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Health & Fitness

Winter Spring Winter Spring

As the weather continues to fluctuate between seasons I am going to go back to posting about some winter tire and safety tips.  

Winter tires are a good idea for those who live in areas with severe winter weather because they allow for more traction on icy roads.  The depth of the tread is deeper on these tires so they can cut through and dig in.   However, these tires can still slide unless they are studded snow tires.

For those who live in areas where conditions are less severe, all weather tires make more sense.

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If your windshield wiper fluid is frozen then you won’t be able to clean your windshield that likely is also frozen.   Windshield fluid has an option with a deicer to remove ice from the windshield.

 If antifreeze is frozen then it will freeze in your engine and won’t be able to cool the car down properly causing the vehicle to overheat and destroy the internals of the engine.  The scheduled maintenance on your coolant should be followed to the manufacturer’s specifications.

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If you don’t have enough tread you will slide and won’t have control of your vehicle.  If there is enough pressure the tire will grab and pull you through the snow or ice correctly.   Tread is the most important thing in regards to allowing for maximum traction to the road surface.  Benefit: stability and control.  Low tire tread can cause hydroplaning.

The salt and chloride should be wasted or removed consistently in order to prevent rust and deterioration on all components of your vehicle.   The salt and slush can cause rust and eat through metals so you should always spray the car off with water and soap to keep from damaging your car’s metals and paints.

Cold can kill your battery faster and make it harder for your car to start.  Always make sure the battery is clean and in good condition.   Most batteries are non- serviceable such as having to add water to the battery.  But what you can do, is make sure that the terminals are clean and have protective  pads on the terminals to help prevent corrosion from forming which robs power coming from the battery to the vehicle.

A good winter emergency kit for your car should include:

A flashlight Jumper cables, flares, air pump, air pressure, gauge, jack system, tire tool, chains for tires additionally: wrenches and screw drivers, and good washer fluid.

In cold regions (snow)  Small shovel, an emergency blanket, some water, (bottles of water), sand for weight and to be able to put under the tires.  A tow rope or chain


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