Hi! We're moving to WW here in about 6mo and I've been doing my homework on keeping the vehicles safe. Figured I'd bounce what I've got planned off of ya'll and make sure all the bases are covered before I start ordering parts (they don't have this stuff off the shelf in lower AL, hahaha).

My SD will mirror the Jeep, so if you have a suggestion that's Jeep specific please make a note of that, otherwise I'll assume I need the same for the Ford!

Ok, so here's our shopping list:
- Block Heater (Mopar Part No: 82210506) (We'll flush and remix antifreeze to 70/30 during this install)
- 250w Oil Pan Heater (I was going to go with Wolverine unless ya'll have had a lot of issues with them)
- 125w Trans Pan Heater (Wolverine also)
- Deltran Battery Tender hard mounted

Now I guess there's extension cords with multiple female and single male ends I could look for or I had thought about getting a 3-Terminal block and using that to bring all the cords together.

Thoughts?

 

Sounds good to me! I'm in northern Canada and my Jeep just gets the ol' block heater, the hard top, winter wiper fluid, and a set of winter tires for the -30 and -40 degree weather. Maybe I should spoil my Jeep some more...

 

Off the top of my head maybe a battery blanket as well. Sounds like a very inclusive list there....it would help to know exactly where you will be living. I never plugged in at all living in Anchorage. Your list is better suited for Fairbanks and I hear the folks in Juneau are swimming during the winter months. Alaska is a big state with various conditions depending on your location. I like to f**k with the Texans, "you can cut Alaska in half and Texas would wtill be the 3rd largest state."

As a side note, if you have any desire to make a big purchase like bumpers, tires, etc do it while you are down here....you'll get raped buying or shipping the stuff up there.

 

I think the oilpan and tranny pan heaters are overkill personally.

Block heater, battery warmer, good cold cranking amp battery were sufficient enough for my vehicles in the Northern Alberta/BC winters.

If you have not done so I would suggest getting full synthetic oils in the diffs, transfer case, Tranny and motor. Also, add a winter grill cover it helps maintain engine heat on those cold windy winter days!

 

Moving to Fairbanks...

I thought they might be but they're not really that expensive and I'm an overkill kinda guy, hahaha

I hadn't even thought about synthetics, that's a great idea!

 

That 250w oil pan heater seems a bit much. I've heard that they can cook/burn the oil to the pan and you don't want that. If anything, I used to silicone a small, maybe about 4"x6" heater to the oil pan. I think it may have only been about 40w? You just need to warm it a little. Oh and I've never used a battery blanket either in the almost 30 years I've been living here. But we don't get (well rarely) the weeks on end cold like Fairbanks can get.

So far I've had no problems for 3 years just having the block heater in the JK. What I did do that made a big difference was put synth oil in the diffs. Before that, when it got real cold in the mornings, I could hardly start to move down the driveway without breaking the rear wheels loose on the snow and ice. Meaning with the thick diff oil the front end wouldn't free wheel enough and it really felt like I had to push it along before the diffs warmed up. After the change to synth that problem went away.

Up in Anchorage they preach to plug in at 20.....as in 20 above. Sometimes I think they have something worked out with the electric company. We never plug in till at least 0. And they are on timers so they don't go all night. Only need them for a couple hours in the morning.

One other thing I've been thinking about doing and I might do it this year, is put a little electric heater on the inside of the jeep. Say on the passenger side floor. They make some real small ones these days. I'll wire it in with the block heater so the jeep will be nice and toasty in the morning when I go to leave and it won't be so much like sitting on a block of ice for miles down the road. I've heard of a number of people doing this and it does seem like a good idea. Guess I'm gettin' soft in my old age.......lol.

Good Luck...!!!

 

Yeah, we're definitely getting timers! I hear 4hrs before you need the vehicle is standard timing in the winter up there.

I hadn't heard about coking the oil to the pan... I might go with smaller wattage pan heaters for the Jeep. 125w is rated for 3-6qts and 250w is rated for 5-13qts... My buddies up there have told me about the winters, yikes! I definitely want to help keep the fluids warm prior to start, especially since we'll have pretty short commutes.

I don't want a battery blanket either. Heard too many stories of shortening battery life plus you can't hurt using a tender!

Got our first steps to Alaska prep today!

 

True dat and with those meats in the back of your rig you'll have no issues tackling the trails especially in Fairbanks. Make sure you talk to the locals, they be the ones with knobs on their tires the size of brick.

Let me be the first so say, welcome to Alaska. Enjoy your tour

 

Thanks for the welcome!

I picked those Duratracs because of all the reviews I read from Canucks who loved them on packed snow and ice. I guess all the siping they have does pretty good in that stuff. Getting a set for both trucks but the Jeep is first since her tires are bald

 

I made that exact move myself last march. We waited to winterize until we got up here, had the wainwright auto shop do it. If are going to do it yourself looks like you have all the right stuff. FalconFixer is right on. Get whatever you plan to buy before moving up here, shipping is murder and selection is limited. If you feel like wheeling that JK or 'Yota PM me. Might think about remote start as well.