Don't Forget These Must-Check Items for Winter Driving Season

You’ve changed the oil, replaced the filters, and checked all of the fluids. The battery is fully charged and the alternator is working A-OK. The heater is heating, the defroster is defrosting, and the lights are lighting. Sounds like you’ve ticked the main boxes on your winter driving checklist.

But there are a few more items you need to look over before you declare your winterization finished—they’re important for safe driving in bad weather. If you’ve already checked them, good on ya. But for those who haven’t, here’s your gentle nudge to get to it before the snow flies.

Tires
If your tires aren’t leaking and have some tread left, they’re good to go, right? Not so fast, we say. Tires that get you by in warm weather can be a hazard in winter conditions.

Take tire pressure, for example. Check it often even if the tires look OK. When the temperature drops by 10 degrees, tire pressure drops one PSI. A loss of five PSI usually trips a tire pressure light. Make sure the tires have sufficient tread depth; tread less than 2/32nds of an inch is considered legally worn out in most states. Look for punctures, cracks, or splits. If found, the tire(s) is not safe and should be replaced immediately.

Tread wear patterns can tell you if there are issues with the tires or the suspension:
• Excessive wear down the center indicates overinflation
• Excessive wear along the shoulders indicates underinflation
• Flat spots, usually caused by repeated hard braking and skidding
• Feathering and cupping, signs of too-aggressive driving and worn-out suspension parts such as shocks or struts

Make sure to get the wheels aligned and the tires balanced. Out of alignment wheels and unbalanced tires cause accelerated tire wear, drifting, and pulling.

Winter Tires
If you live in an area that sees a good amount of snowy or slushy conditions, consider getting a set of winter tires. They are made with special rubber compounds and deep tread patterns that provide grip even when the thermometer dips below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Performance winter tires are available for high performance vehicles, as are studdable tires for locales that allow them.

According to the folks at Cooper Tire, you should put winter tires at all four corners to maintain vehicle mobility and control. You can get away with winter tires just on the rear axle, but never use them on the front axle only. That goes double for front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive vehicles.

If you want to save yourself the hassle of mounting and remounting tires, get a set of winter-only wheels. We carry OEM replacement wheels from Jante, Dorman, and Mopar Replacement Parts.

Wiper Styles
Frame-style wipers are the least expensive. They have a hinged metal frame to support the blade and provide six to eight evenly distributed points of contact with the windshield. They are susceptible to snow and ice buildup in the winter, which can reduce their effectiveness.

Winter blades are frame-style blades with a rubber shell or boot that keeps snow and ice from gumming up the frame. Winter wiper blades are not recommended for warm weather use as the rubber covering will crack or tear easily.

Beam-style wipers are a one-piece design with a flexible plastic or steel beam that conforms to the curvature of your windshield. That allows the entire blade to apply even pressure on the glass and keep it cleaner. With no moving parts, a beam blade does not suffer from snow and ice buildup like a frame blade does.

Blade Material
Most wiper blades are made from natural rubber, which provides a good balance between performance and price. Silicone and silicone-covered rubber blades leave a thin, water-repellent film on the glass to help keep the windshield streak-free. You can also get graphite-coated blades that reduce friction for smoother operation and better cleaning, especially in sleet and heavy rain.

Wiper Blade FYI
The general rule of thumb is to replace wiper blades every six to 12 months. Periodically cleaning rubber blades with alcohol or glass cleaner will prolong their life. Silicone and graphite blades last longer but are more expensive than natural rubber. If you’re the forgetful type, those might be a better choice.

The type of wiper you use comes down to driving conditions. For example, frame wipers are fine for areas that don’t see much extreme weather. Winter blades are recommended for areas that get a lot of snow or slush, or use salt to clear the roads during the winter. You might have to try a couple of different wiper blades to find the one that works best for you.

Don’t forget to check your windshield washer pump for proper operation. If yours is ailing, we have replacement pumps from ACDelco, Anco, Motorcraft, and Trico.

Serpentine Belts
Serpentine belts are wear items just like tires and wiper blades. As a general rule, a serpentine belt will last about 50,000 miles or five years. Heat and friction are belt killers--inspect yours for cracks, abrasions, and/or damaged ribs and replace it as needed. This Summit Racing belt tool will come in handy for that task.

Aside from normal wear, serpentine belt problems are usually caused by issues with accessory drive tensioners, pulleys, or bad accessory bearings. Here’s a list of belt symptoms and their possible causes:
 
• Belt coming off: pulley misalignment, belt misalignment, defective tensioner, or bearing wear in tensioner, idler or engine-driven accessories
• Squealing sound: belt slipping
• Chirping sound: accessory pulley misalignment
• Whirring sound: defective bearing in tensioner pulley or idler pulley
• Grinding sound: damaged bearings in driven accessory
• Rhythmic noise at engine speed: delaminating belt backing, chunking of belt ridges, or foreign object embedded in belt groove
• Frayed belt edge: accessory pulley misalignment
• Polished belt edges or glazed belt grooves: belt slipping
• Excessive cracking: severe old age or defective tensioner
• Fluid contamination: oil, power steering, or coolant leak

If you get any of these warning signs, inspect the belt tensioner, idler pulley, and accessory pulleys and replace as needed. This Dayco belt diagnostic kit will make short work of the inspection process, and is very handy if you have multiple vehicles with serpentine belt drives.

Hose and Lines
We could write an entire story on hose and lines—in fact, we probably will. For your winterization checklist, look for obvious fluid leaks in the engine compartment and under the vehicle. At minimum, inspect the radiator and heater hose; power steering hose; fuel system hose; brake hose and line; and transmission cooler lines for cracks, splits, and holes, especially around clamped connections. Replace them as needed.

Floor Mats?
OK, not having floor mats won’t strand you at the side of the road in a blizzard. But a good set of floor mats will make winter driving more comfortable and protect your carpet from damage due to slush and salt.

Summit Racing has a huge selection of floor and cargo mats from WeatherTech, 3D Maxpider, Husky Liners, and Westin. Not having to drive in snow-soaked shoes will do wonders for your peace of mind.