Not sure if this thread is in the right place, but I will be living in New York for about 3 years starting next summer. I would like to know what do I need to do to prepare my Truck for those winter seasons!! How bad will the salt on roads be on my truck and soon to get aluminized 5" exhaust and 9" lift? What all do I need to winterize it? I assume the front cover, but what else such as heating it in morning, afternoon, fuel/additives? As long as I wash it right after driving, will I be able to keep it from rusting bad? With the 9" lift, I probably won't be aboe to store it in the garage. Is it better to skip on the lift till I get back to So Cali? Thanx. :(

I have driven in NJ for 7 years now and never really seen a newer vechile rust because of salt. although it does happen. as for the winter. I dont do anyhting except make sure there is no water in the fuel so it does not gel up. as for the cold this is my first winter with the truck so i dont know

Where in New York? Down state dosent get much snow at all. It does get cold however. I wouldnt worry about the rust. It takes several years of driving on salted roads for that to occur. Most of the 80's rides around here are all rust buckets. All you have to do is wash it more than once a month and you'll be fine.

I beg to differ, my truck looked like dog sh!t after one winter season in NY. Salt will corrode everything. If you drive alot, usually the oil kicked up from the road will protect the undercarriage to some degree. Make sure there is undercoating where it should be and try to wash it as much as possible when the salt spreaders are out. If you are coming to the NYC area, your truck is going to be a nitemare. Not many garages can accomodate a lifted truck and parking sucks in all the boroughs. My advice to you is do whatever is gonna make you happy with your truck, but plan on buying a sh!tbox commuter to get in and around the city, you'll be alot happier.

I didnt mean you all didnt get much snow......I have never seen a vehicle starting to rust after 1 season. It really depends on how you take care of your vehicle. I was seriously concidering getting mine undercoated. But, inevitably, rust always occors around the fender wells and the bottom of doors. That always seems to be the most vulnerable sopt an all vehicles.

I agree with BERK. My 97 had rusted rocker panels by the end of my second winter. My rims had the clearcoat chipping and bubbling up after the frist. I suggest changing rims for winter or like BERK says get a beater to roll around in when the weathers nasty or you go into the city. I lived an hour north of NYC for 24 of my 26 yrs. Also, your lift will get you pulled over more often than you may like and if youve got no mudflaps you will leave with a ticket. On top of that, if your windows are tinted much darker than factory then the law will hassel you on that too.

Leave it in CA, by the time you get out of New York in three years you'll be disgusted.......-:t -:t -:t

My truck has seen two CT winters and has rust on everything...........the only things that don't rust are stainless............

If you want to keep it perfect, don't drive it from November until April..........
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Thanx to all of you for your replys...
I will be heading to Newburgh,(Stewart ANGB). From what I hear, it is about 1.5 hours from the city. Don't know for sure. I wanted to leave it in Cali with my dad, but I just can't see me leaving it and making payments on something that is just gonna sit for 3 years. He might drive it once or twice a month! I will have another car that will be my daily driver(02 Yukon XL) or I might just buy a beater. I will also leave my work car with my dad since my family of 7 doesn't fit anyways(94 Sentra). I only plan on using the truck other than winter seasons and only if I have to. I will let the Yukon rust up instead! I might even try to sell my WW FS2300 prior to my departure and get something else upon return. Still just in the planning phase, but I wanted first hand experience on how winters are other there in NY. Thanx.

I was about 35 miles from Newburgh. You will get 2-4 dumps a year that are anything over 6 inches. But then again every year is different, sometimes you will get hammered there other times it will be very mild. Good MX tracks there...Ace, Diamondback, Walden Playboys....theyve got websites, check em out if you ride. I may actually be heading back there next summer, dunno yet.

sorry off topic tangent

If you stay up in the Newburgh area you should be fine with the lift. If you start to drive into NYC like it was mentioned before you will not fit in any garage. Also you'll be limited to I-87 since pretty much all of the parkways in Westchester county have low clearance bridges. But then if they tag you with a "commerical" plate it won't matter. Denfintely get mud flaps to avoid the law and also keep the snow/salt combo from being sprayed all over the under carriage. Used to live up there don't much miss it.

You should be fine then, besides driving in deep snow with a lifted truck is alot of fun. The Yukon will work fine if you venture into NYC so don't sweat it. They don't salt as much up there as they do in the city so you shouldn't have a problem. Good luck.

I live in upstate NY... right smack in the middle of the state actually... And we average well over 100+ inches of snow each year and let me tell you ... I bought a 2000 GMC sierra 1500 and by 2003 I was replacing the rear break dust shields as the simply fell apart due to rust. GM's answer was I lived in the "salt" belt so the rusting out was typical. Believe me NY state and the local municipals are not afraid to spread salt and other corrosive chemicals. The only places where they do not use salt in mass quantities is up in the north country.

When I Left Upland Cali In The 60's, I Tried To By Snow Tires.. Boy Was That Ever A Joke. They Had To Be Special Ordered If I Wanted Them.. Waited Until I Got Back To Cold Country To Get Them..

Arm

13tony,outside of parking garages don't worry about the hieght , Parkways are not that low, I had a friend and he said when it gets cold don't wash the junk off unless you get it clean and dry , better to let it stay frozen, his cars never rusted or pitted, don't know if it works, Newer cars are pretty well protected . Keep it clean when you can get it dry and enjoy.Use a fuel additve when it's really cold, Power Service,Red Line,Auto parts stores will have them. I assume you are in the Military, THANK YOU !!! for helping protect us all .

Frozen001, Where abouts?

Unit... In Rome..'bout 40-50 minutes east of 'cuse....

Got 'bout 1" on snow last night... I think if I listen real close I can hear my truck rusting....:lol:

Guess we're neighbors.....They got some good slices out that way. And everyone who's last name ends in a vowel. And I'm one of them....We should grab a cup of coffee sometime...

Ya slices are pretty good around here... A way to many names ending in a vowel (But I can say that as mine does also)....

I hear that Utica P.D. is hiring out the ass. I cant seem to find a pay scale though.

Its so friggen nice out today, I dont know what to do with myself.

I do not know what the Pay scale is for the Utica PD... I know here in rome it is not the greatest to start out with... so I cannot imagine Utica being much better. Now if I were to do things all over again I would be a ROme fireman.. 24 hour shift 3 days off 24 hous shift 3 days off.. etc..etc. Plenty of time to work a second job...decent pay after being on the force a while... and when you work... not many fires, mostly ems calls...

Yeah, I'm trying to consider my options now. I work on FT Drum and drive 600 miles a week. Its allready gettin old....I want something a little closer.