So guys and gals, I will be getting stationed in Alaska in January and was wondering if there is anything I should do to prepare my truck for living up there? Obviously a different weight oil, but from experience, what are some MANDATORY things that I should do and/or have with me in my vehicle?

Thanks in advance!

 

I would switch to a synthetic 0W-20 weight, & switch over all of the diffs+tranny to synthetic also!.......& keep your HVAC blend **** all the way to the right!......

 

Where in Alaska? Anchorage isn't toooooo different from the upper midwest like northern Minnesota. Keep you gas tank full, bring a blanket or two.. block heater... jumper cables. A battery warmer is one of the best ideas....

 

Don't forget remote start.

 

Oh yes, I forgot, the stock battery has notoriously low CCA's....you should upgrade to a OPTIMA RED/Yellow Top, before you go there!........I have a Red Top, starter turns way better than the stocker did in any weather!........

 

haha, ive had a red top in her since she had 7 miles on the odometer! So do I REALLY need to change the differential fluids? I thought the block heater was only necessary for diesels? The owners manual says that the truck doesnt need to warm up...

And yes I am getting stationed in the Anchorage area, still gets pretty darn cold in the winter though

 

Anchorage isn't too bad.. about the same climate where I grew up in Minnesota. You don't NEED a block heater... but it will save a lot of wear on your engine. When the coolant is below 180 deg. is when all the wear happens. And it is below that temp for a lot longer when it is below zero out.

 

Don't forget to bring a good pair of binoculars so you can watch the Russians from your back porch.

Bill

 

You shouldn't need a block heater in Anchorage, but a 0W20 or 0W30 synthetic oil will help a lot. Record low temperature there is -34F. If you were going to be in Fairbanks, a block heater is just about mandatory there.

Mandatory things to have in the vehicle that you wouldn't normally have anywhere? Maybe a set of tire chains and a jug of low temperature washer fluid. Cold weather survival gear if you plan on heading out of town into the boonies in the winter - the stuff the AF will issue you for working on the flight line is pretty good.

 

That's what I hear

 

When it's -30 or -40 a block heater is nice to have on anything. Unless you like to be cold and have frosted windows during the first part of your morning drive. If it's going to be kept in a garage overnight it might not be as big of a deal. Still nice to plug it in at work though when it's really cold.

I like comfort myself. When I lived in Calgary and -30 to -40 was normal I would plug it in overnight (and when I got to work) then remote start it before going out. By the time I got in all the glass was defrosted and it was nice and toasty inside.

 

I would upgrade from the stock tires if you still have em! I picked up more nails/& sheit with the crappy Generals when they were on the truck! I upgraded to BFG's 285X17X70's I have not had a flat from road debris in over 15,000 miles! I would NOT want to change a tire in the climate there!.....

 

are you 2 or 4wd? i would recommend 4wd...
oo and very very good window shades or blinds so you can sleep in the dark while is light for those months.

 

Thanks everybody for the replies, so it looks like an oil change for me. As for the remote start... Any recommendations for a brand or model? I dont want to spend an arm or a leg either, just push a button and it starts.

 

I just went to an audio store and bought the cheapest one they had. Cost extra for the thingy to bypass PATS though. I let them install it. That was almost 5 years ago and it still works like a charm. Push a button and it starts. If I want to shut it off during it's 15 minute period I push the button again. I can also hold the button down for about 5 seconds and it will go into an auto-start mode where it starts every 3 hours or so and runs for 15 minutes. That's for when it gets really really cold and you can't plug in your block heater.