Winterizing Your Truck

Being prepared is something today’s truckers pride themselves on. From pre-trip planning to finding alternate routes to ensuring safety items are on board and perhaps most importantly, always having a plan for inclement weather. Add in the increasing pressure to be on-time and minimize delays due to driver shortages and the new ELD Mandates and you’ll understand the importance of planning ahead.

There are a multitude of weather scenarios that can effect a driver’s ability to stay on the road and keep earning. In the beginning of the winter season, when storms and temperature drops can hit as early as October, it’s important to have a solution for those unforeseen weather occurrences. Just looking at Billings, Montana last year, temperatures hit the freezing mark October 3^rd and on the 14^th that month, 28 degrees was the high! With today’s sensitive diesel, a sudden drop can result in gelled fuel lines which means truckers could get sidelined if they’re not prepared. 

There are two “must have” products to consider as you build a winter tool kit, an anti-gel to prevent gelling and an emergency rescue product to de-gel you in the event of unforeseen weather or extreme circumstances. With that in mind, here are some considerations to keep in mind when considering which products to use.

Ease of Use – Look for products that are pour and go and that don’t require fuel filter replacement or mixing.  Remember you won’t want to be doing a lot of work if you’re gelled up on the side of the road -- when its freezing cold, simple is best.

Alcohol Free – Alcohol is an abrasive solvent and though it may solve the problem of gelled fuel, it may be doing so at the cost of damaged fuel injectors and other costly diesel fuel systems.

Fast Acting – Products that work best, work fast. Solving the gelling problem is something you want to get done quickly.  Make sure the products you use get you back on the road fast…especially when it’s below 0!

Among the many products available, two available in travel centers throughout the country are Howes Diesel Treat and Diesel Lifeline. Diesel Treat, the market leading diesel anti-gel, has been a proven, effective product for generations and is loaded with performance enhancing elements to complement its anti-gelling abilities. Adding vital lubricity, preventing injector deposits and removing water, Diesel Treat is the best treatment available for solving problems created by today’s ULSD fuel.

Crystal clear and unlike harmful alcohol based products, Lifeline has been designed to be used at 100% concentration in the fuel filter without harming the engine in any way and has the same combustion properties of diesel fuel, with a nearly identical flashpoint. This means no engine knocking, no corrosion to engine components or fuel lines, and clean emissions identical to that of fuel.

The only 100% alcohol-free rescue product on the market, Lifeline eliminates the need for mixing with diesel and requires no fuel filter changing, making it an easier and more cost effective solution. The result of seven years of engineering and development, Lifeline re-liquefies gelled fuel, de-ices frozen fuel filters and prevents them from re-icing and is also fast acting, in most cases taking just 15 minutes to take effect.

So stay warm this winter and be prepared for whatever Mother Nature has in store for you.