In about a month i will be making a trip to Southern Florida from central Indiana to help move a friend and her mother back to Indiana...the only hauling i have ever done with this truck is a couple 80 mile trips with my offroad buggy....so the questions is this what all should i do to my truck befor the LOOOONG trip (1,100 miles one way) and what type of small parts should i take with me on the trip? ? ?

truck: 2001 Dodge , 2500 24v A/T 4x4 all stock other then stright pipe with about 285,000 miles on the ticker

thanks in advance for the info!!!!

 

i would just check fluids....change oil....check all front suspension parts... the only thing i have ever broken on the road was a wheel bearing went on me.

 

wheel bearing {check}

i think im also going to get a cummins thermostat to keep under the seat along with a belt

i would like to do a cooling system flush and be able to change the tranny filter and fluid befor i take off.....i got a month or so so i can take my time and get it done

 

You know your truck best. What do YOU think might go south as yoou head south?

Do any routine stuff. Fluids grease etc. Have a good spare and go

 

very true....the truck runs good and drives good.....i might just be a worry wort

its an 11 year old truck and im new to diesel stuff so its all got me on edge so to speak.

 

dont know how crazy u wanna go... but when i used to haul construction equipment from state to state working. i drove a 02' dually 4x4 cummins and the boss always kept an A/C belt and a non a/c belt and we all made fun of him and one trip we were hauling 22k lbs from minerva ohio to jacksonville florida and the a/c pump locked up in georgia at 2:30am on the freeway... i was so thankful he had that non a/c belt back there...i keep one in my truck now

 

good question is... how much have you normally driven it? just short trips? not had it long? that would be cause for some paranoia going into a long trip. personally I would check fluids and filters. grease everything and look for iffy parts.

things to keep with you.. I would suggest some coolant and a fuel filter

 

id bring the usual coolant, oil, belts (good tip from monster12v about the ac/non ac belts), fuel filter and a jug of seafoam in case you get a silty fill up somewhere, spare tire and a jug of slime (it aint pretty but i'll get you down the road) If you are hauling a trailer bring spare bearings and grease.

Before you leave always always pay attention to your diffs.. do they have fresh fluid? does the rear have LSD additive?

 

I got the truck in march and had to put a new Injector pump and lift pump in it and i now have an fuel pressure gauge to keep an eye on that.....the longest trip i have taken is about 200 miles one way but that was unloaded no trailer.

yes deff. good tip from Monster12v for sure!!!......seafoam {check} and i always forget about the trailer!!! spare for the trailer and bearings!!....diffs are unknown i will get that changed!!! as for LSD additive just courious but is that a must? ? ? i have never ran it any anything so i dont know what it does

 

how did the trip go?