Tips for winter operation ?

Most of the problems you will have is with airlines and valves freezing up but if you use some common sense and train your air tanks when not in use and keep the gladhand covered with plastic when not connected to a trailer you should be all right. Also, keep some rubbing alcohol and a hammer in the truck to free frozen trailer valves. Nearly every trailer I pickup in the winter time has frozen brakes and air valves on it.

 

Watch that you buy your fuel from very reputable sources. A little water in the fuel and you will have some serious issues in extreme cold. Not a bad idea, when the temps start staying below 0F to consider mixing a bit of #1 diesel in the tanks with the #2 you normally have in there. And there is nothing wrong with dosing the tanks with one of the name brand anti-gel products. This has become more critical since we got on ULSD fuel a few years ago, and a lot of stops are mixing biodiesel in the fuel. Power Service, FPPF, Howes, and others are good products. Carry some with you all the time just in case you can't buy it when you fuel. Also, carry a few bottles of 911 fuel additive. That is for when you already are in a pickle with a fuel problem in the cold. And carry a couple of fuel filters along with any tools you need to change them out. You would need to have some spare fuel in container to fill the filter when you change it out. Many folks re-use a container that fuel additive came in for that purpose.

When the vehicle is going to be off for more than a break, dose the tanks when you fill. Also, fuel often. Keep the tanks, as best you can, 1/2 full or more all the time. Low fuel in tanks invites condensation and water problems. I hardly ever use this, but I always carry a can of starting fluid. It has been some time since I needed something like that, but the time to realize you need it is not the time to wish you had it. If you haven't used starting fluid before, get with a shop to show you how to do it. You can cause problems if you do it wrong.

That is just the fuel issues. There is a lot of things more you need to do to prepare for winter operations.