Moving from Vegas to Northern Minnesota

[AlphaCluster]

Biggest thing to know; 4-Wheel Drive does not mean 4-Wheel Stop. Give yourself extra stopping distance.

This is a very good piece of advice. Most people around here get way over confident in winter with trucks and 4-wheel drive. In fact last snow storm I drove in more trucks were in the ditch then anything else. Just cause you got 4H doesn’t mean you will keep traction when there is snow on the road if you go to fast even with good tires.

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[ACAD_Cowboy]

Good point! Going to have to look into heated blades.

https://www.rallylights.com/thermal...uding-a-supply-of-replacement-wear-parts.html

Will sells probably the best and easiest kit to solve this problem. I put them on all the loaders and the skid steers, with a dead cold cab and wicked storm I can still load the trucks. The plows never shut down so once warm the glass stays warm but my skids and loaders can sit an hour or more waiting and have sat for days or weeks between storms so everything is ambient cold. It's real nice to know the blade won't tear because its froze to the glass, especially when you need it most.

Other than that, having done my time in MN, good washer fluid, always cary a second gallon. Ballst for the bed, chains for the tires, a rescue pack with food, pedialyte (doesnt freeze as easy) blanket, socks, gloves, scarf and a book or three. Why a book? If you have to wait on a tow it's far better to have something to do. Block heater is good, a stick on heater pad for the transmission helps too. Artic express with every fill and artic rescue 911 in the silver jug on board.

 

[Rocksalt]

I live in Northern Wisconsin with my Gladiator and Falken M/T 33” - The Jeep does great, even w/ the MT tires. If you have not driven in snow before, just take your time until you get some practice. Go to an empty parking lot and learn how it handles.

I toss it into 4H often, just because I can and it helps make life easier.

Biggest thing to know; 4-Wheel Drive does not mean 4-Wheel Stop. Give yourself extra stopping distance.

Welcome to the true Midwest.

Also the Vikings suck.

cheesehead

 

[IRQ]

I was raised in Bemidji, currently in International Falls.

Here are some suggestions for winter:

• Spray Amsoil Heavy-Duty Metal Protector everywhere under the Jeep.
• Wash the Jeep often.
• If its snowing or there is poor visibility go slow, apply brakes sooner.
• Your heated garage will eliminate most of the issues people face with window scraping and block heaters.
• There is no need for chains.
• There will come a time when you will hit a patch of ice, don't over correct.
• Put some sand bags in the truck bed
• Keep a tow strap in the Jeep to pull out people who get stuck.

 

[Rocksalt]

I as well grew up in Northern MN. No need for chains. Common sense wins out. Observe what everyone else does up north for winter. Enjoy! Great fishing in the Land of 10,000 Lakes!

 

[Rocksalt]

 

[ScottBeach]

Keep boots and gloves in the truck all winter. Thermo blanket. I lived there for 20 years. Winter is no joke. North MN can wreck you black ice. Slide. Stuck. Rural. Means a long time for help. If you end up down the ditch. Climb up to the road if you cannot be seen. Passed a friend once and didnt see he had gone over.

I did my 20 years there. Good luck.

 

[Rocksalt]

common sense

 

[ScottBeach]

On winter windshield blades. Piaa. Yeah cost more. Worth it up there.

 

[Dakota Kid]

Any recommendations on a diesel treatment?

I used a product called Diesel Mate from Certified Labs…. which most people who aren’t Maintenance Managers haven’t heard of.

They are high end lubricant company that only sells direct to commercial/farm accounts…no retail.

I worked for them at the time and could get it internally, and it was everything the marketing guys said it was…. and more. Long story short, they hired the guy who literally co-wrote THE internationally recognized text book for diesel production/engineering two years before the current “new “ dry diesel formulation went into effect as he told them it would be very different and hard on legacy engines world wide. His sole task, build a diesel treatment that would work within the new fuel formulations/government requirements. With a 2 year head start, we were way ahead of the curve.

Not to turn this into an ad campaign, but it’s been 6 years since I’ve worked for them, and my first text was a picture of the new 3.0 Gladiator to an old co-worker. My case of product via a favor called in is already on its way.

It’s not inexpensive, but neither was my Gladiator. If you’rea small business owner or work where there is a maintenance shop, look up Certified Labs out of Texas, then call them. I know for a fact there is a rep out of Fargo that covers up to Grand Forks who’d love a chance to do some business in TRF. They ship anywhere in the world with 2 exceptions: Iran and North Korea, so northern MN no problem

 

[Dakota Kid]

Any recommendations on a diesel treatment?

https://www.diesel-mate.com/

Don’t worry aboutbulk tank program…you can get a case of quart bottles up to poly totes.

A quart treats 250 gallons for reference, so a case of 12 quarts is realistically 2500 gallons if you go a little heavy over coldest part of the winter.

 

[CallMeJoe]

All this advice from well meaning people is a load of crap. The truck will be happy here. You....You'll need a couple of flannel shirts....and some bug spray....Bugs are only bad in the summer, so really a week and a half or so. The flannel shirts will come in handy for ice fishing and when it gets nippy (That doesn't really happen until about minus 30 or so depending on the wind)....
Enjoy!!!

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

Says the man who didnt have to walk back to the nearest phone at night to get pulled out of a snowbank. I did. It was cold. Better to be prepared "in case" and not need than need and not have.

You never need chains until you do., if you don't use them they are still ballast. If you are out in gods country, a bottle of pedialyte and some old granola bars will do for than the half a ring ding and all those stale fries from under the seat in the event you need to hoof it.

I had to walk from Lake City to Rochester in March because of a failed ecu, then drive to St.Cloud to return my core in a very arcane deal between dealers. You never know what might happen.

 

[RobbertCole]

All this advice from well meaning people is a load of crap. The truck will be happy here. You....You'll need a couple of flannel shirts....and some bug spray....Bugs are only bad in the summer, so really a week and a half or so. The flannel shirts will come in handy for ice fishing and when it gets nippy (That doesn't really happen until about minus 30 or so depending on the wind)....
Enjoy!!!

Poor advice.

If he was a lifer to the midwest maybe, but hes not. Hes gonna be a fish out of water the same as I would in the desert. The truck is capable sure, but if the guy behind the wheel isnt, it will get wrecked worse than any other vehicle that would have a hard time getting traction.

Being unprepared for something youve never experienced is not wise.

First time in the snow and ice think about how much distance you think you need, and double it. Go out into an empty snow covered lot and try some stuff out. slide, skid just dont sit and do donuts, make it plausible youre trying to learn if the cop shows up.

 

[lcoff]

Everyone here, as well as everyone that I met in Minnesota on my first visit, have been extremely helpful. If this is how midwesterners are, I think that I am going to be fine and really enjoy living there.

For my first winter I am going to try not to venture too far and really pay attention to what everyone else is doing. Here are the things that I am planning to do.

• Put together an emergency kit to keep in the truck
• Get a block heater cord
• Install heated wiper blades
• Invest in large quantities of wiper fluid and bug spray
• Get a set of Maxtrax
• Buy some really good winter clothing
• Apply an undercoating
• Install a winch and get some recovery gear so that I can help others
• Enjoy my new midwestern lifestyle!

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