Maintenance Before Cross Country Road Trip

Good day folks,

Next month we are moving from Alaska to Texas and the wife and I will be driving the Tacoma about 4700 miles to get where we are going. Movers are handling our stuff so we won't have a trailer or be overloaded for the trip.

Right now the truck is at about 32k miles but it's spent most of the last year sitting in a heated garage on a battery tender. I did a fresh oil change right before parking it and other than seasonal tire change overs and putting a new battery in it a little over a year ago, we haven't had to do much to maintain it. Oh, except for the transmission; that was drained and refilled when it was about year old due to a timing cover leak.

I'm half tempted to drain and refill every fluid in the truck and replace all of the filters I can think of before starting the drive, but I figured that might be overkill.

What maintenance tasks would you all recommend before we start our road trip?

Thanks for your time, folks.

 

How old is the battery? If less than 3 years, I'd gas and go.

Do the maintenance after the trip - sounds like you've taken good care of the truck, so no worries.

 

Check fluids and tire pressure. Maybe check lug nut torque. Then send it.

 

I know you said that you did an oil change before storage. Most people recommend another change after a year of sitting idle. I would crank it up and run it a day or two. Then change it before and after the trip. Just my $0.02

 

Is it included in the fuel pump recall ?

 

Check the spare tire pressure and washer fluid level, verify all lights are working and enjoy your trip.

 

I've never heard that before. Usually change before storage and drive it or leave the oil and change it before you start to drive again. But certainly wouldn't hurt to change it.

OP I'd make sure fluids are topped off and tires are good and start driving.

 

I wouldn't drain all the fluids, but I would change the air filter, cabin air filter, do another oil change and rotate the tires.

 

Is it going back into storage once you get to Texas?

If the oil is a year old and you're looking to do half a change interval worth of driving, I'd get the oil changed before you go.

If it's going to be used for more than the move, see what was done and what wasn't for the 30k service.

 

Put gas in it and go. You’ll be totally fine. I’ve dont many trips of that distance or longer with no prep. I was doing 1000+ miles weekly for a long time for work.

 

Oil change is never a bad idea, and tire pressures. But I'd just drive it otherwise, certainly not doing a whole host of things. I would ultimately look in the manual and see what the 30K service says and make sure I was up to date on it.

 

I drove from South Carolina to Las Vegas and back. Around 5K miles. I checked air pressure in tires and filled up the washer fluid. I glanced at radiator reservoir and brake reservoir and filled her with gas. 40K miles. Didn't even check oil as it does not use any.

Edit: most say send it as it's no big deal. I agree.

 

I wouldn’t change the oil before the trip , if you changed it before you parked it it’s fine. Check all the fluids , tire pressure , top off what’s low and go. Change it when you get there.

 

Read enough and you will see anything. Then you have to figure out what you believe.

Theory is that the oil is still leaching chemicals from the metals. Kinda makes sense to me.

 

Do not do any large service before you road trip. Something will go wrong, a part will be back ordered, or something will break during or right after the service.

I worked in a dealership for 6 years, so many people come in the day before their big trip to get something big done only to have to cancel their trip due to a part needing to be ordered, or a tech screwing something up. So many people show up for a service they needed to have done 3 months ago only to not be able to get the service due to lack of time.

It sounds like your truck is in good shape, and you should be fine just filling it up and driving. Just make sure your spare tire is good, and you'll be fine.

 

I like what he said. I always do big services in advanced that way everything is settled. I dd my truck so anytime I do a big trip make sure the engine q oil is fresh. Cheap insurance. If battery has been on tender it should be fine. Air pressure in tires make sure are proper.

 

Grab nice new small battery jump pack(MUST have for me anyways) and head South! You're over thinking this.

 

Pretty brave to take 3vze more than a few blocks from home.