With cold weather and snow ready to settle in across Canada, our team is taking winter requirements very seriously to reduce downtime during the trying winter season. Winterization service is crucial before the freezing temperatures even begin, and we have been continuously performing battery and system inspections to ensure our units will start during the upcoming cold temperatures.
Here are a few tips that help:
Ease of starting
- Turn off all electrical power sources when parking your tractor.
- Plug in the block heater while the unit is still warm whenever possible.
- Volvo tractors - Cycle your key to activate the intake heater prior to cranking the starter.
- If your unit is slow to crank, cycle your key a few times before trying again; Do not continue cranking it causing it to be completely flat. Contact breakdown or your shop for a boost
- If your unit needs a boost, please schedule an appointment with the shop after your trip completion so checks can be made to the electrical system.
Keep air systems in mind
- Drain wet tanks daily!
Fuel
- Use winter weight fuel when travelling back north. Fuel purchased in the south will freeze/gel. Top up the tractor, reefers and heaters with winter fuel when coming back into colder northern areas. If this is not possible, report to the shop prior to parking any piece of equipment with a large quantity of southern fuel in it.
Tires
- Check your tires often, freezing temperatures can cause slippery driving conditions due to a smaller tread footprint if low on air pressure.
- Correct air pressure will support better traction and reduce over-the-road failures and delays.
Stay Stocked up
- Keep your fluids topped up and have full spare jugs of washer fluid available.
- Inspect your wiper blades to ensure they clear your entire windshield, a spare blade should be kept to be installed if needed.
- Gloves, warm clothing.
- Water
- Food
Heaters
- Auxiliary cab heaters - turn on to check operation prior to needing them. A good rule of thumb is to run them monthly to keep them lubricated and fuel lines free of debris.
- Ensure defrost is in full functioning order.
As always, we appreciate what our Drivers do during these challenging months. We in the Maintenance Department are here to help 24/7, Communication is key to our success. If you have a failure while over-the-road, as much information as possible will help us provide a quick solution to the problem. Your safety is paramount to handle every call, if you are not parked in a safe area, please let us know so we can arrange for immediate support. When completing an EDVIR and an issue is found, remember only items marked “Unsafe to operate” will be scheduled in immediately. Other items marked “Safe to operate” will be corrected at the next scheduled maintenance event.
If in doubt, let’s get it looked at by our skilled Maintenance Team, we are here to support you,
Stay safe, and thank you all for your extraordinary efforts.