general help - driving cross country

[6or9]

I have looked high and low through every post. I get lots of answers about what I can do without California emissions law restrictions. Some modifications and complete rebuild but I still cannot figure out how to ask a simple question! I'm driving my truck from California to Wichita Kansas, so I just wanna make a couple adjustments to make sure my truck make it there safely with the load. Im thinking cooling system and anything that will soften the trip out there

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Just change the oil before you go how old are the plugs, plug wires, cap & rotor, PCV. Are your brakes good? What kind of load are you hauling how old are the fluids in the tranny and axle. Stop and check fluids frequently.

 

[hank857]

when did you last change the coolant and how old are the hoses. Failed hoses will shut ya down faster than anything. Yoou will encounter hills and some mountains with pulls so the cooling system is a must check and redo if its been a long time. T-stats fail without warning same with hoses. I am talking mainly the upper/lower rad hoses. Heater hoses can fail but they can be blocked off in an emergency. Also check the rad cap, mine ran hot so I worked over the system as it had a new cap, guess what the cap didn't hold pressure.

 

[6.2]

Fill it with gas and go lol.


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[ab_slack]

I'll second changing the oil/filter unless it's been changed in the past couple thousand miles. Putting lots of miles on, nice to know it is clean.

I'll second the upper/lower coolant hoses, make sure no bulges.

Insure coolant is good condition and topped off. I would also suggest making sure the right coolant/water mix. Antifreeze is not as good as water for cooling so having too much can be harmful.

If an auto trans, make sure fluid is at right level.

Check your spare tire for air, make sure you have jack, crank for jack, lug wrench. Also know how to get the spare out if it is one of those stored underneath the bed if you haven't done it before.

And you might want to make sure you are able to get the lug nuts off if a shop was the last to put the wheels on. Its a pain to check each but I have had major problems with shops putting lug nuts on too tight. Too tight for me to get off even with an impact ratchet or a breaker bar much less a puny lug wrench. I do prefer to bring along one of those cross style lug wrenches.

Tire plug kit and something to cut off the remaining plug in case you have to use it.

One of those cigarette lighter power air compressors handy too. These have saved me major hassle on a number of occasions by letting me fill a leaky tire enough to get home or to a garage saving the hassle of putting on a spare.

If you got any known grinding sounds or big vibrations you may want to check that out.

I think most important before a long trip is having confidence in the vehicle from driving locally (including highway at times) at least on a semi-daily basis and not making any radical changes before the trip outside fluids and routine maint stuff.

If it is driven frequently any issues that you are likely to catch should have showed up. I always feel a bit twitchy if something big was recently done just before a long trip without having time to shake out any issues there may have been in the work done on it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Gas - to move
Electrical tape - cover up annoying lights/gauges on dash
Good stereo - drown out irritating grinding/whistling/groaning/sputtering noises.

Should be good to go

 

[Twister]

Gas - to move
Electrical tape - cover up annoying lights/gauges on dash
Good stereo - drown out irritating grinding/whistling/groaning/sputtering noises.

Should be good to go

Sounds like my current DD lol.

Op for your vehicle, seems like people have suggested some good things, I'd do,
Oil change

Coolant change (depending on how old it is)

Fuel filter (might help get better mmmpeegeees)

Top off tranny and power steering if needed

Inspect brakes, wouldn't want to need to slow down only to find out your leaking fluid at the caliper or you have no pads left.

Maybe change oil in rear end.

PCV valve couldn't hurt.

Hope these help

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[Mark_88]

When was the last time you changed cooling system hoses? Carry spares if you can't remember...or even if you can remember.

The oiling, cooling systems are most critical to watch and be prepared to correct. If you haven't done any long range driving recently then carry extra oil with you as well as a large container of water/coolant...and gas.

Check and change the air filter if needed (and if nobody else mentioned it)...and tire pressure topped up.

I carry one of those battery powered air pumps with me too...it does come in handy and doesn't take up much space or add too much weight.

 

[96Indyram]

Leaving Cali before it falls in the ocean? going from quakes... to seeking shelter from tornados and large hail...then you get snow..and Ice.... and lovely views of beautiful vast nothingness to look at.
SinBad the comedian said Wichita Ks has 2 seasons, Winter and road construction.

Follow the advise above and you will be ok.
If you are moving here...it is easy to get your vehicle tagged in Ks. Just have your title and they will look at your vin # on dash and under hood and door jam. Thats it...done. No emmisions test ..nothing...just vin#.

Whats bringing ya to Wichita ? ( I was born in Wichita, still here...probably die here to)

Edit to add:
Nice looking truck in your profile pic...I like.

 

[adsm08]

SinBad the comedian said Wichita Ks has 2 seasons, Winter and road construction.

PA gets 4.

Summer, road construction, Winter, and mud.

 

[96Indyram]

Yea we get the hot humid summer also...but not much mud. Need rain for that and we have been in a drought for far to long it seems sadly.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, I keep hearing all this stuff about droughts and water shortages and what not, but we sure don't have those problems here. We spend most of the Spring with the rivers and streams well above their normal levels, and even at the driest times most of them never get that low.

Near here, about 3 weeks a year there is a spot where I think I can walk across the Susquehanna, usually in late August/early September, and it's already one of the shallowest point on the river, right above where the North and West branches meet.

 

[6.2]

Why does everyone focus on all this crap being mentioned only when going on a road trip.

You should be maintaining that shit all the time.

Hence, I wouldn't do anything extra.

To each their own.

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[bmerr98]

Good point. Stay ready to keep from having to get ready.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The point being even if you maintain your vehicle properly you still want to give it a good once over before hitting the road. Belts, hoses, fluids. Murphys law says it will fail at the most inopportune moment. Most all problems can be avoided when you give them an eyeball.