preparation
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• Down to around -40'C, trucks can operate without much special preparation, although regular maintenance is essential—the consequences of a mechanical failure in the depth of winter could be gate unpleasant. The fuel used is a special blend, even compared with that sold in southern Finland, and will normally cope down to -300 without heating. Atmospheric moisture can cause problems, however, and care must be taken to keep on top of water separation. Even after the costs involved in transporting fuel to a point 800km north of Helsinki, diesel is on sale at retail pumps for the equivalent of 51p/litre.
The normal Paraflu antifreeze from Fiat Lubrificanti Is effective down to -40 C at the normal 50% concentration. We were surprised to learn that using more than this is actually counter-productive, with a significant rise in the freezing point beyond 60-70%.
The cold also causes wiper blades to stick to the windscreen, hence trucks parked overnight with their wiper arms lifted, and tyres sticking to the road. When the truck is parked after a journey, heat from the tyres melts the snow underneath which then refreezes. To counter this metal grids are placed under the drive wheels. Needless to say, parking brakes are never left on overnight; chocks are used if needed.