Maintenance Before Cross Country Road Trip

32k miles? I'd test the battery, check the tire pressure and hit the road

 

If you have a jack, lift each wheel up and check for bearing play. That’s one wear-related item that can be exasperated by long miles on the road with heavy gear in the bed or cab. It can go unnoticed in daily driving.

I wouldn’t bother with changing fluids that are not due, unless it helps from not having to change them on the road when the clock rolls over.

Not a bad idea to start with a relatively clean air filter, as it will pay for itself in saved fuel.

 

Perhaps drive it as it is now with whatever things you have already done until you reach Canada/US border...then do another oil change, various fluid top offs, air filter changes, tire rotation, and spare tire check on the remaining half of your road trip.

 

https://www.amsoil.com/p/severe-gear-75w-90-svg/

For the rear diff.

 

I’d get a jump box (good thing to have onboard anyway), change the oil, check tire pressure including your spare, check fluid levels and go. Enjoy your trip.

 

Just gas and go!!! Safe travel

 

I haven't driven that far in one shot but I have been way out from any civilization or cell signal for a week + at a time. I will be driving from PA to SD, MT and WY next year.

Anyway, you would be wasting $ to change a ton of fluids now. If anything, I'd do an oil change before and after (I don't wait for the 10k interval. I do 1 year or 5k). At 32k, a lot of your fluids have a long way to go, even if you are very conservative about it, like me. Check your brakes, tires, filter and fluids (as part of your oil change) and go. Highway cruising is the easiest driving there is on your vehicle, especially if you don't have a ton of weight.

I'd highly recommend a Noco Genius Boost. It's a small jump box that is also a flashlight and you can charge cell phones from it. A tow rope and med kit that covers both trauma and owies are also good ideas and pretty cheap.

Most importantly, have fun and make the drive a memorable trip. Plan fun/interesting/scenic stops often and don't rush down the road. Also find a podcast you like.

 

Yeah, I don't think you really don't need to do anything special here other than the standard stuff (check engine bay fluid levels, tire pressure, etc). But I would make sure I had proper emergency gear for a road trip that long (solid first aid kit, tire plug kit, 12v compressor, emergency road side "I gotta shit" kit, drinking water, etc). And snacks, buy plenty of snacks!

PS: buy a set of those FRS handheld radios; one for each vehicle. They have decent range and can really come in handy if you hit an area where there is no cell service.

 

I agree with most. As long as you've kept up on the maintenance schedule and the battery is ok, check the fluid levels, tire pressure, gas up, and go. Any doubts about the battery just load test before you leave. Other than that enjoy the ride and your new found warmth

 

Thanks for all of the advice, folks.

Doesn't seem like there's much of a consensus on doing certain things before leaving vs when we arrive. I could do an oil change and filter change, but I'm not certain it's necessary.

A few folks mentioned transfer case and differential oil changes. How tough would that be to do in the garage for a guy who knows his way around basic tools? Last time I had to take a vehicle to the shop, it was because I didn't have a pump to fill up the transmission on our Subaru, but other than that I have just about everything that we would need for routine vehicle maintenance.

I'll reply to a few of you below:

No, there are no open recalls.

I'll be driving it when I get to Texas. Well, until my bike is delivered by the movers, then probably not as much...

As for the 30k service a few folks brought that up. I see that a lot of the fluid changes other than engine oil are recommended for hard use and while the truck has spent its entire life in Alaska, I'm not sure that it's entirely necessary. They haven't been done yet, but I'm considering it. What are your thoughts?

Oil leaches chemicals from the metals? Interesting theory...

Thanks for sharing your experience. If any maintenance needed to be done, I'd do it myself in the garage before we hit the road. I'll have most of a week between when the movers leave and when we have to hit the road and I'm bringing enough tools with me to do most routine maintenance, including a battery charger and a 12v air compressor for tires.

This will be my first INCONUS assignment...and first cross country trip. We sent the kid to be with her grandparents for the summer so it'll just be the old lady and me.

I hadn't thought about the wheel bearings. Can you point me to a how-to?

 

this shows the basic jist:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gap4lpb_ROY

 

This is a bit more in depth (5:00 minute mark):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nl7cU2wHBXg

 

OK, maybe I'm no expert on oil. But I know how to read and do my own research. Oil changes based on time intervals is still correct.