Ok so i am taking my 99 f-250 superduty with the 5.4 and 3.73's with 35" tires on a 3200 mile road trip. I am going from Portland, Maine to Southern California, and then back to Maine, so 6400 miles in about a 2 week span. I am leaving in a month and a half. I am currently looking for a spare tire close to the size i have (open diffs so no problem if i get a flat and have to run two different sizes on the same axle to the tire shop). I changed the ball joints, front and rear gear oil, coolant, plugs, fuel filter, tranny fluid and filter, and brake fluid about 15K ago. I just did the power steering fluid less than 5k miles ago. I plan on changing the tranny fluid, changing the oil, and getting the tires rotated and balanced before i go...and adjust the headlights, they are way off!
I will be bringing tools with me which will be more than enough to fix any minor roadside repair. The truck has 186K miles on it with original everything. I have the old serpintene belt as a spare.
Am i missing anything here? I am going to head down south and get on the I-40 to avoid the rockies, this truck is a dog as it is with the 35" tires and 3.73 gearing, i can't even imagine the rockies! I would love to hear any tips or advice from anyone, but especially people that road trip a lot. On the way back i will have a 19' enclosed travel trailer that will be mostly empty. That will be my first road trip with a trailer, so again, all suggestions appreciated! Thanks for the help in getting me prepared!

 

I-80 doesn't have any super bad passes to go over, the worst is 3 miles long and raises about 2500' and that would be on the way back. Wind out of the west will be your enemy though you could easily have a 60mph+ headwind for hundreds of miles through WY. I'd suggest I-80 at least on the return trip if the weather is good.

 

Make sure the trailer has brakes and that they work.

Two Master Card Credit cards with $5000+ credit limits, open, and paid up-to-date.

AAA membership with the Premier 200 mile tow.

Cell phone with nationwide service.

Happy Motoring!

 

You all aren't parnoid are you? Folks use to head out west with a mule and a buck board ha ha.

 

Sounds like a fun trip. Lots of miles, lots of country. A month and a half will make it early May. Should be a great time for a road trip. Good luck.

 

id recommend checking the plug torque before leavin

 

I would reccomend 40 as well. 80 is not bad like someone else stated, but at the time of the year that you will be on the road, wyoming can be trecherous. We were driving thru on 80 on our way to Las Vegas, it was mid JUNE and when we were going through the highest passes it was snowing so hard it was an absolute white out. We had to stop along the highway untill it stopped. That blew almost an entire day of driving!! So if you do decide to take 80 either way just be careful of the weather. It can be like winter during the summer! On that trip we took 40 to 55 north back up to 80 for our trip home.

 

Perhaps the OP would like to lessen the prospect of being buried beside the road as a fair number of those mule & buckboard types were....

 

I-40 won't avoid the Rockies; It just doesn't go UP as far -- 7000 feet versus 11,500 feet, on I-70. NM and AZ will have you in 3rd gear with the engine spinning (read: hideous fuel mileage) if you want to go faster than get-out-and-walk speed. The engine should have no problems; no promises on your wallet.

GENERALLY, west-bound I-40 gets bad around the TX/NM state line with STRONG headwinds, all the way to the CA state line.

Eastbound, if you get the right day, you can have the same 40MPH headwind you had going west, as a tailwind going east, and gain some of your net trip-mileage back. Worst-case scenario: 40 MPH headwind BOTH ways. (been there, done that; with 45,000 on the deck. Fuel mileage?? ROFL!)

Last I was on I-40, there was some construction in NM that'll slow you down.

PC-Miler (trucking routing software) shows 3108 miles, Portland ME to Los Angeles, CA. 48 driving hours... Driving hours does not take into account time to rest, eat, shower, etc. Count on 5-6 days, minimum.

-blaine

 

At least our wind doesn't blow out of the east like it does the west. I've taken some of 40 and it is a nice drive. I'd also say 70 would be the worst choice, there are numerous passes in CO where WY only has one true pass and it isn't even on the divide.

 

Add a spare set of radiator hoses. Make sure that you have what you need to change a flat, lug nut wrench that fits, a jack that works easily!!! A can of fix a flat, A tire plug flat repair kit. A 12v air compressor ( Sams' club has one for $35 that's pretty good). Get a CB radio so you can call for help in the areas that cell phones don't work. Cell Phone Dead Spots - Mobiledia Check out your route on that site.

 

A couple of things:

Traveling in spring can bring some weather events that are pretty hazardous. I'll never forget going through Illinois with a Tornado making things quite interesting. I took pics of all of the semis on their sides along the Interstate so with that always check your weather forecast.

Get a CB, doesn't have to be elaborate but we never hit the road without ours and the truckers are the eyes and ears of the road. They will alert you to any problems you may encounter between accidents, smokies, and where you can find a good burger.

The only part that was difficult for me while driving with a trailer was thinking that somehow I was just a huge elephant lumbering along and when I hit Kansas I kept thinking I was going to knock down every single orange barrel they had on the Interstate, at the time long miles were down to one road and it really takes alot out of you. Now if you ask my husband he would tell you something totally different but that is just my experience with it. When we finally reached our destination I couldn't wait to get the "monkey off of our back." Remember to watch your speed with that trailer, they can get squirrely behind you and yes I saw it happen in St Louis. It nearly flipped the little truck that was pulling it.

Most important for traveling is pull over if you get tired. You do not want to fall asleep behind the wheel. Have fun by all means and take pictures.