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JMY24

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So I'm not sure if there is a thread on this already, I searched and couldn't find one, however, if there is an existing thread please feel free to merge them.

I've been off-roading and over landing for a while now. Destinations and trails no more than 3 hours away from home usually. Day trips, weekend trips, one week long trip, etc.

This summer however I have planned a trip out West, hitting Utah, California, and Colorado alike and was curious what each one of you goes through to prepare. I'm not looking at so much gear as I am vehicle preparation. Living in Georgia this won't be a short road trip and I want my vehicle to be in tip top shape.

So what do you all do? Change Transmission fluid? Coolant? Oil? Bring spare Tie rods? I'm curious to see what all I can incorporate to further distance myself from failure. Thanks!
 
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Michael

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Hi John,

I'm going to point you to our Ultimate Overland Checklist

Personally, we've gone a couple weeks with this setup, which is not long by overland standards, but I know I could have gone much longer. For us, we don't have a fridge, so we are limited in terms of cold goods, and need to refresh ice and perishables every 4 days or so.

M
 

trikebubble

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We went on a 2 1/2 week 6000km adventure - road trip this past July. Prior to leaving I changed the oil and filter, changed the front and rear diff fluids, and had our local trusty mechanic do a check over and tune up. I did not know the age of the spark plugs so I had him change those. He checked the serpentine belt, flushed the brake fluid, and checked the tranny fluid and coolant which we both ok (both having been replaced less than a year ago).
As I knew we would be hitting some good offroad descents on our trip, I replaced the front brake pads and rotors (they were on the list to do soon anyways). I spent some time under and around the rig making sure everything else looked good and trouble free.
I try to keep a mental note of the tools I use when working on suspension, or changing a front half shaft, and make sure I have all those necessary tools with me on a longer road trip. I also have a spare front half-shaft which I bring along, with spare diff fluid and spare motor oil too. I round out my tool kit with stuff like JB Weld and that other metal putty weld stuff, along with spare front half shaft axle retaining clips and stuff like that.
During out trip I noticed some vibrations coming from the Xterra and once home I found that the front driveshaft U-Joint was almost shot. I replaced them both, but would certainly take extra care to make sure they were in good shape prior to the next long road trip.
 
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AdventureWithDanan

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I agree with Trikebubble.

Spark plugs (depending on mileage of vehicle)
Extra tranny and motor oil
Basic tools
Brakes check (especially if you'll be doing mountainous terrain)
Diff fluid (depending on mileage - if you have an older limited slip diff, ensure you use proper diff oil)
Basic vehicle once-over to check for any signs of wear

Last long trip we took (my wife and I)
was a 13,000 mile trip around the US, but we were in a new Subaru and didn't have much to worry about in terms of maintenance.
 

4xFar Adventures

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Look at your maintenance records to see what fluids need replacing, or will need to be by the end of the trip. Change them before leaving. If there's something you have no record, or memory of changing, replace it too.

Get a AAA premiere membership.

Test all of your vehicle systems to make sure they work before you leave.

Find Overland Bound members along your route, and let them know about your trip. Get their contact info in case you need help or just want a new friend to ride around with!
 
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