Frozen snow / ice blocked my headlights last night

[Crissa]

You don't say? Come on, stop making excuses for a design that will inherently catch more snow and ice than almost any other. They clearly did not consider this issue.

Dude, your actual profile picture shows a design that, if those were LEDs, would catch snow and ice.

-Crissa

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[Geebz]

Seems the best solution is to remove the plastic bumper cover. And if you are feeling you are missing some protection, get bull bar kit.

 

[BannedByTMC]

Dude, your actual profile picture shows a design that, if those were LEDs, would catch snow and ice.



-Crissa

Dude, how many long winter highway trips do you think I take with that??

 

[Crissa]

Dude, how many long winter highway trips do you think I take with that??

Dude, I don't know, but highway isn't where I encounter the worst snow.

But hey, thanks for proving that you know you were wrong.

-Crissa

 

[BannedByTMC]

But hey, thanks for proving that you know you were wrong.

Because a 50 year old off road vehicle with incandescent headlights has never had snow buildup on it? Normally you come up with better arguments than this.

 

[Crissa]

Because a 50 year old off road vehicle with incandescent headlights has never had snow buildup on it? Normally you come up with better arguments than this.

You're the one saying...

...stop making excuses for a design that will inherently catch more snow and ice than almost any other. They clearly did not consider this issue.

Vast majority of vehicles in the US will never be driven in snow conditions, let alone snow conditions that includes sticking to the vehicles. Most cars don't come with snow tires, either.

If that's 'making excuses' well I don't know. How about just fix it instead of whining about it?

-Crissa

 

[mjezzi]

Cover it while parked. Adding a thermal deicer there seems the best bet if you're using it in those conditions.

-Crissa

Honest question, how would you cover it while parked without the cover getting frozen onto the vehicle? Is a thermal deicer heat tape? Like are you saying just plug it into the frunk 48v like another poster on a different thread is doing?

 

[Crissa]

Honest question, how would you cover it while parked with the cover getting frozen onto the vehicle? Is a thermal deicer heat tape? Like are you saying just plug it into the frunk 48v like another poster on a different thread is doing?

A: don't place the cover while wet
B: don't use a material which is porous

So stuffing a rag might get stuck if it got really cold, but the suggestion of a funoodle or pipe insulation - a non porous foam - would generally not stick at all, and allow heat from inside the truck to melt it off more quickly.

It's a $5 solution instead of a $100 solution with different pros and cons.

-Crissa

There's also the whole, 'there's a tool for that' by using a cordless heat gun or hair dryer. Sure, that's also a $100 solution, but it's not like this is impossible.

 

[BannedByTMC]

Vast majority of vehicles in the US will never be driven in snow conditions

Since it snows all the way down in Texas I'm not sure that's an accurate statement.

 

[mjezzi]

A: don't place the cover while wet
B: don't use a material which is porous

So stuffing a rag might get stuck if it got really cold, but the suggestion of a funoodle or pipe insulation - a non porous foam - would generally not stick at all, and allow heat from inside the truck to melt it off more quickly.

It's a $5 solution instead of a $100 solution with different pros and cons.

-Crissa

There's also the whole, 'there's a tool for that' by using a cordless heat gun or hair dryer. Sure, that's also a $100 solution, but it's not like this is impossible.

The insulation pipe could work. I would be concerned with water flowing over whatever is there and freezing it in place. Could be annoying to deal with even though it's a workable solution, but worth a try to see how it goes.

A heat gun could melt plastic (I've done this accidentally before installing a vinyl wrap), so that sounds like a risky idea approach.

At first I was thinking if you could create some sort of metal drip edge that can magnetize in place and it wouldn't be too annoying to break it free from whatever ice freezes over.

It will be interesting to how often this happens. I think plugging in heat tape in the 48v might be the best solution if anything is needed at all. I do agree that I think there's a lot of theoretical worries around this which may or may not be an actual common occurrence.

 

[Crissa]

A heat gun could melt plastic (I've done this accidentally before installing a vinyl wrap), so that sounds like a risky idea approach.

Well, sure, if it's too hot.

That's like saying the sun could melt plastic, too. Sure. Don't do that.

-Crissa

 

[mjezzi]

Well, sure, if it's too hot.

That's like saying the sun could melt plastic, too. Sure. Don't do that.

-Crissa

No, the sun can’t melt plastic on a car, especially not in winter, but a heat gun can ?

 

[Crissa]

No, the sun can’t melt plastic on a car, especially not in winter, but a heat gun can ?

It can. It's totally that hot. Now, in the winter, it's far away, but...




-Crissa

 

[BannedByTMC]

Actual solution may be some sort of resistance heating strip below the lights on top of the bumper.

Good example:
https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...headlights-bumper-solution-diy-writeup.32111/

 

[CyberGus]

Since it snows all the way down in Texas I'm not sure that's an accurate statement.

Yeah but when it snows in Texas, nobody drives

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