Seen a lot of posts in the last month or so about how to prep your 70 series for life outside in the cold. I’ve had a BJ71 in Fairbanks, AK, as a daily driver. My Ute was my daily driver in the banana belt here in Anchorage. Due to my current job the Ute spends its days in the warm garage unless I take it out on dry road days when I’m home.
I recommend for those in long term cold country, like lots of days at temps below 0F:
1. Block heater or other electric water heater that has a water pump built in
2. Budget allowing a Espar or Webasto diesel fired coolant heater
3. Permanently installed trickle charger. Keeps battery from freezing due to the excitement of the electrons and keeps battery happy. I can’t remember if I used a trickle charger on my BJ71. I do know I didn’t use one on my Ute here in Anchorage. If you can park your rig in a heated garage at night then a trickle charger probably wouldn’t be needed, just make sure at the beginning of the cold season you are confident of the conditions of your batteries.
4. If you have a auto a heater pad on the transmission
If you live in the banana belt (0F-32F)
1. Block heater, or other electric water heater
2. Any of the other items listed above for real cold country would be nice for your 70 series.
My RAV4 that was a daily driver in Fairbanks I have a block heater, permanently installed trickle charger, and a small space heater on the drivers floor aimed under the dash, keeps frost off the windows and dash happy, but I don’t do this if actively snowing. In los Anchorage I just use the block heater and space heater inside.
I know our friends in the Canadian cold country don’t need any help with this
This morning in los Anchorage is probably the coldest yet this season, at my house it’s-7F.
I recommend for those in long term cold country, like lots of days at temps below 0F:
1. Block heater or other electric water heater that has a water pump built in
2. Budget allowing a Espar or Webasto diesel fired coolant heater
3. Permanently installed trickle charger. Keeps battery from freezing due to the excitement of the electrons and keeps battery happy. I can’t remember if I used a trickle charger on my BJ71. I do know I didn’t use one on my Ute here in Anchorage. If you can park your rig in a heated garage at night then a trickle charger probably wouldn’t be needed, just make sure at the beginning of the cold season you are confident of the conditions of your batteries.
4. If you have a auto a heater pad on the transmission
If you live in the banana belt (0F-32F)
1. Block heater, or other electric water heater
2. Any of the other items listed above for real cold country would be nice for your 70 series.
My RAV4 that was a daily driver in Fairbanks I have a block heater, permanently installed trickle charger, and a small space heater on the drivers floor aimed under the dash, keeps frost off the windows and dash happy, but I don’t do this if actively snowing. In los Anchorage I just use the block heater and space heater inside.
I know our friends in the Canadian cold country don’t need any help with this
This morning in los Anchorage is probably the coldest yet this season, at my house it’s-7F.
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