Winterization plans...?

[Original_Ranger84]

Ok so winter is definately coming now, its hanging around 30 - 40 degrees currently and starting to get sprinkles of snow here and there. So I want to get a few things done to my truck before it hits full on. Heres a list of things I want to get done:

1. Install heat pads into my seats (Anyone know a good company to get these from besides ebay or which ebay one seems best? I am putting them in both the drivers and passangers seats bottom and back.

2. Insulate the doors and floor. (What should I go with? I wanted Dyno mat but its way too expensive, even that glued together string stuff or foam would be great as well.

3. Get my door seals and stuff in excellent condition. (I was thinking of wiping mineral oil on them?)

4. Get some yellowed lights as they seem to work the best in snow. (You guys know of any company that makes decent yellow tinted lightbulbs? not HID's and still Street legal please )

5. I really want to get some bed liner on the bottom panals of my truck so the rocks/sand/salt/ and calcium doesn't do a number on my paint down there. I was going to just get Herculiner in black but I'm thinking I want to try and find some blue Bed liner so it matches the truck better)

6. A 130 amp alternator for my truck so that I can power the heated seats and the 8 aux lights I am installing on my truck.

7. Install my 8.8 with limited slip. (anybody know a place that sells prebent hard lines? I was thinking Ford might cause napa doesn't)

8. Finally getting my Manual T case installed.

9. Smaller sub/ sub box that can fit a more convienient area as my passangers like to recline and sit back.

10. I'm also going to change out the diff fluids, tranny, t case, and oil.

Is there anything else you guys can think of that I need to do for my truck to get it winter ready? It gets to be like -40 some days and I want my truck to be the best weekend ski trip vehicle Ever!

 

[MountainMike]

I'm asuming we're talking about the 99 here?

Well I'd do a dealership style winter pack on it if you haven't already. What our dealership does for a winter pack is: battery blanket, block heater check, pan heater, set the coolant down to -45 and put in synthetic mercV for your power steering.

Check your blower motor & heater core's operation and condition also.

For yellow bulbs just swap out your fogs for "true" yellow fogs. The ones on there are more or less low aimed driving lights. Any auto parts store should be able to get you the equivalent bulb in fog light yellow.

Also look into a winter front. The metal ones are awesome but can be expensive, a cloth FIA one is just as functional and will run you around $60, plus they come with a bug screen for the summer. If you have the 2 insert grille (top & bottom, as opposed to my 3 insert one) I have a lund winter front you can have for dirt cheap plus shipping. Or pick it up

 

[AgPete139]

My winter plans? Find the hoody in my closet!


You northern boys... ha!




/taunting *smiles*


Pete

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I just gotta find my ice scraper again... and get the chains on the tractor but I am waiting until closer to winter for that. It is still aways off for us (I hope)

Get some extra brakeline and practice bending. The bender I used is kind of like a weird set of pliers with a series of half wheels for the different sizes of line. I had fun doing it on my Ranger, I have almost a OEM quality bent LH rear brakeline now . I did mess the first one up though...

 

[adsm08]

You forgot coolant.

 

[martin]

build an igloo and hibernate.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Ok so winter is definately coming now, its hanging around 30 - 40 degrees currently and starting to get sprinkles of snow here and there. So I want to get a few things done to my truck before it hits full on. Heres a list of things I want to get done:

1. Install heat pads into my seats (Anyone know a good company to get these from besides ebay or which ebay one seems best? I am putting them in both the drivers and passangers seats bottom and back.

2. Insulate the doors and floor. (What should I go with? I wanted Dyno mat but its way too expensive, even that glued together string stuff or foam would be great as well.

3. Get my door seals and stuff in excellent condition. (I was thinking of wiping mineral oil on them?)

4. Get some yellowed lights as they seem to work the best in snow. (You guys know of any company that makes decent yellow tinted lightbulbs? not HID's and still Street legal please )

5. I really want to get some bed liner on the bottom panals of my truck so the rocks/sand/salt/ and calcium doesn't do a number on my paint down there. I was going to just get Herculiner in black but I'm thinking I want to try and find some blue Bed liner so it matches the truck better)

6. A 130 amp alternator for my truck so that I can power the heated seats and the 8 aux lights I am installing on my truck.

7. Install my 8.8 with limited slip. (anybody know a place that sells prebent hard lines? I was thinking Ford might cause napa doesn't)

8. Finally getting my Manual T case installed.

9. Smaller sub/ sub box that can fit a more convienient area as my passangers like to recline and sit back.

10. I'm also going to change out the diff fluids, tranny, t case, and oil.

Is there anything else you guys can think of that I need to do for my truck to get it winter ready? It gets to be like -40 some days and I want my truck to be the best weekend ski trip vehicle Ever!

I use Low-e insulation on everything,. It's 1/4 inch thick foil faced on two sides and all closed cell so it basicaly cant get wet, it's an R-11. When I built the new big green Auction Block seafood plant out on the spit by the yellow cranes there was loads left over. You may go out and ask Jessica to sell you some or she will just give you that small of an amount. Tell her Iron Mike that built the plant told you about it.:icon_thumby

 

[daniel3507]

For the door seals 303 aerospace protectant would work. It can be used on tons of stuff and protects it from UV but it also brings old rubber and plastics back to life so to speak. It can be kind of hard to find in stores though. I found it here at an RV dealership. I would spray some bedliner in a can on the frame and wheel wells and stuff just for a little protection of the salt and what not. Get a nice durable wax or sealant on the paint too.

 

[strvger]

get some good adhesive and just get a few army surplus ensolite sleeping pads. cut to fit and glue. great insulation, waterproof, helps decrease the noise, relatively cheap, easy to work with.
there is also the same thing pretty much as Dynomat that they sell in rolls to patch roofs. think the roll is 8-12" wide with the same asphalt/adhesive black coating under the foil. way cheaper in your local home improvement store than Dynomat or similar products on ebay really.
go with the Hella 500 fogs with the yellow lenses.
you can get custom color bed liners done at shops, but i've never seen anything but black in retail cans.
for the seals, use what you use on your winter boots: mink oil, silicone, sno-seal, etc. those things will be easier on the rubber pieces than anything with alcohol or petroleum distillates.
just a few of my thoughts.

 

[whocares]

A light coat of Dialectric grease on all rubber seals works like a champ. Keeps the rubber soft and keeps your doors from freezing shut.

 

[MountainMike]

You forgot coolant.

*ahem*

set the coolant down to -45

My winter plans? Find the hoody in my closet!

You northern boys... ha!

/taunting *smiles*

Pete

Damnit Pete

*edit* I just looked at your truck you have the same grille as me.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I'm asuming we're talking about the 99 here?

Well I'd do a dealership style winter pack on it if you haven't already. What our dealership does for a winter pack is: battery blanket, block heater check, pan heater, set the coolant down to -45 and put in synthetic mercV for your power steering.

Check your blower motor & heater core's operation and condition also.

For yellow bulbs just swap out your fogs for "true" yellow fogs. The ones on there are more or less low aimed driving lights. Any auto parts store should be able to get you the equivalent bulb in fog light yellow.

Also look into a winter front. The metal ones are awesome but can be expensive, a cloth FIA one is just as functional and will run you around $60, plus they come with a bug screen for the summer. If you have the 2 insert grille (top & bottom, as opposed to my 3 insert one) I have a lund winter front you can have for dirt cheap plus shipping. Or pick it up

Yeah I already got the batt. blanket, heater core, oil pan heater on the truck (did that last winter ). I flushed my cooling system out a month or 2 ago so I should be good with coolent but I'll double check, And thats probably an EXCELLENT idea for the powersteering cause it likes to make more noise in the winter.

My heater and core are in excellent shape.

Unfortunately I don't have fog lights, but I have 2 (with amber lenses that I am going to install on the front and 2 driving beam lights with them and then move my long range lights up top once I finish my headache rack. I am actually looking for a set of yellow lights for my truck but if all else fails my freind has a plan to buy average bulbs and then color over them with yellow sharpy.

What exactly does a winter front do? I never got the concept, I know on diesels its to get them up to operating temp faster, and I assume it would do the same on gas trucks as well but I drive the highway alot.

I use Low-e insulation on everything,. It's 1/4 inch thick foil faced on two sides and all closed cell so it basicaly cant get wet, it's an R-11. When I built the new big green Auction Block seafood plant out on the spit by the yellow cranes there was loads left over. You may go out and ask Jessica to sell you some or she will just give you that small of an amount. Tell her Iron Mike that built the plant told you about it.:icon_thumby

Tight, I'll have to head on over there next time I head to Homer!

For the door seals 303 aerospace protectant would work. It can be used on tons of stuff and protects it from UV but it also brings old rubber and plastics back to life so to speak. It can be kind of hard to find in stores though. I found it here at an RV dealership. I would spray some bedliner in a can on the frame and wheel wells and stuff just for a little protection of the salt and what not. Get a nice durable wax or sealant on the paint too.

Cool. My frames already had under coating put on it as well as most of the under body I'm more looking for the side of the truck where you get spray up from the tires cause mine stick out a bit...

go with the Hella 500 fogs with the yellow lenses.
you can get custom color bed liners done at shops, but i've never seen anything but black in retail cans.
for the seals, use what you use on your winter boots: mink oil, silicone, sno-seal, etc. those things will be easier on the rubber pieces than anything with alcohol or petroleum distillates.
just a few of my thoughts.

I got a set of KC 57 series all season lights, I am going to put the amber fog lenses in and hook it up as a fog lamp relay and the rest as high beam auxilary's.

My winter plans? Find the hoody in my closet!


You northern boys... ha!




/taunting *smiles*


Pete

Thats mine too, its only -20 most of the time. I laught at that temperature!

I just gotta find my ice scraper again... and get the chains on the tractor but I am waiting until closer to winter for that. It is still aways off for us (I hope)

Get some extra brakeline and practice bending. The bender I used is kind of like a weird set of pliers with a series of half wheels for the different sizes of line. I had fun doing it on my Ranger, I have almost a OEM quality bent LH rear brakeline now . I did mess the first one up though...

Thanks for reminding me, my ice scraper has gone missing... I'll have to look for it.

Yeah my dad has a set of brake line benders or whatever they are, the problem I am having is that non of the stores carry long enough line. Only like 60" which is fine until I need to bend it.

build an igloo and hibernate.

I rented an apartment... its definately an upgrade.

A light coat of Dialectric grease on all rubber seals works like a champ. Keeps the rubber soft and keeps your doors from freezing shut.

Ahh finally a use for the gigantic tube i have, I'm getting tired of fearing I am going to rip my door handle off...

 

[MountainMike]

I am actually looking for a set of yellow lights for my truck but if all else fails my freind has a plan to buy average bulbs and then color over them with yellow sharpy.

What exactly does a winter front do? I never got the concept, I know on diesels its to get them up to operating temp faster, and I assume it would do the same on gas trucks as well but I drive the highway alot.

Ahh finally a use for the gigantic tube i have, I'm getting tired of fearing I am going to rip my door handle off...

To be honest leave your headlights stock. Just but in a glare reducing bulb like a Sylvania Silverstar or GE Nighthawk. The yellow bulbs only help to cut through fog, they won't have the punch to do the highway light. The Nighthawks & Silverstars are slightly blue but much more powerful than stock. The blue light reduces glare like the yellow but still carries. And these are not douchebag blue lights they are 100% street legal autoparts store bulbs.

NOT THE ONES YOU NEED I DON"T REMEMBER THE ONES FOR THE 99: http://www.amazon.com/GE-NIGHTHAWK-H7-55NHP-BP2-Replacement/dp/B002UXBELY?tag=959media-20

That is exactly what I winter front does. When it sits and idles to warm up it won't along as much air through the rad. But as you move the lower air dam takes over and feeds your engine.

Definetly lube the door seals. And while you're at it get one of those tiny cans of lock de-icer with lubricant and toss it in your jacket just in case. Then get a bigger one and do your locks right now. Even though they aren't frozen the lubricant will help prevent it from happening. Toss it in the cab to help out people at work

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I used to leave my lock de-icer in my gas cap door....always there when you need it instead of in the glove box like most people toss it...

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If your gonna upgrade the charging system it couldn`t hurt to get some larger guage cables (lower resistance), and add a relay to control any added accessories so your not running the power through the stock wiring for anything drawing alot of amps.

http://switcher.dmn.aol.com/sw/r?ri...le_Assemblies&cs=RUwKuo/+h0Vv2tg64yd+qb45ktQ=