It's Mid October - Prep For Winter Now

 

Now that we are officially in the middle of October during the time of this article, do you know what that means? That means when it hits midnight on Halloween leading into November 01, Mariah will emerge from her tomb, and we will be in the Christmas season until the first week of January. Holiday marketing, Christmas shopping stress, Christmas lights everywhere, it’s coming. More importantly, it’s a major distraction from the other fact that depending on where you live, snow and freezing temperatures are also on the way. anJanuary.

Also, for many of you depending on where you live, we have been experiencing an unseasonably much warmer in October. So, it’s just been business as usual wearing shorts and a tee-shirt as we go about our days. At the same time for those of us who get the four seasons during the year, the weather in October is unpredictable just like it would be in April or even May. Meaning that it can be 80 degrees in the warm before the storm, to a full-on blizzard the next day.

And what are we going to see on your FB feed all day long? It’s going to be about all the wrecks you’ve seen on the way to work because people don’t know how to drive in the snow. Speed is always the case when you try to stop and slam into another vehicle or into the guardrail because you can’t maintain control. And for many times, the dangers of winter commuting are usually from another person’s negligence whether it be speed or driving through ice-covered roads with summer tires.

Yet the other major factor about winter is that it is very hard on our cars especially for those of you who experience extremely cold temperatures. With older Subaru models, pay attention. During summertime, the main culprits of driving headaches are overheating, and heat soak. We address replacing your radiator with an all-aluminum unit with silicone hoses and you should be good which is true. For the wintertime, leaks are more prevalent because the cold will make rubber harden which will make them retract. This creates more space for leaks to pass through. Because rubber hardens during the colder temperatures, belt squeaks are more prevalent as cold rubber tries to spin on cold aluminum pullies. Before we take a deeper dive on what you should replace, we will just address the main ingredients on what you should either replace or address, to make your Subaru tolerate this upcoming winter season.

 

 

 

WINTER TIRES

Just because you have AWD on your Subaru doesn’t mean that you are immune from snow and ice. Winter tires will drastically improve your traction when it’s a 27-degree morning at 6am and you have a 45-minute drive to work. The reason why winter tires get so much grip, is because the rubber compound is much softer than summer tires. Why are they softer? Because the rubber won’t freeze or harden during continuous contact with the snow and elements. Does this mean snow tires will wear out faster during warmer months? 110% they will. This is because they become extra softer in the sun, and with a warmer pavement the tread is more prone to wear and tear. This is why for many people, they will have winter tires mounted on another set they can change out seasonally. Otherwise, you must drop your car off to get them changed out early winter, and late spring. If you live in Southern California and get he occasional 1-inch snow storm, you will be fine with all seasons because the warmer weather will melt the snow quickly as ground temperatures are also relatively warmer. For Utah, Colorado, the Dakotas, or in the east, snow tires during the wintertime greatly improve traction and safety for daily commuting.

 

FLUIDS

This is aimed more at those of you who do wrenching yourself, or if you need to, take your Subie to a friend or someone who knows how to wrench to save dealership costs. Because changing your oil outside or even in the garage when it’s near freezing is miserable. The dirtier the oil, the thicker it will be which takes longer to circulate and build pressure in early freezing temps. Fresh fully synthetic oil will allow your engine’s internals to move with less friction to warm up to operating temps faster.

 

Oil Change Kit w/Motul 5W30 and OEM Filter 2002-2014 WRX / 2004-2021 STI

 

Also, make sure that your coolant has an even 50/50 mix because if you live in an area that experiences really cold temps, it could take longer for the engine to reach operating temperatures if you have a more water to coolant ratio. Water freezes, and an even mixture of coolant and water ensures that you have heating protection in the summer, while protecting your block during the winter months.

 

Mishimoto Liquid Chill Synthetic Engine Coolant Premixed 1 Gallon

 

Finally, take the time to inspect the rest of your fluids and just make sure that they are topped off. Brake fluid is something that needs to be addressed mainly by those who track their cars and push the temperature limits. Otherwise, if you enjoy your Subaru as a daily or on weekend car shows, fluids such as transmission, brake fluid, clutch fluid, and diff fluids have a pretty long shelf life, and should be changed out in the spring if your vehicle had gone over 50k miles since the last fluid flushes.

 

BELTS AND HOSES

Now if you have an older or high mileaged Subaru, you have better been on top of your timing belt changes. But during the winter season, the cold is harder on older accessory belts and on older coolant hoses. During the summer, heat makes your rubber hoses expand and retract during countless heat cycles. In the wintertime, the heat makes your hoses expand, but when they retract and settle to colder outside temps, that rubber gets harder. When you start your car, the coolant pressure can go passed any passages within your clamps and leak outside. This is why we always recommend a proper silicone hose replacement. OEM rubber when expanded during heat, the inner fibers break apart causing the hose to expand far enough that it can contact your fans. Silicone hoses are made using multi-layer technology, they are more resistant to heat, and they will not expand like OEM units once they are worn. Silicone hoses are one of those “set it and forget it” mods that you should replace if you suspect your hoses are weak, because they will only get worse in the winter.

 

GrimmSpeed Radiator Hose Kit Red 2002-2007 WRX / 2004-2007 STI

 

GrimmSpeed Radiator Hose Kit Black 2008-2014 WRX / 2008-2021 STI

 

Now the reason why belts squeak in the winter is slippage. Older belts that are cracked and hardened will slip on aluminum pullies, and the reason why the squeaks eventually go away is because the engine heat finally softened the rubber enough to where it can grip the pulleys. Yet having an old belt can lead to many headaches. If your belt is cracked that means it is stretched. If its missing sections in the grooves, then your alternator may not make enough voltage to the rest of your electrical components. If you’re mechanically inclined, accessory belts are not too hard to replace and are otherwise considered easy by experienced mechanics. Now if your new belt still squeaks after the installation, that means that you need more tension. You may have a weak idler pulley. For now, inspect your belt for any physical damage, if there is, replace it immediately.

 

Gates Stretch Fit AC Belt 2015-2021 STI

 

ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS

During the winter, you are stepping in snow, mud, salt, and the occasional puppy mine that gets covered in snow. When you drag that into your car, the snow and ice off your shoes will melt on your regular floor mats. Where you need to be careful is if you are constantly bringing any sort of winter moisture in your car, the melted snow and salt will soak passed your regular floor mats, and it can also soak through the carpet underneath and onto your bare floorboard. This puts you in a risk of body rust. All weather floor mats feature thick and durable rubber construction that are waterproof and spill proof from the winter elements, groceries, or chemicals. Getting a proper set of all-weather floor mats is an excellent investment to the interior of your Subaru.

 

WeatherTech FloorLiner DigitalFit All Weather Floor Mats 2015-2021 WRX/STI

 

GET YOURSELF NEW WIPER BLADES

New wiper blades are a luxury especially during the wintertime when salt leaves a perpetual cloudy film over your windshield when you have old wiper blades. The problem is that in the summertime in many areas, you go through June through August in triple-digit temps with little rain. So as your wiper blades are baking in the sun, the rubber blade section will shrivel like bacon. When you try to use your wipers, you have insanely annoying streaks, and gaps where the blade won’t make contact. You either pony up and get decent wiper blades that will last you a few seasons, or you keep going to your local auto parts store and get the cheapest examples in the beginning and during the end of winter. The better choice is to opt for a quality blade.

 

PIAA Super Silicone Wiper Blade 16in 2015-2021 WRX/STI

 

MUD FLAPS

Another reason why mud flaps are very coveted in the Subaru community. They protect your lower rocker panels from getting sandblasted from road pebbles, and they also protect surrounding drivers’ windshields from rock chips as well. But during the winter, fresh salt will wreak havoc on your paint because at highway speeds, those salt pebbles can easily chip your paint. Having mud flaps adds an extra layer of protection to your exterior during heavy snowfall, and when they lay salt on the roads the day after.

 

Rally Armor Mud Flaps Black w/Red Logo 2015-2021 WRX/STI

 

Rally Armor Mud Flaps Blue w/White Logo 2015-2021 WRX/STI

 

WAX THAT PAINT

 

Chemical Guys Glossworkz Glaze 16oz

 

 

This is for those of you who may not have your paint corrected and ceramic coated. It can be expensive, and you may have put it off. But you can do a wax yourself. Obviously only do this after you have thoroughly washed your car. You can buy applicator pads and microfiber towels HERE, and you can do this yourself.

Now waxing/polishing your paint finish serves a much higher purpose other than making your car shine. Quality waxes have specific oils such as carnauba not only generate the shine, but they also repel moisture. This is why you will see beading water on the surface of paintjobs after they have been washed. This makes the water harder to stick to the surface of the paint, which means that waxes and polishes also help repel road salt. Now because waxes and polishes contain oils, they will attract dust faster. The best way to keep your paint maintained in the winter to help keep an abundance of salt buildup on your paint, is to go through a touchless car wash at least once a week, then dry off the access moisture with a microfiber.

 

Lastly, be safe. Take your time when you’re driving. Keep the donuts in open parking lots. But remember you drive a Subaru, so try not to do them because oil will slosh to the other side of the bank starving the other side of oil and you’ll blow your motor. And most importantly, give plenty of room to the car in front of you because during a snowstorm, sudden stops are always frequent due to someone else losing control in front of you.