 16 ft trailer to alaska and leaving it up there for my daughter and son in law to drive for awile.
86 f250 4/4 ats turbo 4sp gearvenders with dually kit.
I thought I would ask the experts here to sdd there 2 cents for ideas what all to do and check before I leave wiyh it in case I miss something.
This will be their primary vehicle until they buy something maybe 2 weeks or all winter.All ideas and thoughts are welcome.THANKS
86 f250 4/4 ats turbo 4sp gearvenders with dually kit.
I thought I would ask the experts here to sdd there 2 cents for ideas what all to do and check before I leave wiyh it in case I miss something.
This will be their primary vehicle until they buy something maybe 2 weeks or all winter.All ideas and thoughts are welcome.THANKS
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
Big batteries
Glow plug system in perfect working order
Charging system in perfect order, if their trips are short distances a larger than stock alternator would be a good idea
Hoses and belts
Good working block heater at least 1000 watt
Glow plug system in perfect working order
Charging system in perfect order, if their trips are short distances a larger than stock alternator would be a good idea
Hoses and belts
Good working block heater at least 1000 watt
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
Dave do you know what the watt rating is on the stock block heater.
They bought a place in wasilla temp extremes are not like the interior probably comparable to where you live just longer winters.
Trips will never be shorter than 10 miles plus a warmup period.
Both my daughter and son in law have driven for me in the past they understand diesels and both know how to care for them so that is no concern wich is good they know this is my baby.
I have noticed you run synthetic oil what do you run.
They bought a place in wasilla temp extremes are not like the interior probably comparable to where you live just longer winters.
Trips will never be shorter than 10 miles plus a warmup period.
Both my daughter and son in law have driven for me in the past they understand diesels and both know how to care for them so that is no concern wich is good they know this is my baby.
I have noticed you run synthetic oil what do you run.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
I was running Mobil Delvac 1 till it was discontinued.
Now I am running Mobil 1.
I like how synthetics stand up to the heat from the turbo better than conventional oils do.
Block heaters vary, I have seen 500 watts on the low end and 1500 watts on the high end.
I usually run 1000 watts here.
A little cheaper to operate, since mine is plugged in all night every time we have snow in the forecast or the forecast morning low is below 10 degrees.
Now I am running Mobil 1.
I like how synthetics stand up to the heat from the turbo better than conventional oils do.
Block heaters vary, I have seen 500 watts on the low end and 1500 watts on the high end.
I usually run 1000 watts here.
A little cheaper to operate, since mine is plugged in all night every time we have snow in the forecast or the forecast morning low is below 10 degrees.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
Installed a set of lightforce 240blitz today wired them into the high beams.
I just got back from dialing them in when you hit the dimmer switch you think the lights went out for a second.
I just got back from dialing them in when you hit the dimmer switch you think the lights went out for a second.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
From what I was reading about them on Alaska 4x4 there were a couple guys wanting to run the Lightforce lights alone while driving in blowing snow.
Hope you used relays on the high beam circuit, that much extra load will kill the light switch.
Hope you used relays on the high beam circuit, that much extra load will kill the light switch.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
You can't run the light force in a blow it comepletly blinds you.
But we have blue lenses to put on them they come in 2 styles a clear blue and a wide angle that work in the snow the wide angle works the best.
The reason I go with the dimmer switch is when running you Can't see oncoming lights on curves like you do with headlights so you need to turn them off quick instead of fumbling for a switch.
One of these days I will get smart enough and figure out how to wire up two sources of power this could eleminate a set of lights.
But we have blue lenses to put on them they come in 2 styles a clear blue and a wide angle that work in the snow the wide angle works the best.
The reason I go with the dimmer switch is when running you Can't see oncoming lights on curves like you do with headlights so you need to turn them off quick instead of fumbling for a switch.
One of these days I will get smart enough and figure out how to wire up two sources of power this could eleminate a set of lights.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
Here is one mod to use relays and power straight from the alternator.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...ay_System.html
Here is another that has a little more text to go with the diagram.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...r_Brights.html
What concerns me is if you are running 2 - 55 watt headlights and 2 - 100 watt driving lights.
Now you are running 310 watts through the switch and stock wiring that is already to small for stock headlights.
I did the second mod getting power straight from the battery through a fuse to the relays mounted under the hood.
10 AWG wire from the battery to the relays for power.
12 AWG from each relay to each headlight
12 AWG from each headlight to ground
Much brighter lights, and the headlight switch does not even get warm after the mod.
Yeah I was reading about the blue covers.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...ay_System.html
Here is another that has a little more text to go with the diagram.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...r_Brights.html
What concerns me is if you are running 2 - 55 watt headlights and 2 - 100 watt driving lights.
Now you are running 310 watts through the switch and stock wiring that is already to small for stock headlights.
I did the second mod getting power straight from the battery through a fuse to the relays mounted under the hood.
10 AWG wire from the battery to the relays for power.
12 AWG from each relay to each headlight
12 AWG from each headlight to ground
Much brighter lights, and the headlight switch does not even get warm after the mod.
Yeah I was reading about the blue covers.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
Dave my headlights are not exactly 55 watts either even my backup lights on my big truck are 130 watt landing lights but I use relays or continuis duty solenoids on everything.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
OK, I did not want to hear about you getting stuck in the middle of nowhere with no headlights.
And hundreds of miles to the closest parts stores.
If you ran the trigger wire to the center contact of a single pole double throw switch,
Power to one of the end contacts and high beam wire to the other end contact.
One way the dimmer switch could control the driving lights and the other way the switch would tun the driving lights on without the headlights.
You would need three relays to run them like that.
And hundreds of miles to the closest parts stores.
If you ran the trigger wire to the center contact of a single pole double throw switch,
Power to one of the end contacts and high beam wire to the other end contact.
One way the dimmer switch could control the driving lights and the other way the switch would tun the driving lights on without the headlights.
You would need three relays to run them like that.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
I gotcha on the double throw switch but are you saying to use the other two relays to power the relay to the lights right. I think I know what you are talking about.
Those links would of sure been handy a few years ago when I first started using that system woudn't have been near as much head scratghing.
Those links would of sure been handy a few years ago when I first started using that system woudn't have been near as much head scratghing.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,501
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From: Faibanks Ak.
Taking spares
1 alt
2starter
3 belts
4 wiper blades
5 glowplugs
6 lights fuses relays
anymore suggestions I have spare everything so it is not an expense.
Gotta go to mother inlaws for turkeyday now.
Happy thanksgiving and god bless all of you.
1 alt
2starter
3 belts
4 wiper blades
5 glowplugs
6 lights fuses relays
anymore suggestions I have spare everything so it is not an expense.
Gotta go to mother inlaws for turkeyday now.
Happy thanksgiving and god bless all of you.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
Actually the trigger wire for the high beam need to run to the switch from the high beam relay.
Here I modified one of the drawings above, excuse my fast freehand paint drawing though.
Power from the high beam trigger circuit to one side of the single pole double throw switch.
Power from the fuse panel on the other side.
Trigger wire to the driving lights from the center terminal of the switch.
So driving lights on and off with high beam lights,
Or driving lights with no head lights.
If the switch was ON - OFF - ON the center position would be no driving lights.
Here I modified one of the drawings above, excuse my fast freehand paint drawing though.
Power from the high beam trigger circuit to one side of the single pole double throw switch.
Power from the fuse panel on the other side.
Trigger wire to the driving lights from the center terminal of the switch.
So driving lights on and off with high beam lights,
Or driving lights with no head lights.
If the switch was ON - OFF - ON the center position would be no driving lights.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Faibanks Ak.
I got it Dave thanks . I just got back from thanksgiving stopped at autozone no double throw switches or relays advanced auto had the relays but no switches. I've never powered the switch from the other side of the relay just at the dimmer switch. I know of several truckers who used power from the little wire to the high beam indicator with no ill effects but I dont know how many amps a relay pulls.