Ice Ice Baby

build a fire on it, keep it small though

Gee, that sounds like a typical winter here in the glorious north east.

I have no help to offer, so here's a Trabant with the same problem.

1988RedT2 wrote: Two words: Park inna garage.

That's what I do.

I've used "WARM" water many times to melt frost and ice on a windshield and side windows of my cars. When you have to leave to go to work you don't want to have to spend time scraping the frost/ice off or waiting for the car to warm up. I have never cracked a glass using this method. Using very hot water could but the water I use is only just warm to the skin. I may need a couple of gallons of it but it always did the job. The only time it didn't was 4 years ago when we had an ice storm leaving my car with an ice/snow layer an inch thick. Nothing was moving that day so I just called in to work and told them I'm not going to be there. I finally got the ice around the drivers door melted enough to open it by using my 30K BTU torpedo heater pointed at it.

Once inside and the car running in time the ice then came off in sheets as the ice that was frozen to the surface of the car melted.

I was really annoyed this morning....it was cool enough to have condensation on the windshield. I even toyed with the idea putting on a long sleeve shirt...

Complaining is what the internet is all about.

I rarely lock my truck down here (still in TN for 1 more week) so that was no issue. The CC idea was really helpful, and once I was inside, the defroster made relatively quick work. I've been at work for a while now . Once the sun was up the roads became totally fine.

Ill have fewer problems when I am back in Illinois, funny enough. I believe I'll have an underground garage to park in, rather than outside.

I'm having a real hard time generating any sympathy here.

-23 here today. First snow of the season, it rained a bit before the snow. I had to climb through the hatch to fire it up, cause I didn't want to tear the door handles off.

Pee?

Go buy a remote starter. On icy days start the truck from the house and make yourself a pot of coffee. After the pot is empty drive to work.

DeadSkunk wrote: Go buy a remote starter. On icy days start the truck from the house and make yourself a pot of coffee. After the pot is empty drive to work.

Remember to turn the heat and defrost on before you get out the night before though.

Just throw an old tarp over the cab the night before, windshield, door and all. Use a few bricks to hold it down if it's windy. In the morning pull the whole thing off and go.

DaveEstey wrote: I leave the heater set to defrost when I shut down and plug in the block heater. Does a surprisingly good job of keeping the ice from building up on the windshield.

A good one for the tech tips. I had not considered that one before. On the other hand, the only car I have with a block heater is parked for the winter, lol.

Streetwiseguy wrote: I'm having a real hard time generating any sympathy here. -23 here today. First snow of the season, it rained a bit before the snow. I had to climb through the hatch to fire it up, cause I didn't want to tear the door handles off.

Been there, done that.

One tip for this: Wipe down your door seals with silicone spray periodically. The theory is that it repels the water and helps keep it all from freezing shut.

BEFORE it happens:

1. Get a tarp.

2. Put tarp over cab and windshield.

3. Secure tarp under truck.

4. After storm - pull tarp off.

Up here most people just cover the windshield with the tarp and tuck it into the doors and then pull it off. Ice goes with it. You are concerned about the door handles so I added cover whole cab. If it is windy skip it - you don't want the tarp screwing up your paint.

Just read this on the internet, so it must be true. Spray the windshield with a mixture of warm (not hot!) water and vinegar to melt the ice..

And this:

ClemSparks said: One tip for this: Wipe down your door seals with silicone spray periodically. The theory is that it repels the water and helps keep it all from freezing shut.

Step one: buy lots of Vaseline (or go in my closet). Step two: coat entire truck with said Vaseline. That's what I do.

Wait, that wasn't my truck

Mazdax605 wrote: A credit card works in a pinch as an ice scraper.

Or a tape/CD case, or pretty much anything flat, thin, & sturdy. You went to college, right? Pull the handle like a man. Crank the heat. Buy a house with a garage.

pro tip: if it's going to rain while it's around the freezing point, put a huge towel over the windshield and hold it in place by closing the front doors on it... this keeps the water off your windshield..

also, if you have plastic door handles- or an 88-94 GM W body with the goofy door handles in the C pillar- don't try to pull the door open if it's frozen shut. you will have a broken door handle and a door that is still frozen shut.. dump warm water on the weatherstripping to melt the ice and gently work it open..

NGTD wrote: BEFORE it happens: 1. Get a tarp. 2. Put tarp over cab and windshield. 3. Secure tarp under truck. 4. After storm - pull tarp off. Up here most people just cover the windshield with the tarp and tuck it into the doors and then pull it off. Ice goes with it. You are concerned about the door handles so I added cover whole cab. If it is windy skip it - you don't want the tarp screwing up your paint.

I tried that once with a car cover and the result was a car cover frozen to the car. I just dealt with with on my fiancée's car. The entire car was coated in a layer of ice. Got the door open and Mac heat defrost was best. If you want to speed up the process, take an ice scraper and skip at the ice near joints ( top of windshield, top of hood) once is starts to melt under the surface and it will slide off on sheets.

novaderrik wrote: pro tip: if it's going to rain while it's around the freezing point, put a huge towel over the windshield and hold it in place by closing the front doors on it... this keeps the water off your windshield..

When we were teenagers, before a big thunderstorm my Aunt (in a thoughtful attempt to prevent hail damage) put an old blanket on top of my cousin's car and closed it in the doors to hold it there.

It took a week to dry that car out. The water wicked right in along the blanket and filled the floorboards.

So...consider that when using any method that closes a wick in a door seal.