Any hints tips and trucks on making the truck more able to survive the harsh climate? A block heater is in the works, I am changing all the hoses, spider and side gears, exhaust tps, putting in some roller rocker that i neglected to put in on the engine build and all the fluids before a 6000 mile drive up there. Any more suggestions? What would you run for gear oil in sub zero weather? I planning on running 5-40 syn shell rotella motor oil. I need to fix the blend door so I can get full heat too. Any thing im missing?

 

washer fluid that wont freeze, a good set of wiper blades, and have a chain or strap with ya just in case.lol..

 

First of all, don't believe all the hype about the cold. I'm generally a very cautious person and here's what I did for our minivan and my Excursion.

I lived in Fairbanks for 3 years where it can get as low as -65 degrees. Generally, other than work, people don't get out much below -35 to -40 unless they really need to. We installed a block heater, battery heater, oil pan heater, transmission pan heater, and 70:30 antifreeze:water ratio, everything else bone stock, including the oil viscosity and other fluids. I run all synthetic and never have a problem. We now live in Anchorage where it gets below 0 only a few times per year.

I see you are a Coasty. I assume you will be in Juneau, Kodiak or Anchorage so you will only need to blend your antifreeze appropriately and I would get a battery heater just make sure. Block heaters are nice to have. I plug my truck in on the really cold nights only because I already have the heaters installed, and I like to be warm sooner rather than later.

Something else to consider is an remote start so you can warm your car up without having to go out in the cold to start it. Don't forget to unplug it when you leave...ask me how I know.

You definitely want to fix the blend door on the heater.

Bring survival gear to keep warm in the coldest temps you will drive through. If you break down, you can be fighting for your life in minutes without a way to keep warm.

Good luck,
Stew

 

exactly what ex03ak said! and hes toatly right on the remote start thing...i refuse to own a truck without one it makes life sooo much nicer!

goodluck with the move, where are you heading?

 

its not to bad, we get by just fine here... just always be prepared.. i fell in teh river once not prepared in january, and it was not a plesent experiance.

 

Im going to Kodiak. How do the gel optima batteries fair in the cold? Im still not sure on my living situation yet, so I don't know if plugging in every night will be an option. My truck is a stick so I don't think that the remote start is a good idea, nor the transmission heat a necessity. I will be moving in early to mid may its looking like now. My heater works well, but not as well as my old jobs 91 super cab with the same engine, I will have to dig in to that when I get back to Cali on leave, its hard to work on my truck where I am now.

 

Hey BucksTrucks...
I can't see a way to PM you, so I'll throw this out here. I have a battery warmer/heater for sale. It's a flexible wrap-around style, which was held on with extra long zip ties. Plugs into any 110 outlet. Looks to be in very good condition. $50 shipped anywhere in the 48 states. I'm in LA if you're local.

(Pre-apologies for a 'for sale' posting here, but as I said before...)

GL with the move. Better that you're doing it now after the hardest part of winter.

 

join the FTE Alaska chapter please. we need more members and youll get better info about the move im sure.. its here Alaska Chapter - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

if your going to Kodiak you dont really have to worry about cold...its pretty mild down there.

 

Don't know for sure about the gel battery in the cold. Seems to me I read where gel is actually better because it won't freeze like a water-based battery might.

Remote starts can work with a stick. The installer will know what to do to make it work.

You're right, transmission heater not necessary on a manual tranny.

The roads will be clear in May but it can still be fairly cold in the higher elevations as you get further north. I would still fix the heater before you leave. There should be enough traffic by then to get help pretty quickly if you get stranded.

Stew

 

heck there really isnt far you can drive on kodiak, i imagine gas would be expensive there too

 

Yea, I'm not really taking the truck up there for transit, maybe to do some exploring, but I just wouldn't feel right with out my truck! Not to mention you make more money driving as apposed to flying, and I love driving! I keep hearing mixed reviews on Kodiaks weather, guess its time to google up on that!