Ranger on the ALCAN in winter

[fixmyplane]

Have an 05 4x4 Ranger, auto trans, on the fly 4wd- and I'm going down the alcan in a couple of weeks. I expect extreme low temps of about 40 below or more. Question I have is: are there any low temp problems associated with the 4wd system-or anything else for that matter! I am concerned about the 4wd 2wd switching.
thanx

 

[predator]

what is the alcan?? driving straight through non-stop or visiting?

i think it was last year or maybe the year before we had about a week where it was -50 F with the windchill, if your vehicle did start if you had an automatic you shifted into neutral while the vehicle warmed up to get the fluid moving, didnt hear of any problems with vehicles staying in 4wd/switching to 2wd..

 

[mn_smokeater]

ALCAN is the alaska canada highway. goes through canada all the way to alaska.

what i have heard as far as things that help in -40 is going to full synthetics as its thinner and will flow better.

 

[master hec0]

hit -40 on Friday. my ranger still started just it took a little longer. if you plug it in at night you are golden.

 

[strvger]

i'd fill all the pumpkins, tranny, tc, engine, etc. with synthetics unless prohibited in the owners manual. good radiator, heater and core, block heater and you should be good. might help if you get one of those battery blanket heaters as well.
also, if you can, have all your tires filled with nitrogen they won't compress in the cold like plain air filled tires will.
i'm planning on running the ALCAN late next summer, myself. start mid to late Aug. and get back mid to late Sept.
good luck with your drive!

 

[rusty70f100]

Yep synthetics all the way. I'd run a 0wXX oil, where XX is the recommended viscosity, 20 or 30, depending on what your engine recommends.

 

[bobbywalter]

Have an 05 4x4 Ranger, auto trans, on the fly 4wd- and I'm going down the alcan in a couple of weeks. I expect extreme low temps of about 40 below or more. Question I have is: are there any low temp problems associated with the 4wd system-or anything else for that matter! I am concerned about the 4wd 2wd switching.
thanx

40 below.

everything has issues. shit you find out along the way too that nobody seen before.

i would be tempted put it in 4 high and leave it. i would be tempted to wrap the trans with a welding blanket and shield the exaust where they meet and would have pan heater on trans and block for hotel nights in addition the the fluid comments already made here.

alcan and febuary is something i would not be chomping at the bit to do


best of luck to you. i dont know how they have it lined out currently, it may be a non issue with plenty of rangable stops to plug in and rest.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

i'd fill all the pumpkins, tranny, tc, engine, etc. with synthetics unless prohibited in the owners manual. good radiator, heater and core, block heater and you should be good. might help if you get one of those battery blanket heaters as well.
also, if you can, have all your tires filled with nitrogen they won't compress in the cold like plain air filled tires will.
i'm planning on running the ALCAN late next summer, myself. start mid to late Aug. and get back mid to late Sept.
good luck with your drive!

You live in Alaska?

40 below.

everything has issues. shit you find out along the way too that nobody seen before.

i would be tempted put it in 4 high and leave it. i would be tempted to wrap the trans with a welding blanket and shield the exaust where they meet and would have pan heater on trans and block for hotel nights in addition the the fluid comments already made here.

alcan and febuary is something i would not be chomping at the bit to do


best of luck to you. i dont know how they have it lined out currently, it may be a non issue with plenty of rangable stops to plug in and rest.

I agree, get a block heater and pan heaters for your trans and oil pan. A battery Blanket (trust me... it will save your battery!), and Something I just started doing is a winter front (basically a piece of cardboard or soemthing that prevents air from going through the grill to the radiator so that it warms up faster and stays warm.)

Also the wrapping of the transmission is a good idea to keep it warmer longer. and I am not sure if this is what he ment but I plan on doing the same soon is getting heat resistant pipe wrap for my exhaust so that when it is really cold it can get the exhaust out hot instead of getting trapped and cold.

AS for 4x4 I would just leave it in 4x4, you will lose 1 -2mpg but you won't be sliding off the road because it wouldn't engage either. The t case should warm up after driving due to the front live axle spinning the front drive shaft and the t case all the time. Also another trick I found is not to have the heater blowing at full blast all the time... because it is just forcing lots of already cold air through a mini radiator that will quickly get cold too. Keep it at speed 2 or 3 and I use defrost/floor with the heat all the way up. nice an toasty.

 

[wahlstrom1]

Leave it in 2wd, you want the extra mpg on the trip... and if you have decent tires and a lil weight in the box you'll be fine, your on a highway!

Like mentioned check all fluid levels, synthetics aren't necessary but if your changing fluid anyways it doesn't hurt. Block heater for sure, along with a winter front and battery blanket isn't a bad idea, but more important get a GOOD battery. Keep stock of a few vital fluids, P/S fluid likes to puke out the resevoir when it gets really cold, been there done that....

I deal with this crap 6+ months a year, it's been below -20*C with a decent windchill on top of that for the better part of a month now. It's just knowing what your facing, and being prepared.

Throw a extra blanket or two in the back, a shovel and tow strap. Some kind of lighting device, even road flare/triangles etc and a reflective vest for changing a flat in blowing snow as getting run over would suck.

 

[ranger_mclaren]

Got -15 here once I had to sit in my truck and hold the clutch in until it warmed up the tranny fluid had gottin really hard and it would go out of gear, had to crank on 5 or 6 times before it wold start too. Battery was strong though.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

If you have AAA for towing sweet. Make sure all the hard parts in the truck are sound, min. 1 spare tire, ditch bag, 12vdc cell charger and ability to roam cause cell coverage is REAL spotty. Synthetics are ok but ya dont have to have it, I grew up in Delta Junction and ran 80/90 in the diffy's year round cause thats all there was and it worked fine. Your cooling/heating system is paramount, belts and hoses along with proper glycol mix and a block heater is sweet. Figure your going to travel 600 plus miles a day so if your south bound you will be in the Canadian tropics in a couple days. Dont wrap no crap around your tranny its lookin for fire troube. The engine heat will migrate to it just fine. Warm it up real good and when you take off just go nice and easy knowing your gear oil is thick and the parts are cold, as you go along they will warm up and all is well. Original ranger told the trick of cardboard in front of the radiator, just be aware as the the climate changes and dont over heat it.

 

[strvger]

forget AAA if your truck is modded at all. tried getting it for my upcoming trip and they said any modifications to my truck (2 inch body lift) and they probably wouldn't cover it at all. just keeping my current insurer and getting a Canada supplement (no extra charge for it).

forgot, carry an extra gas can or two, 5 gallons each, just in case. standard winter car survival kit should do you well.
another thing, if you have the insulated foam pipe wrap tubes where you live, those do great to help insulate your heater hoses. you can use a couple of them to wrap the radiator hoses and just zip tie them together.

don't live in AK, just always wanted to drive the ALCAN and it will be my retirement vacation! i'll be updating my ALCAN thread here in a couple of months after winter is mostly over.

 

[feellnfroggy]

I would get a coleman stove and stock up on some propane bottle, they are 5 bucks for 2 bottlesat walmart. Something to keep you and whoever else warms for at least 48 hrs in case of breakdown. A good stock of ICE Melt spray, Maybe some fuel drier?

 

[Surrey]

I would get a coleman stove and stock up on some propane bottle, they are 5 bucks for 2 bottlesat walmart. Something to keep you and whoever else warms for at least 48 hrs in case of breakdown. A good stock of ICE Melt spray, Maybe some fuel drier?

Terrible idea. Propane bottles freeze up in cold temperatures. You'll be wanting to use a white gas (Naptha) stove if anything.

Butane might hold up in the cold too, Im not sure?
Your local outdoor specialists should have a range of stoves and fuels for extreme conditions.

Sandbags make good extra weight in the back end, you can use 'em for added traction if needed in a pinch.

 

[Defective]

A GOOD battery doesn't need a blanket.

My Fords have never needed anything special, other than a block heater (rarely used anyway) in the winter. We see -30 every year just about, sometimes in the -40s. It's -15 right now. My trucks always start and drive, they're just a little slower to do so at first when cold.

Make sure you'll be self sufficient and don't have to rely on other motorists to save you. Have clothes that can keep you warm. I would not want to be stranded in those temps, or even -10 with just a couple blankets. If you have to walk, layers work better. Good boots, hat, gloves, bibs, jacket with hooded flannel underneath is my regular gear for cold weather exposure. My black lined carhartt bibs, with fuzzy pajama type pants or sweats underneath are comfortable to about -20. But fingers, nose and toes can get cold fast and they are hard to get warm again on their own.

Do you have good shocks? Everyone I talk to when they get done mentions the frost heaves.

Make sure your windshield washer fluid is rated for the cold. Get the washer/de-icer stuff.

I've never driven the Alcan myself, but I'm pretty familiar with the conditions you'll be seeing. A normal truck from the factory with a block heater (what most of us drive here) will do just fine with a little common sense behind the wheel.

Oh yeah, very important, always watch for those moose.