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The LINE-X Ultimate Guide to Winter Protection

LINE-X shares five years of tips and tricks to keep your vehicle rust-free this winter. 

From our origins in Saskatoon, Saskewatchean to the first LINE-X in Alabama, and now to more than 500 locations worldwide, LINE-X has been putting the integrity and safety of your vehicles first for three decades. And in that time, we’ve learned a thing or two about cold weather, and how to keep your cars, trucks, and emergency vehicles safe from the elements.

Winter is Coming. Get Ready with LINE-X!

Of course, any long time fan of our superior spray-on truck bedliners could tell you that just about every fall, we here at LINE-X of South Central PA put out a blog post designed to educate and inform you about the hazards that wintertime brings to your vehicle. And we’ve been doing so since 2018! That’s five years of industry insiders giving you their best tricks to keeping moisture and rust away from your “second biggest investment”. 

Well, with cold weather wrapping its icy fingers around our door handles, we’ve decided to comb through our past posts and revisit the absolute best tips for your trucks and cars this winter!

Not All Bedliners Are Created Equal

As any knowledgeable truck owner can tell you, protecting your truck bed is a smart decision if you’re looking to prolong the life and value of your pickup. But protecting the part of your vehicle most exposed to the elements isn’t as simple as it may seem. Tonneau covers only work when they’re in place, and your bed can still be damaged by the load you’re carrying as well as snow and ice. 

The best decision is a bedliner, but what kind? Here at LINE-X, we feel that drop-in bedliners don’t do enough to keep your truck safe, as there are gaps and holes moisture can find to get inside your ride. A spray-on bedliner from LINE-X is free from this weakness, as the material is applied directly to the surface, eliminating the chance of water seepage. 

Brine and Road Salt: The Hidden Costs of Safety

Here in Pennsylvania, our roads are usually coated with Brine, a mixture of salt and water that adheres to the roads and provides improved friction and less slippage for PA drivers. But what makes the roads safer is actually much worse for a vulnerable part of your car: the Undercarriage. 

The very thing that makes brine so attractive to road crews is the exact same reason it spells trouble for your car: Brine likes to hang around, and when salt and water attach themselves to your car’s underbelly, it’s only a matter of time before rust starts racking up huge repair bills. 

The solution? Undercarriage Protection from LINE-X. Our spray-on protective coatings will help keep those unseen (but important) components safe from corrosion, and give you peace of mind when traveling in the winter months. 

Cold-Weather Checklists

Sometimes accidents happen, and while we like to think that it could never happen to us, it is always important to be prepared for the worst, especially when traveling in bad weather. Below are a few inexpensive, easy to store items you can carry around in your car that can make a difference if you find yourself stranded:

–Kitty Litter: Takes moisture out of the air when driving, can be used as an alternative to road salt if you’re stuck on ice. 

-Ice scrapers & shovels: Sometimes bad weather starts mid trip, and sometimes your parked car can get plowed in. These items ensure you can get in and out of the car as well as see where you’re going. 

-phone charger: Let’s be honest, you probably have one in your car right now. Never lose your lifeline when waiting for roadside assistance. 

-flares and flashlights: it’s important for you to see what you’re doing as well as others to see you when you’re broken down  or stuck. These light sources are invaluable when trying to get help or just get back to the road. 

-blankets & sunglasses: Keep yourself warm if assistance is a long time coming, and prevent snow blindness with a pair of cheap shades you can store in your glove compartment. 

-Water: keeping a few small bottles of water in your car (at all times, not just winter!) is always a great idea. If your winter traffic jam turns into an all day affair, at least you’ll be hydrated and able to think clearly. 

Also be sure to check your battery terminals, tires, and lights every time before you take a drive in winter. These three simple things are the most likely culprits when something goes wrong with your car in winter. (also make sure that you’ve had your annual KROWN Rust Protection treatment to minimize those repair bills later down the line). 

Visit Your Local LINE-X to learn more!

If you’d like to explore your options for vehicle protection this winter, look no further than LINE-X. We invite you to check out the protective solutions and accessories that LINE-X of South Central PA have to offer. From sound-dampening impact absorbing spray-on bedliners to our KROWN Rust Protection, our Vogelsong Rd. location in York PA can help you take the next step in protective coatings.