Preparation Hints and Tips
There's two ways you can approach this...
So, from the image here you'll see I've got trolley jacks and a treasure chest of tools, stripping the front axle down, whilst laying on ice more than 2000 miles from home. I bring tools and spares. Why? well, I'm of the approach that if I breakdown, I want to try and get back on the road as quickly as possible. Lead times for the most basic of spares up in the Arctic can easily be weeks! Now, realistically I can't take everything, but how annoyed would you be if you had say, a relay fail and now you're on the phone to your family confirming, yes, it's in the garden shed and your now stationary for the next 10 days awaiting delivery.
For me that would be trip over and I would be hugely disappointed.
On the other hand, you might be of the view that, hey, sh*t happens, I'll fly home and let the breakdown insurance deal with it. What ever your view point, taking an arsenal of spares and tools or running with none, it's entirely your choice.
Whichever your choice, if you breakdown, we will never leave you alone in the middle of nowhere, we will always get you to a place of safety.
Vehicle preparation
Along the journey, temperatures can easily hit -40'c, there are a few essential vehicle preparations you must make to ensure your journey is as smooth as possible:
- Oil change: check your vehicle manual and change your engine, gearbox, transfer box, differentials etc, oil as required.
- Coolant: low temperature coolant will be required. Make sure you flush as much of the old coolant out as possible.
- Screen wash: change your screen wash for low temp fluid.
- Tyres: tyres must be 3PMSF rated as a minimum.
- Batteries: Ensure batteries are in excellent condition, the cold will put a huge amount of strain on them.
Recovery gear
None of us are seasoned winter drivers and even the locals (who tackle their climate for 6 months of the year) carry recovery and emergency equipment in their vehicles.
- Snow chains: you can hire these from www.snowchains.com
- Traction boards, towing strops and kinetic lines are all useful kit along with soft shackles.
- Recovery points: Make sure you have recovery points fitted to both the front and rear of your vehicle.
- Winches and snatch blocks (pulleys): If you have a winch, great, if not, there will be plenty of winches around on other vehicles with eager operators around you. Bring multiple snatch blocks if you can. You'll be surprised at how difficult winching on ice can be and snatch blocks, with traction boards will be your friend.
- Shovels: they wont be just for toilet breads on this trip! you'll be sick of shovelling snow.