Winter is almost here, but in some places, cold weather has already arrived. So, now is the ideal time to make sure your shop is winter ready.
To gear up for cold temperatures, snow and ice, you’ll want to be sure you prepare your shop and have the right gear on hand. Taking time to prepare now will help you keep workers and equipment safe all winter long.
Here are some products you can use that are designed to withstand the winter elements:
Windshield De-Icer
When you are in a hurry, nothing slows you down quite like an icy windshield. Scraping windows and wipers can make you lose valuable time – time you could be spending in your shop or on a job.
Get your vehicles ready for the road in no time with Windshield De-Icer. Use it to quickly melt ice and frost from windows and wipers. It even thaws frozen door latches and removes road film. It comes in an easy-to-use aerosol can and is safe to use on automotive paint, chrome and rubber parts.
Lubricant
You know just how important it is to keep your equipment up and running. That’s why using lubricants to prevent parts from seizing up or breaking down is so important.
When winter hits, make sure your lubricants can handle the drop in temperature. Ultra Guard 2 Extreme Winter Grease is formulated to pump easily in cold winter temperatures to provide full lubrication and protection. It also gives you superior lubrication to drastically reduce wear, heat and friction on moving parts.
Ice Melt
Snow and ice can mean big trouble for your shop. If your parking lot or driveway isn’t shoveled or plowed, workers might have trouble getting to the shop, which can put work behind schedule. Snow and ice can also cause accidents to both vehicles and workers.
If you know snow and ice are in the forecast, take time to prepare sidewalks, driveways or parking lots. Liquid Ice Melt is a pre-treatment to prevent the bonding of snow and ice to pavement and make mechanical cleaning more efficient. It can effectively melt snow and ice in temperatures as low as -60°F.
Starting Fluid
In winter, vehicles and equipment sometimes struggle to start. The cold temperatures cause engine oil to thicken, which can reduce battery efficiency.
If you need help starting your vehicles or equipment this winter, starting fluid might be the solution for you. Starter fluid contains a volatile substance that ignites easily, which generates more force for your engine to turn over.
Ultra-Fire 50 Starting Fluid’s high-performance formula starts engines fast, even at -70°F. Its 50% ether formula has up to 2.5 times as much ether content as conventional formulas, so it provides faster and easier starting.
Gloves
As temperatures plummet, the body will limit blood flow to the hands in an effort to keep the core warm. This means your hands are more susceptible to feeling cold and numb. Cold hands can lead to chapped, dry skin or in extreme cases, frostbite.
One of the easiest ways to protect you and your workers’ hands this winter is with gloves. Gloves act as a barrier to the cold and wind. This allows for better blood flow to our hands to keep them warm.
Gear up this winter with the Kim-Wear™ ColdStop Gloves, the ultimate mechanic’s glove. They provide comfortable, all-day protection against the winter elements and superior dexterity, giving the wearer excellent tactile feel for working with precision parts and applications.
These gloves also feature a unique material that is specially designed for water and oil resistance, which means they will not get slippery and will not harden after drying.
Don’t let winter woes stop your shop this season. Kimball Midwest has the products you need to help you prepare. Reach out to your Kimball Midwest sales representative to get started and find all the products you may need. If you don’t already have a rep, we can help you