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Date:         Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:34:13 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Winterizing Newbie Question
Comments: To: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <f693f2432e4c.48d3a792@gci.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Mark is dead on. One must learn about dealing with the cold.

My very first experience with the cold was my first year in Alaska. I moved from the Florida Keys direct to Wrangell Island and the small fishing and logging down by the same name. That winter I learned about glaciating ice sheets, whole towns losing their water supply because of the cold, drinking water shipped by ferry from another city, Salt water in the water main for fire protection, how to drive on ice - a whole bunch of stuff. It was the beginning year of a 30 year adventure in The Great Land.- and dealing with the cold. Next stop was Fairbanks.

2nd year in Alaska, 1st year in Fairbanks, first winter at 40 plus degrees below zero.

Before leaving Wrangell I bought for my nearly new Volvo a new set of tires from Sears. The brand new, never on the market before "Michelin Radial" tires - the very best that Sears had to offer. Radials were still tube tires back in those days, and in order to get the top 40,000 mile warranty I had to buy the "Michelin Radial Tire Tubes". So I did. I was so proud. I had the best!! Left Wrangell in May of '69, took the Alaska Ferry System to Haines, and drove the Haines Highway up to Haines Junction where it intersected the Alaska Highway - from there it was on to Fairbanks. That first winter it got down below minus 45 F. I went out early to go to work, and all four tires were flat. I was frosted - figuratively and literally. I got my neighbor to help and we took the wheels off and hauled them in his truck to the garage to get my tires repaired. The mechanic there said that was really peculiar - four tires flat at the same time. I told him I was suspicious about vandalism. He just shook his head. Told me it would be a few hours before he could break one down and check them. They had to warm up thoroughly. So, we left.

Several hours later, I get a call from the mechanic. He says come on down and have a look. The neighbor took me. On arrival the mechanic walked us over to the water tank where he inflated the tube from one of the tires. He said take a look at this. He inflated the tube, then plunged it into the water submerging it. 900 zillion tiny bubbles came from every point on the tube. The mechanic says "These tubes are artificial rubber, and that doesn't work up here. It's like plastic, and when it gets cold it gets brittle, and millions of tiny fractures occur, letting the air escape. Well, there was the proof of the pudding right in front of me. He said I would have to buy new, natural rubber tubes for Alaska. Well, I bought four - cost me $25/ea, and back in the day that was a fortune for each tube. But it solved the problem. No more flat tires due to losing the air. My first lesson about serious cold weather.

There were lots of flats I learned, . Every body had them. But not for the reasons one might expect. Every vehicle has a flat spot on the tire where it sits on the ground. You don't notice it in warm climes because the tires remain flexible. But in the extreme cold, the tires keep their flat spots. And when you start down the road, you get this rough ride and a lot of whumpity, whumpity, whumpity, whumpity, until there is enough heat of friction in the tire molecules to allow the tire to begin to flex and seek a round shape.

There were many things learned about cold. One was how to keep the feet warm. You never ever went anywhere without adequate protection from the cold in winter. Even the shortest of trips could turn into disaster if you were not prepared. That meant blankets in the car, fuel to burn and some kind of fir started. good parka and gloves, and head gear. and adequate boots. at all times. I was flying back in the early '70's going to and from Fairbanks to the North Slope and back, and warm feet was essential. I learned from some of the natives the 'ol bread sack trick. While there are all kind of special boots to fight the cold, the Alaska Natives taught me about the Bread Sack. A common boot was the shoe pak. Rubber bottoms, leather tops, with a 1/2 inch removable felt liner inside. If yo put on a couple of good warm socks and put the foot into the boot, one would think the foot would stay warm. WRONG! All feet sweat! and the moisture, however little, will soak first the socks then the felt liner thereby providing a direct route for loss of heat to the rubber and then out to the snow. and cold. I've seen guys come in with frozen places in their shoe paks because of foot moisture. The trick I learned was to take a few bread sacks with you, and some rubber bands, and slip a bread sack over the socked foot, then apply the rubber band to keep the bread sack up. Next put the now sacked foot into the felt liner. Now you have a moisture barrier to trap moisture and prevent the felt from getting set and loosing it's insulating qualities. I could be out all day in the cold and never have cold feet.

I could go on - write a small book on how to handle the cold, even survive if you are caught out somewhere. But his is not the forum.

But if you are driving in winter, dress as if you are going to be stranded. You may well be. It can happen easily enough.

Regards,

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver

Mark Tuovinen wrote: > Mike, > > Don't feel bad about your lack of knowledge preparing a vehicle for cold weather operation. Wednesday a Parts person from a Honda dealership in Oregon called me to purchase a battery blanket and oil pan heater for a customers vehicle that will be moving to Alaska. Evidently he was unable to locate said parts in his area(not sure that he tried very hard). I have even had people from dealerships farther south call to purchase block heaters, it seems that they were unaware the block heaters are listed in the accessory section of the parts catalog. It is all a matter of what you are used to. > > As for your van, if you are not going to use it until Spring, do mess with starting it until then. If it does not get a chance to fully warm up and drive around you won't be gaining anything. You may find leaks that do not show up when it is warm out. I have even had a brake master cylinder that would only leak in subzero temperatures. I found this after a pool of brake fluid appeared on the drivers floor mat one Winter. > > Our camping van(`87 Westy Syncro) hibernates outside all Winter. Before storing it we make sure all food is out, drain water tank and lines, test the antifreeze, fill the fuel tank, change the oil, wash it, check tire pressures, and disconnect the battery. During the Winter I check the battery occasionally and brush the snow off the top, the suspension will sag with 6 -10ft of snow on top. > > My daily driver `87 Sunroof Syncro gets a lighter 5W30 weight oil(both use synthetic), and a block heater. It also has Nokian studded tires, a sheet of cardboard blocking the radiator, and a modified front heating system that recirculates cabin air. Subzero temperatures in a Vanagon with the stock heater arrangement are a little chilly inside. Additionally I carry blankets for the kids to cover themselves with on the drive to school, it is too short a distance for the interior to warm up in. > > Mark in AK > Assistant Parts Manager > Continental Honda > Continental Acura > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> > Date: Thursday, September 18, 2008 5:39 pm > Subject: Winterizing Newbie Question > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > >> Okay, as some of you know, Mrs Squirrel and I just moved our darn >> selves--lock, stock, and barrel--to Bend, Oregon from a place much >> closerto the tropics: southern Californian. Coastal SoCal. Where >> wintertemperatures seldom drop below 45F. >> >> My son, who came with us, today noticed what looked like the male >> end of >> an extension cord hanging out from the hood of a pickup truck and >> askedwhat it was. >> >> "Engine block heater," I said. "For when it gets real cold." Which >> totallyexhausted my knowledge in matters automotive and climes >> Really Cold. >> >> NB: I probably got that wrong, but it's important to try to look >> ReallySmart to our kids. But see Note 1, below. >> >> Which got me thinking: if Mellow Yellow (MW), a 1984 WBX, will be >> prettymuch doing nothing during these much colder winters, what >> should I do to >> winterize her? (Or him. Whatever.) >> >> MW will probably sit in sub-freezing temps for several months with >> maintenance chargers hooked up to the starter and house batteries. >> I could >> use a "Dummy's Guide to Winterizing Your Vanagon" here. >> >> ========================== >> >> Note 1. As a side note: My son's Jeep Cherokee -- anyone here have any >> Handy Tips for dealing with these colder conditions? P-mail me as >> that is >> extremely NVC.) >> >> -- >> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott >> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") >> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano >> Bend, OR >> KG6RCR >> >> > > >


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