800 mile round trip coming up

[chezoom]

in my 03 sport. going to springfield missouri. my truck has 49K on it. new parts:
wiper blades
battery
oil change
headlights
belt

what all should I take care of. this will be my first road trip
it has never had a tune up. should I tune it up? my truck has never left texas at all.

 

[Gus Gorilla]

Check your fluids belt and hoses.
If good then kick the tires, and light the fires.
Low mileage like that? Tune up? No way. Most things that are thought of traditionally as "tune up" are handled by your PCM anyhow. You know if it runs good.
I know this route is a little out of your way in the beginning but I recommend I-35N to OKC, to I-44E through Tulsa, Joplin, to Springfield. I took 75/69 South once from Miami OK to Plano then over to Roanoke and I hated every mile, hill and stoplight on 69/75. Just my .02

 

[chezoom]

Check your fluids belt and hoses.
If good then kick the tires, and light the fires.
Low mileage like that? Tune up? No way. Most things that are thought of traditionally as "tune up" are handled by your PCM anyhow. You know if it runs good.
I know this route is a little out of your way in the beginning but I recommend I-35N to OKC, to I-44E through Tulsa, Joplin, to Springfield. I took 75/69 South once from Miami OK to Plano then over to Roanoke and I hated every mile, hill and stoplight on 69/75. Just my .02

il check all fluids. oil changed last monday. it has a new belt to. i forgot to add that. should i change the trans fluid?

that will be the route we are taking. thanks for your advice!

 

[Electrohacker]

trans fluid should be good till 60K, if your doing the 30K changes


basically make sure your tires dont leak and are balanced, top off the fluids, maybe pack an extra quart of oil and some coolant... maybe
tow cables (a good woven one rated for at least 10-15k lbs) basic hand tools if you know how to fix stuff, cell and charger, GPS or atlas or both, wool blanket, jumper cables, snow shovel (the collapsible ones are great), small 12V compressor and maybe a tire patch kit (I blew two tires once... it was an odd trip), a cross style tire iron (the lugs are often too tight and this will get them off)

make sure your spare is checked and in good shape and full and make sure you have and know how to use the jack and other tire changing supplies, I personally pull my wheels off and put on some fresh anti-seize on my lugs once a year too to make tire changing easier

400 miles one way isnt that big of a trip, I used to run up and down the state 4 times a year same milage 356 miles one way (went to school in the U.P.)

 

[Gus Gorilla]

Holy Hell. Now that's a travel list. I can't disagree that there's a use for each item there in it's time. But I have to say, that's a northern travel list. Some things you could skip, snow shovel, compressor, and anti-seize.
His truck never left Texas. They don't even use anti-sieze down there. I know it's shocking for everyone here in MI but 15 yr old factory tightened bolts still come off with hand tools usually, and oil pans don't rust out. Breaking off a lug post means you did something terribly wrong.

 

[chezoom]

trans fluid should be good till 60K, if your doing the 30K changes


basically make sure your tires dont leak and are balanced, top off the fluids, maybe pack an extra quart of oil and some coolant... maybe
tow cables (a good woven one rated for at least 10-15k lbs) basic hand tools if you know how to fix stuff, cell and charger, GPS or atlas or both, wool blanket, jumper cables, snow shovel (the collapsible ones are great), small 12V compressor and maybe a tire patch kit (I blew two tires once... it was an odd trip), a cross style tire iron (the lugs are often too tight and this will get them off)

make sure your spare is checked and in good shape and full and make sure you have and know how to use the jack and other tire changing supplies, I personally pull my wheels off and put on some fresh anti-seize on my lugs once a year too to make tire changing easier

400 miles one way isnt that big of a trip, I used to run up and down the state 4 times a year same milage 356 miles one way (went to school in the U.P.)

trans fluid hasnt been changed i know that...

I have most of your list and will be taking it. shovel, rope, tire patch kit, compresser i dont have...

i intend to check the spare and all other tires and fluids. i have a small jack that i will be taking.

I dont antisipate any problems with her (excluding flats) i just wannu be extra safe. I am adopting a puppy so i wannu make sure her and I dont get stranded. ill be gone for 2 days. I have alot of driving coming up...

 

[chezoom]

so i was just out there trying to install the tow hooks i bought. how in the hell do you install these things. i got one on but i cant get the other. it there an easyier way do this ****??

 

[Electrohacker]

tow hooks? front or rear? are you reffering to the stock sport tow hooks?

oh and my list was meant for being alone in the boonies in the U.P. in the middle of winter with little to no cell signal. eventually I added a CB to that list as well as tire chains and all sorts of other usefull gear

and a small shovel I wil argue is usefull for a lot more than snow, if your vehicle catches fire for instance you could shovel dirt onto the engine (not great but better than the whole vehicle going up) maybe in the south a army surplus folding shovel would be better

 

[rhauf]

all i ever do before road trips is make sure fluids are topped up, tires aren't flat.. and obviously make sure she isn't making any funny sounds, or vibrations or other weird things.. you're truck is pretty new i don't think you have much to worry about.

personally, i get a thrill out of taking an old vehicle on a long road trip. for me this has been an old international scout that had been rotting in a field for 10 years before i got it (a month before a 1700 mile road trip) i did bring tools along that time (and i used them) well i'm hijacking you're thread at this point.

well in any case, a cell phone, a spare tire, and a jack/tire iron is all i'd bring for you're newer vehicle, dont stress it'll be fine.

 

[chezoom]

tow hooks? front or rear? are you reffering to the stock sport tow hooks?
oh and my list was meant for being alone in the boonies in the U.P. in the middle of winter with little to no cell signal. eventually I added a CB to that list as well as tire chains and all sorts of other usefull gear

and a small shovel I wil argue is usefull for a lot more than snow, if your vehicle catches fire for instance you could shovel dirt onto the engine (not great but better than the whole vehicle going up) maybe in the south a army surplus folding shovel would be better

the factory ones yes

 

[Electrohacker]

it should just bolt to the hitch mounting locations on the drivers side, if you have a hitch you may or may not be able to use a hook, but then again you really dont need both, a hitch will work the same as a hook

it is possible you might have to drill a hole or two

 

[chezoom]

the are the front ones

 

[chezoom]

ok so i have searched and no one says how to install tho's suckers easly

 

[Electrohacker]

when I added my front hooks I used a generic set of 10K lb. hooks with a 1 inch spacer block on each one then had to drill through the frame rail and bolt them in with huge grade 8 bolts

 

[yellowford]

ok so i have searched and no one says how to install tho's suckers easly

Look in the 3rd gen section there was a write up about it they simple used nuts with grips on the bottom to keep them from spinning and were able to tighten them down, otherwise you'll have to pull off the front bumper, to get a wrench in there.

 

[perth]

t-paper

i did a drive across Australia one end to the other,one thing if your eating crap food on the road take a roll of toilet paper,you will say ill never use it and when you do ,here comes that feeling deep down in your gut and yesterdays paper isnt quite the same

 

[chezoom]

i did a drive across Australia one end to the other,one thing if your eating crap food on the road take a roll of toilet paper,you will say ill never use it and when you do ,here comes that feeling deep down in your gut and yesterdays paper isnt quite the same

hahaha ill keep that in mind thank you

 

[chezoom]

and we are off...wish me luck!