Get Your Work Truck Winter Ready

From essential maintenance tips to must-have accessories, learn how to prepare your work truck for winter’s challenges.

As winter conditions begin to creep in, it’s time to think about cold-weather prepping your work truck. Whether you rely on your rig for your business or simply for personal use, getting it winter-ready is a smart move to ensure safe travels and optimum performance when temperatures drop and that dreaded white stuff starts falling.

We’ve rounded up some essential maintenance-minded advice, as well as some accessory recommendations for the approaching winter weather. The best way to determine what your individual truck needs is through a vehicle health checkup.

Inspect that Battery

Cold weather is tough on batteries, since the low temperatures cause internal chemical reactions to slow down. Add in all those extra power draws from the heater, headlights, windshield wipers and other accessories, and you’ve got one overtaxed system. Eventually, cold batteries reach a point where they can’t deliver enough current and die – potentially leaving you stranded.

To check your battery health, you can use a multimeter. Connect the probes to the proper battery terminals and take a reading with the ignition and headlights turned off. A healthy battery will read somewhere between 12.4-12.9 volts. Then, perform a load test by checking your battery again with the truck turned on. As a friend or helper turns on the vehicle, watch the multimeter reading. If it dips below 9.6 volts, it’s probably time for a new battery. While you’re in there, check the alternator. Keep watching the multimeter for another 15-20 seconds; the reading should start going up as the alternator begins charging the battery. You’re aiming for a reading in the 14-volt range.

Simple Winter Maintenance Tip: Protect your battery by driving regularly and parking in a warm place whenever possible. Vehicle batteries have an average lifespan of about 5-7 years.

Recommended Accessories: Since jumper cables require a Good Samaritan with a donor vehicle – something you can’t always rely on in freezing weather – we recommend keeping a jump starter on hand. Compact and easy-to-use, these portable solutions provide enough cranking power to safely jump a completely dead battery.

Check Your Fluid Levels

There are several fluid levels you should check before winter sets in. (In fact, we have an entire article dedicated to which ones you should refill and replace.) In short though, you’ll want to check:

• Oil. Since cold weather can thicken engine oil, some climates may necessitate switching to a lower viscosity — but only if your vehicle manufacturer allows it. Turn to the owner’s manual for guidance here.
• Antifreeze. Make sure your antifreeze is at the right level and that it’s a winter mix suitable for the lowest expected temperatures in your area. Again, refer to your owner’s manual.
• Fuel. To protect your fuel system during the winter season, keep your truck’s tank at least half full to minimize condensation (and ensure you always have enough juice to get where you’re going). If you live in a particularly cold climate, consider adding some gas-line antifreeze to the system. Diesel owners should definitely add some additives to the winter prep list, as diesel fuel can begin gelling when temperatures hit the 10-15°F mark. Grab a fresh filter and treat your fuel with an anti-gelling solution to avoid the headache.
• Windshield Washer Fluid. Visibility is critical during winter’s harsh weather, so be sure to swap out summer washer fluid for a winter-grade blend that can keep your windshield free and clear – and won’t cause your reservoir or sprayer nozzles to freeze.

Simple Winter Maintenance Tip: Address fluid maintenance before temperatures start plummeting. Not only will this help you avoid any climate-related issues but let’s be honest — DIYing in freezing temps is never fun.

Recommended Accessories: When you visit the parts store for winter-grade washer fluid, be sure to pick up an ice scraper and snow brush for those extra-rough mornings. You should also consider upgrading to a quality set of winter wiper blades. With a sturdier frame, bigger blade, and more flexible construction, winter wipers are specially designed to sit nice and tight against the windshield even in cold temperatures and wicked weather.

Assess Your Tire Tread

In many states, tires are considered legally ‘worn out’ when the tread is down to 2/32 of an inch. However, when expecting to encounter snowy road conditions, even 4/32 of an inch of tread may not be enough to gain traction quickly. To be safe, consider replacing your tires at 6/32 of an inch tread.

While depth gauges are available, the penny test works great to check tire tread. Place a penny into a tread groove with Lincoln’s head facing down. If part of his head is covered by the tread, then your tires have some life left in them. If you can see all of old Abe’s head, then it’s time to replace the tire.

You should also check tread wear patterns, since uneven wear can significantly impact your traction and safety on icy or snowy roads. Simply perform the penny test at the outer edge of the tire, then the center and finally, the inside edge. If you get different results, then there’s a good chance your tires are wearing unevenly. While it could be something as simple as your driving habits causing the issue (i.e., frequent hard braking and sharp turns), uneven wear could be a result of improper tire inflation, wheel misalignment, or even worn-out suspension components.

Simple Winter Maintenance Tip: Cold weather causes the air inside a tire to contract, leading to lower tire pressure levels and potentially affecting your truck’s handling and fuel efficiency. Therefore, a very simple winter maintenance tip for tires is to regularly check and maintain the correct tire pressure. This will ensure optimal grip and performance in cold conditions.

Recommended Accessories: If you’ll be doing a lot of driving in winter road conditions, you should consider winter tires. Winter tires have deeper tread depths and unique tread patterns that are designed to channel snow and slush and expel water, providing better traction. They also stand up to cold temperatures better than summer or all-seasons, ensuring safer cornering and handling. Since even the best winter tires won’t get you out of deep snow, though, consider keeping some traction aids in the truck bed too, like off-road recovery boards. Made of rugged plastic, they easily slide under your tires and provide a solid surface for gripping.

Winter Truck Accessories

When it comes to driving your work truck in winter conditions there are certain things that aren’t required to do your job, but will sure make your life easier and more enjoyable. For starters, heavy-duty floor and truck bed mats will keep your work vehicle cleaner through the dirty winter months and make that spring cleaning job a little less tough. Mud flaps prevent mud, water, salt, and other debris from spraying out and damaging your truck or other vehicles. Tonneau covers can help protect cargo and keep it warm and dry.

To protect your cargo along with your truck bed, consider adding a drop-in bed liner from DuraLiner. Crafted of high-quality HDPE, and using the most advanced thermoforming solutions in the automotive industry, DuraLiner drop-in bed liners are custom-fit to your truck bed, protecting not only the floor but also the sidewalls, bulkhead, and tailgate.

The strong but flexible construction stands up to dirty jobs, tough conditions, and high-impact applications, while the unique rib design provides up to 2x the skid resistance of other drop-in or spray on bedliners — as well as maximum protection from dings, dents, and scratches. The commercial-grade protection resists gasoline, oils and most chemicals, and also cleans up easily with soap and water when winter weather dirties up the truck bed. Installation is a breeze with no drilling required.

For more information on DuraLiner products, visit https://www.penda.com/duraliner/.