Gt4r97

Planning for a long drive - Kent, Wa to San Diego, Ca b4 Memorial Day. Please help me to fill up my pre-trip checklist for my 4R @ 110K miles Odo. Thanks!

Tofer

multi- day trip or stright through?

for the truck check all fluids, change oil if i needs it, make sure to check tire pressure (save $$$ on gas), and thats about it.

for the drive, make sure to stock up on sunflower seeds and Rockerstar energy drinks, burn a couple CDs or make a new playlist on your iPod. its a stright shot, get on 5 in kent and stay put till you hit SD. i drive Tacoma to Stockton CA (you'll pass through stockton on your trip) a couple times a year, its a boring drive.

ChickenLover

That's a pretty good haul. Should be a no-brainer though, multi-lane divided highway the whooole way. On trips like that, it's always the silly stuff that ends up biting you on the ass. Like, is there air in yer spare? Check brake lights and tail lights. Them dang higway patrol like to nail you outta-staters for that type of thing. Occasionally, I like to carry some extra gas. Ya never know when you'll space-out and find yourself in the middle of nowhere with the fuel light on... It happens.

A fire extinguisher is always a good thing to have in your rig. You don't even have to have a fire to get your money's worth. An extinguisher can make a great smoke screen if you, uh, need one....

gpcollen1

Ill second that 'gas awareness'. Came out of the old driving fog once, not knowing how long the low fule light was on - could have been 5 miles, could have been 50!! Found a gas exit in about 5 miles, got off, and the gas station had been torn down with the sign still up. Got back on and made it another 15 or 20 miles to a station. What a totally helpless feeling driving along thinking you are about to run out! If that happened with the wife and kids in the car......ruh roh!!

All fluids - including washer fluid

andyf80

all of the above are great suggestions...

no-one mentioned duct tape and easy cheese, but all said a pretty good list.

take cash with you as well just incase you happen to need it. I like the extra fuel suggestion though. i'll remember that on my next trips.

Jimmeh

Keep some stuff that smells good with you (like a spray of some kind) just in case you let a couple rip.

Tofer

that post and then looking at your avatar makes me laugh...

Gt4r97

Thanks for all the suggestions, fellas! This got to be my 2nd drive to LA. Drove to Disney and stopped by San Leandro last year. I did the driving alone since my wife didn't want to do it. She's a very good navigator though and used to warn me about my gas when it was down the halfway mark. Still I got a little nervous when I was little low on gas and couldn't see any gas exit sign along the road! Luckily, everything went fine. Only, a day after we got home, my battery went dead!

Gt4r97

Howdy,

Seven years after I originally posted this thread, the family have since countless road trips made during the span of time of the year 2006 to 2013. My ever reliable rig, the old 97 r4Runner is still very much alive and kicking so far.

Now after those countless road trips and at 187K ticking upon the Runner's meter, we come to test her once more - we are planning to embark into an ambitious trip which could be called our "Mother Of All Road Trips" - please check out my Partial Waypoint

In California, we'll take a few days of needed rest, and continue along Highway 1 as we head back home to Seattle.

We have 18 days[July 4-21] to spend on this trip - stopping at each of the mentioned Nat'l Parks "briefly" then back on the road...

So (Washington) folks, 18 Days...what do you think...is it "doable"?

Thanks Much!