Winter Care for Your Truck & Trailer: Cold Weather, No Excuses
When the temperature drops, everything gets a little tougher—especially if you're running a semi. Whether you’re hauling grain from the bins, pulling livestock, or running loads for hire, winter doesn’t care what you’re doing. It’ll test your rig from the first cold start to the last icy mile.
At B&R Repair, we know how important uptime is. A frozen air line, dead battery, or brake issue doesn’t just cost you money—it throws off your whole day. That’s why we always say: a little maintenance now saves a lot of misery later.
Here’s what we recommend to get your truck and trailer through winter in one piece—and on time.
🔋 1. Check Those Batteries
Cranking a diesel in the cold takes a lot more juice than folks realize. If your batteries are weak, winter will find them out.
Test all batteries—don’t just check voltage, check how they perform under load
Clean and tighten terminals to avoid voltage drop
If one battery’s bad, replace the set—don’t mix old with new
Keep a booster pack or good jumper cables onboard, just in case
🧊 2. Watch Out for Frozen Air Lines
Air brake systems are notorious for collecting moisture—and frozen lines mean no brakes, no air ride, no nothing.
Drain air tanks daily, especially if you're hauling in and out of snow or slush
Use an air dryer in good working order—if yours is overdue, we’ll replace the cartridge
Add alcohol-based air line antifreeze as needed (not too much, though—follow specs)
Pro tip: If your trailer sat all summer, those air lines may already have moisture built up. Better to deal with it now than in a sub-zero parking lot.
❄️ 3. Fuel Treatment = No Gelling
If you’ve ever tried starting a gelled-up diesel, you know it’s about as fun as a root canal in a snowstorm.
Use winter-grade diesel if you can get it
Add a trusted anti-gel treatment to every fill-up
Keep a bottle of 911 or emergency de-gel in the cab
Change fuel filters before it gets cold—they’ll flow better and handle gunk from summer fuel
🔧 4. Inspect Hoses, Belts, and Fluids
Cold snaps will find every weak spot in your engine bay.
Check all hoses for dry rot, cracks, or soft spots
Inspect belt tension and condition—one bad pulley can leave you stranded
Make sure coolant is rated for winter—test freeze point and top off if needed
Keep your DEF fluid topped off and stored where it won’t freeze
🛞 5. Don’t Forget the Trailer
Your trailer works just as hard as the truck—and winter is no kinder to it.
Check tires and air pressure (cold temps drop pressure fast)
Inspect and grease wheel bearings and slack adjusters
Make sure your lights, connectors, and pigtails are working and weather-tight
Check hopper doors, ramps, and tarps—ice buildup can stop you fast
And don’t overlook landing gear—a frozen crank handle is nobody’s favorite way to start the day.
✅ What We Can Do at B&R Repair
Whether you’re running local or long haul, we’re here to keep your truck and trailer reliable in the worst conditions.
We offer:
Full winter inspections
Battery testing & replacement
Fuel filter changes and treatment
Air brake system checks and antifreeze service
Cold-weather oil and coolant changes
Lighting and wiring repairs
Preventive trailer maintenance
📍 Winter’s Here—Don’t Let It Win
If you wait for something to break, winter will give you all the breakdowns you can handle. A little time in the shop now saves hours of lost time on the side of the road later.
📞 Call us at (815) 699-2641 or stop by B&R Repair in rural Princeton.
Proudly keeping the rigs of Bureau County rolling through snow, ice, and everything in between.