4X4XJ

Folks,

The cold weather, snow, sleet, ice, and Winter is fast approaching. If you are located in a part of the U.S. that battles a harsh Winter (ie: Not in FL, CA, etc), how do you prepare your XJ?

Hopefully we can learn from each other's prep routines and keep our XJs happy, healthy, and on the roads for many more years to come.

Please share your prep tips.

Thank you

Dumajones

I live in Alaska,, What I do is grease all my bushings and anything with Zerks.
Check the freezing point of my antifreeze in the Jeep. I also clean and refresh all my ground points and battery terminals. Check and make sure the headlight sockets and wires look in good shape.. Throw a few extra tow straps in the back and a bag of sand.

I also use silicon spray on the rubber door seals to help keep the doors from froze/stuck situations.. also spray a little in the lock cylinders for the doors.

Oh and awhile back I printed up a release liability form for ppl to sign if Im asked to help pull their car out of the ditch.
Made a mistake awhile back helping some lady out of the ditch.. then she came after me to pay to have her car fixed.. She said I messed up her **** pulling her out.. Yeah right lady,, not to mention the big old curb that you hit messing up the the whole steering as she ditched it..

93_xjcherokee

Thats a good idea with the liability paperwork. Even tho we don't get harsh winters, I've pulled plenty of people out of places where they could potentially pull something like that.

Dumajones

Yep I paid for her work to be done. Then my lawyer said to make one up,,so I did. I have had 5 ppl sign it since.. It more less says its your dumb fault for being in the ditch in the first place and Im in noway at fault for any damage that occurs from the pulling out of the vehicle..

Dumajones

Oh and if anybody does the liability form,,make sure you get the persons drivers LIC number to put on the form..and check the name against the signature on the D-LIC.

Some people are shady and will try to sign fake name.

Bugout4x4

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Dumajones

Had pics,,, I will get more pics this winter of pulling ppl out of the ditch along with dash cam vids.. Its a every year occurrence so I gave up keeping pics and vids..had too many.

and if you are saying pics,, to prove I didnt do damage to the ladys car..well It was before these new fancy phones with cams came out.

Bugout4x4

Just mentioned it for the sake of the board. I have found that just giving the impression that one might be taking images can be a huge deterrent against most thoughts about liability actions even if you don't really take any or keep them all.

Bart_68

Back the Cherokee to it's winter parking spot, make sure the antifreeze is good, gas tank full with fuel stabilizer in it, trade the driving insurance for storage insurance and drive my Focus for the winter.

s346k

I change the oil so I don't have to do it when it gets cold. otherwise - nothing

thebyus

Throw the kids in the back and the skis on top and drive it up the unplowed road to the local ski area

Fred/N0AZZ

Pretty much the same year around unless its time to change antifreeze and thermostat.

sycoglitch

Lol, exactly this. Usually maintenance is already done minus the cold weather oil change which I'm doing this weekend, 5-30 vs 5-40 nominal. Usually have a tow strap in the jeep. Main thing I do is keep a 5gal gas container stored in my garage so if there is a storm that knocks our power, I have some reserve gas to get around. And ill keep some kitty litter just in case of bad ice under the snow, 3 yrs and haven't needed that yet but never know.

As for those forms, Duma, do you get your forms pre notorized.

Dumajones

No I haven't had anyone push it that far. I'm sure in court and a real real good lawyer they could get out of it. I sign and the driver signs. Its just to keep everybody on the truth a little better.. Kinda like what Bugout said about taking pics. But last year I had a guy sign it on the hood of the Jeep so the dash cam would show who it was..

I haven't had anyone try to get me for damage since that lady.. Most ppl are happy not to pay a tow bill of 175.00 bucks, ppl offer money and I just say no get a Jeep drive safe.
Plus its fun to show the Jeep kicking *** and taking names..lol

CR-Snow

Can't wait to pull some people out of some ditches. Great idea with the liability papers.

So far I see:

Cold weather oil change
Antifreeze
Grease door locks and seals
Carry sand or kitty litter
Grease fittings

Is there anything that can be done to prep the underside of the jeep? Any kind of coating or prep to deal with salt, brine, sand etc.. I have nearly zero rust and I'd like to keep it that way.

Also, I'm having the remote start installed next week. Makes life in super cold weather so much easier.