Hey everyone. I just wanted to share some tips on keeping your truck and yourself cool while on the road in this incredible heatwave that’s been hitting the whole country. Begin with making sure you have plenty of fluids for yourself and your truck. Staying hydrated is the best way of beating the heat and from my experience, some coolant seems to burn off while under heavy loads through the mountains so having extra gallons will help you out.
Make sure to have extra oil as this too will burn off some while climbing the Rockies with heavy loads. Another thing I do is bring a small hand cloth that I will soak with water and put in the freezer section of the factory fridge in my truck. This helps when I start feeling like I’m getting overheated to cool myself off and it lasts for a few hours; it definitely helps me with the stress of the heat.
One item I use to help determine how much work I can do in these conditions is an old chart I had while in the army that breaks down heat temperature ranges into categories and determines how much rest you need when working outside. Another thing that helps keep the truck cool is trying to run before or after the hottest parts of the day. This helps with the wear and tear of summer driving as well.
It also helps to run your AC at max in the sleeper and in the main cab for about two hours before stopping for the day, once you stop the amazing thermal curtains in the truck will actually keep the air fairly cool and an APU helps with circulation of the cooler air as well. Also, make sure your water intake is sufficient since you are sweating.
Sweating isn’t always fun but it’s your body’s AC unit if you stop sweating you may be in some big trouble and no one wants that. In my military training, I learned that if you happened to have a heat stroke it would be much easier for you to become one again in the future. There are many articles you can find about this on the internet.
Another helpful thing is to wear lightweight, breathable clothing. This helps your body to cool off whereas restrictive clothing that doesn’t breathe could possibly cause you to overheat. If you happen to be at one of the few locations in the US that have idle-free systems, use them. It can be very helpful to not use any diesel and not having to idle your truck in the intense heat will help your pocketbook too.
These are just a few summer tips to help you and your truck out during these hot times. Hopefully, they’ll prevent you from having more downtime in the shop or possibly even a visit to urgent care. So remember to keep the rubber side down and in between the ditches.