Late Fall Wrenching

Late Fall Wrenching

It’s early November in Northeast Ohio and the temperature everyday will range between 30 and 60. Here are some tips on staying warm when it’s cold.
I don’t have a garage large enough for my tools and a car, so that puts me in the driveway with my repairs all year. I still feel lucky to have a concrete surface to work on – so no complaints about my wrenching situation. But it does take preparation to actually get out there year round and feel comfortable. Once the cold gets into me, I lose motivation really quick. Unfortunately, it took some time for me to figure this stuff out.
If you have the choice of where to disassemble your car, try to find a spot in the sunlight if the wind isn’t too bad, even if you have an unheated garage available. This time of year I find an unheated garage less comfortable than in a sun-soaked driveway.
Let’s talk clothes……When it comes to cold-weather clothing, the first thing you should think about is a pullover or zipper hoodie. I have one that’s a heavy weight, one like the guys have who work outside for a living. Once the temperature gets low enough (below 32,) that heavy-weight hoodie won’t keep me going. Then it’s time to put in some preparation before going outside.
Your next line of defense is covering your head to stop losing heat. I go with a knit beanie cap. I don’t notice much of a difference between the heavy or light-weight ones. I ordered a couple cheap from eBay a few years ago, which will last me a lifetime.
When I was a kid my grandmother would always give me a scarf and tell me to keep my neck covered. Sure grandma, whatever you say. Turns out she was right – I just didn’t know it. But a scarf isn’t going to work laying under the car. I don’t even remember how I found neck gaiters, but they sure do the trick. I think they are really key for me during cold weather repairs. I highly recommend investing in one or two. It gets tucked into the hoodie and keeps the heat in. I don’t even notice when I’m wearing it and it never gets in the way.
As it gets into the time I do my Black Friday to New Year’s repairs, I break out the long underwear and thick socks. I prefer the 1-piece over the 2-piece thermals. The reason is, when bending down to get on the ground, the hoodie will rise up and my pants belt line will drop (and no one wants to see that!). Let alone the fact that this will break the heat seal and let the cold get in. With the 1-piece, I never have that issue.
During this time, the cold concrete will start to pull the heat through the bottom of my work boots. I have a couple pairs of thicker socks intended for hiking that work great – and they keep my toes nice and toasty.
A good pair of gloves is essential for wrenching. They keep my hands from getting dirty, plus they offer protection from bumps and cuts. It’s crazy how sharp rust is or how plating that flakes from parts can really mess up your hands. I usually go to Ace Hardware and purchase their store brand. Two years ago I found insulated Ace Brand work gloves. To my surprise they were great for handling the cold tools without the bulk of winter gloves. Another item most people would not think of for a car repair is a simple handkerchief. Sure a pocket of tissues will work. But for me having a hank ready is easier and works just as well.
My last suggestion for fall wrenching is using a heater placed in a plastic bucket with a grate over the top. I use it sparingly because it can become cumbersome. I put the tools on the grate and the rising heat will warm the tools. The heater I use is a small, low wattage desk-type.
So, this is how I keep myself as comfortable as possible during late fall or early spring driveway wrenching. It’s all very basic stuff, but being prepared is key. Having the items ready and waiting is better than searching for something and not having it. Took me a few years to get my system and supplies figured out, but I’m good at learning from experience and my mistakes. And maybe this will help YOU have a better experience the next time you wrench on a frigid Saturday morning in January or February!