Moving to Fairbanks, Ak what should I winterize first

Thank You! This is the info I was hoping for. I may not have put my thoughts out very well but your answer has helped so much! I have a survival kit already in my truck with all the things you've noted so I guess I have one thing already checked off. And I never leave my house without coffee! I am very excited to be back in AK and will definitely be updating. Thanks again!

 

Sorry, I am talking about both. For shells, I'm told to avoid soft shells as snow can cave them in, and they are easy to break into. For bed covers, pretty much the same thing as the shells. Would there even be a benefit to getting a cover instead of a shell?

I'll also go see what Tire Rack can tell me, thanks.

 

A good health battery, block heater, winter washer fluid and coolant should be sufficient. A remote starter is nice but I just tough it out and start my truck by key. Good winter tires (not all terrains) like Blizzaks, Snow Claws, etc. I would get your coolant flushed either in Canada or Alaska as the coolant here is pre-mixed 55/45 instead of 50/50. A piece of cardboard blocking the rad or an actual winter front will help when the temperature actually drops. If you have LED headlights I would recommend swapping back to Halogen's as LED's don't make enough heat to clear your headlights when driving in the snow. It's not fun having to get out in a snow storm to clean your lights because you can't see.

For you personally, supplement vitamin D and/or get a "sun light" or atleast warm coloured light bulbs in your home. In August the sun wouldn't set but come winter time it doesn't rise. The lack of sun will make you depressed due to lack of Vitamin D.

It gets to -40 here in Alberta so good luck up in Alaska. Bama socks will become your best friend.

 

Also i run a softtopper year round (without the back or front panels) and it doesn't cave from the snow or anything.

 

You could probably run winter tires year round in Fairbanks, if you don't want to deal with multiple sets and don't drive a ton of miles. I've run a few sets in the summer (in Colorado). They don't melt. I haven't even noticed accelerated wear compared to winter. I currently have a set of Blizzak W965s. I had them on the 4Runner for a while (a few years, year round), and I moved them to the Tacoma. I don't put a lot of miles on them (I have a commuter car for most of my driving), but they are still holding up well and have plenty of tread. I got them used, so I don't know how many miles are on them. They have a 2014 date code, so they are getting old. I'll replace them next year (probably with normal all terrain tires). Blizzak LT may be the current version, but they look a little different.

They do wear faster in all conditions than all-season tires, but the wear doesn't seem to be temperature dependent, or at least not nearly as much as people think.

 

Welcome back, when you get back & you might post in the Alaska page & see if anybody chimes in i run Softopper year round. & i get way more snow than the Banks. I also have summer wheels & tires & winter wheels & tires. & if gonna be running around outside city, i recommend some Moose lights.

 

I use those on my commuter car. I've had great results with them so far. I do swap them out seasonally. Once they are worn to the point that they no longer offer good winter traction (maybe around 6/32") I'll run them year round until they are used up. I drove to Tucson, AZ where the temperature was in the 80's last spring, and I didn't notice any significant wear from that trip.

 

Years ago in the 80s, I spent 3 years at Eielson AFB. Things were much different back then, but for my vehicle (Datsun B210 Station Wagon), I had the following winter add ons (I had no garage). Had a plug in front of quarters that I used when it got below zero. I had special inter-tubes put in my radial tires to keep tires on rims (square tire syndrome, where tires were flat on bottom from sitting on cold snow on a really cold night), added a block heater, an interior electric heater (only used to keep seats from cracking from sitting down on them at -30), an electric battery blanket, and a piece of cardboard shoved in front of radiator. I also had all fluids changed to the lightest viscosity available. I remember the Fred Myers department store had car plug ins for about 25 parking spaces in front of the store. I carried a 20 foot extension cord with me everywhere. On a cold startup, needed a good 10- 15 minute warmup before I could get the 5 speed into reverse. My Datsun survived it all! If you are headed to a military base there, no worries as those already there will show you what’s needed.

 

Yes, if military, your sponsor will be able to direct you in the right direction; if not...

You're arriving in August, plenty of time to ask the locals what to do - In person with show-in-tell.

 

You can run a shell, tonneau or soft topper year round here, it doesn’t snow enough to even come close to collapsing one. You’ll want a battery heat blanket, pad or trickle charger, an oil pan heater pad and a block heater. Test your coolant to see if it’s good to -40°F and replace if not. Winter/studded tires are dependent on where around town you live and what you want to do in the winter. If you live in town and just drive back and forth to work all seasons and 4hi will be fine. Live on the hills or want to get out a lot you will want studs or snows.

 

I'm not in Alaska (but my son is, and at this moment, above 14,000 feet on Mt. Foraker. Dang Kids!)
Here in Vermont we get mild winters, and still, one of the first "mods" I did to my TACO was a set of genuine Sheep Fleece seat covers. If I'm not mistaken, the seller was from Alaska! I like the sheepskins, comfortable hot or cold.

 

Crazysccrmd already made the points I was going to, so I’ll just second them. You will want the Fairbanks special for sure; battery blanket, block heater, oil pan heater into a three way extension protruding from the front somewhere. You’ll be grateful for all three when it’s a high of -20 for 3 weeks straight and you wake for work at -40. You can skip the battery blanket if you go agm I believe, but don’t quote me on that.
Dedicated winter tires aren’t necessary at all for most people. Nice to have for sure, but not a must. Experience and caution is cheaper and much less of a hassle. Or just run your, siped not studded, winter tires year round apparently.
If you drive more than once a week you’ll never see enough snow to damage a hard canopy. Also doubt anything would happen if you parked it all winter. A user here, whose review sold me on the cheapo Amazon roll up tonneau I bought, is from Fairbanks and hasn’t had any issues with it collapsing or cracking.
Also, I feel the need to include that it’s far from a dangerous city in my experience. Things have absolutely changed in the past two decades but just avoid leaving your ride unattended on Cushman for extended periods and you’ll be fine

 

One thing to note, buy everything you can that you think you’re gonna need truck wise here in the states. Everything is more expensive in Alaska. In regards to the block heater that’s a must, might be hard to source but get a silicone extension cord. The standard cords get cold and they get brittle and they break

 

Thanks! I have 8 grow lights for plants that I use and have been told they are great in areas like AK for the exact purpose you stated above.

 

I'm not military. I just got into my MA program at UAF, that's why I'm moving up so late in the summer instead of beginning. It would be nice to have assistance like that though.

 

If you don't have one, get a sturdy snow scraper/brush with a long handle or one that telescopes. Might have to buy it in rural BC or AK.

For what it's worth, I just leave my bed open to the elements all winter. When there is a lot of snow, the extra few hundred pounds is welcome for traction; and when the weather warms, it "unloads" itself for free. Skis just travel on top of the snow....

 

Dedicated snow tires

 

Are you running a block heater?
Also I never changed my coolant. ‍

I know we dont get as cold as Fairbanks.