First winter snow are you ready?

[rancherman]

Around here; especially in Wisconsin, most guys just have their wives ride in the bed of their trucks, just for that reason!!! The P-whipped guys in Wisconsin give their wives rain suits..........most don't.

"whipped" is right!!

sheesh, There was a couple times I thought about using wife as a 'under wheel traction device'..

- - - Updated - - -

I havent searched, but I'd think a auto-shutter for the front of our trucks would be a cool add-on.

instead of the honeycomb, there would be a REAL METAL front, similar to a venetian blind. hook it up to electic motor and Viola'

stainless, polished aluminum... body color.. hmmmm..

Or am I too late on this idea? Seen em on semi tractors years ago...

[diesel4life]

The 2013 ram 1500 have shutters on the front grille. They open and close according to engine temps. I also read that they are bagged and ghe faster you drive down the road the lower the truck sits to the ground. Likewise if your doing some offroading you can pump em up a few inches. Probly just enough to get ya in trouble!

[dripley]

Put on my winter fronts drove to Ontario, OR and it was 75*F out. I though for sure there would be a issue with EGT's or engine temp. Nope coolant hover at 190-195*F with Dripley's thermostat and EGT's where no different that typical. But I could hear the fan lock/unlock now and then. What was weird started out here at 38-40*F... :banghead:

I really loved that tstat, man!!!

[AH64ID]

I am mixed on weight. I have ran it over the years, and now I don't. Yes the weight can help you start, but it also hurts stopping and turning so in the end I think most "driving experts" say that adding weight is a net negative. I have found proper tire pressure to be far more effective than weight. Drop some air out, you would be surprised what it does for traction.

[Mopar1973Man]

I have found proper tire pressure to be far more effective than weight. Drop some air out, you would be surprised what it does for traction.

Here is my current setup with my 265's Coopers back on... 3,415# @ 80 PSI Using axle scale weights and calculating the tire pressures. 4,440 / 2 = 2,220 / 3,415 = .65 x 80 = 52 PSI (50 PSI) 2,860 / 2 = 1,430 / 3,415 = .41 x 80 = 33 PSI (35 PSI) Excellent traction. Now if I was to return to my 235's... 3,750# @ 110 PSI 4,440 / 2 = 2,220 / 3750 = .59 x 110 = 65 PSI (65 PSI) 2,860 / 2 = 1,430 / 3750 = .38 x 110 = 41 PSI (45 PSI) Good traction and tire wear... When I switch to towing I jump the rear up to 60-65 PSI and I'm done. Because the front axle weight typical remains the same but the rear axle is really close to the same weight.

[AH64ID]

I run 50/40 on the truck in the winter, unless I am going to be driving over 60 then 60/45. It is a LOT more traction than my summer 65x4.

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

i dont add bed weight, if i have to use 4wd, im not ashamed to do so. once i get going i put it back to 2wd. but also like said before, if it snowed and there is good layer of snow on the ground, dropping psi to about 25 to 30 on my rig and it has gobs pf traction and the engine brake is wonderful with it in 4wd and stopping!!ive yet to need weight in the rear

[Mopar1973Man]

Rule of thumb for 4WD and tire chain users.

I typically run around everywhere in the winter in 2WD.

If I've got to run 4WD I should reconsider what I'm doing because I'm using my last line of defence from getting stuck. I might use 4WD to get moving on slick ground is fine but I return back to 2WD. Now if I'm going up a plowed forestry road to a friends house. Yes, I'll used 4WD but still thinking about the last line of defence is my chains.

Now if you 4WD and chain up and you got stuck your somewhere you really don't need to be.

So I've gotten use to being solely 2WD most of the winter time. There is so many people that assume they will just use 4WD and there fine. They will never get stuck. Yeah Right. When they do get stuck they are screw because they used their Ace to fast and now don't have anything but to get walkin'...

No chains, No studs, No 4WD...

[01cummins24v]

Did a coolant flush and put a new 190 degree thermostat in. i was only getting 18 mpg's now im getting 24.7

[dripley]

Did a coolant flush and put a new 190 degree thermostat in. i was only getting 18 mpg's now im getting 24.7

A 37% increase? I need some of that magic.

[01cummins24v]

Before the thermostat went bad i was getting 22-23 mpgs when it went bad i was only running 170 degrees and mpgs suffered.

[ISX]

Before the thermostat went bad i was getting 22-23 mpgs when it went bad i was only running 170 degrees and mpgs suffered.

Thats why I've been trying to find this 205F thermostat they supposedly make for the cummins. I've never been able to find it though. I want that thing to run 210-215 the whole time.

[AH64ID]

Get a 4th gen thermostat, 200°.

[ISX]

Get a 4th gen thermostat, 200°.

Will it fit?

[AH64ID]

Will a 2nd gen 24V fit? I am 99% sure a 3rd/4th gen will fit in a 98.5-02, but no clue on a pre 98. Go to some of the other forums, guys are pulling the OEM 200°s all the time and I bet you could get one for the cost of shipping.

[ISX]

Will a 2nd gen 24V fit? I am 99% sure a 3rd/4th gen will fit in a 98.5-02, but no clue on a pre 98. Go to some of the other forums, guys are pulling the OEM 200°s all the time and I bet you could get one for the cost of shipping.

If they are pulling them what are they replacing them with or why are they ditching them?

[Mopar1973Man]

Will a 2nd gen 24V fit? I am 99% sure a 3rd/4th gen will fit in a 98.5-02, but no clue on a pre 98. Go to some of the other forums, guys are pulling the OEM 200°s all the time and I bet you could get one for the cost of shipping.

If they are pulling them what are they replacing them with or why are they ditching them?

Huh? Unless they are chasing the performance craze and looking for colder everything. If a 200*F would fit a 24V I would jump on it. 2010 6.7L 200*F Theremostat (2 25/64" x 29/32" x 1 1/8" x 49/64") 2020 5.9L 190*F Thermostat (2 25/64" x 29/32" x 1 1/8" x 49/64") So according to RockAuto.Com measurements it should fit...

[ISX]

Somewhere I read that they made a 205 for the 2nd gens but I have yet to find it. It's just very interesting that a 20F increase accounted for 37% mileage increase, I didn't think it had THAT big of an effect. Bring on the heat! Nascars run up to 280F when they do that drafting crap on the track, so I wonder how hot we can run before we start to screw stuff up.

[Mopar1973Man]

215*F is suppose to be the Cummins limit...

[ISX]

215*F is suppose to be the Cummins limit...

Then what happens? I think every guy with a crappy thermostat has watched his gauge tap the red then drop all the way to 140. I see that as much worse since the engine is going from relatively hot to relatively cold and I don't think it does it uniformly. If the whole block heats and cools equally, there is no problem, but this water rushes in starting at the front and rushing to the back. I mean my gauge went from hot to cold in a second. With that in mind, what exactly happens over 215F when it can obviously tolerate going to 220 then surging to 140.