greenhorn.. .welcome to the board man. You are right, if there's something you've always wanted to do, then get out there and do it.
Mike... great talkin to you on the phone man!
As far as what i plan on inspecting/draining...
I wanna check the diff level and top off in needed. I'll be filling it with free synthetic when i get home, so no need to drain it yet.
I plan on a tranny service, however, i don't want to pull the pan untill I have a filter kit in hand. If there's a drain plug on it, go ahead and pull it. If not, I'm waiting till parts are in hand. (anyone... off the top of your head, TH400... how many quarts will i need?)
Engine oil and filter, (debating with filling it with mobile one) Plugs/wires/complete new dist, all which i have sitting here now
fuel filter, I have a 3/8 metal one sitting here.
Inspecting/replacing rubber fuel lines, I know there's some that need imidiate attention
Need to get some 3/8 OIL hose for the tranny cooler it has that is leaking
Wanna inspect all four brakes REAL good. Packing bearings and grease front end while it's in the air.
99% sure I'll be installing other rims/tires that Al is bringing in. (the tread/condition looks better in the pics, I'll know more once they are all in front of me)
Install my CD player. (It'll probably just be sitting on top of the dash, or on the seat with wires goin to the speaker wires under the dash and wired to the fuse block
Cig lighter MUST work (phone)
Heater... gotta have it. I'll buy a blower motor off of someone else's truck if I have to... GOTTA have some heat avalible. (I think it actually works) Also inspect/replace heater hoses.
The rad is new... I'm assuming the coolant is too, I'll wanna verify this
inspect/replace air filter, possibly hose out the cab with some cleaner, probably dump some tranny fluid down the carb at high eng speed and blow some carbon out the tail pipe too.
All lights will be getting double checked/repaired, and also, if the parts truck has tail lights and lenses, and everything up to the firewall, I'll be hooking them up to the trailer haness plug on the tow vehicle. (I have some special harnesses I've made up
)
A double check on the wipers oporation and blade condition.
As anal as I am about this, I'll probably want to clean the front seat and glass. I may end up sleepin in there, and want the mold/fuink level to a minimum... that that's something i can do at a truck stop right before layin down too.
The patrs truck will need the best 2 tires mounted on the rear, pushed (any better ideas?) onto a dolly, and windows up, junk strapped down, or secured or what ever.
most of this is stuff that Billla recomended. I'll be looking over it myself, and anyone/everyone is welcome to look it over and bring up things to consider for repair. I am obviously mostly worried about a 2500 mile trip, not looking for prerfection, just good enough for the trip.
bouncytruck... I dunno if you are local or not... but if you are, try to sneak off or something. We'll cover for ya!
IAFF2407, I guess you will be the first one i see huh? Can't wait. lets just make my coffee a Mtn Dew.. and we'll be ok!
If anyone PM'd me contact info/road condition info or whatever, and it went unresponded, please let me know. I think i *might* have deleted a PM or two.
Anyone else wanna offerr a phone number?
Also... another good point brought up by a member... if you are unable to assist at certien times of the day, have a baby sleeping and can't have the phone ringing at 2 am ... what ever, please let me know, I will put that info by your number. If I break down and you are willing to help, but can't do anything right away, it'snot a problem. I'll do what i can, and/or take a nap. Just let me know so i don't tick off the wife or the boss man, or what ever your case may be.
Mike (stllookin) mentioned putting together a roadside kit of sorts. That's an awsome idea. There's all kinds of crap I'd love to take with me for the 'just in case' factor (like the fuel pump he mentioned) but I'd weigh down the plane by the time i had everything I wanted. If anyone has some stuff like that, you wanna get rid of, or sell cheap, bring it on over. Worst thing that can happen is you take it back home with you!
A few ppl have mentioned spare tires... As far as the tow rig, I'm gonna have PLENTY of tires. I think there's gonna be 10 of them? (!!) I would probably consider giving anyone a tire or two (8 lug stuff) if they need it. If i have room, I can always use them, but space MAY start to get cramped. Now, on the parts truck... that is one I can't speak for. All it needs is 2, and it has 4 bolted onto it, but I don't know the condition of them (CG... do you remember off the top of your head?) if anyone has a spare 5 lug rim/tire I may need it as a spare, or even as a primary tire, we'll have to inspect it. Also, CG, do either of these trucks have a working jack?
Tool wise, I'm sure someone has a timing light? I think billla has us covered on that, he probably has a highspeed LED cordless dial back unit... or an old sunpro one would work too.
Possibly some drum brake tools and a caliper piston compressor... otherwise, I'm certien normal hand tools will be all we need. I'll have some, and again, I'm sure it won't even be an issue, there'll be 5 or 6 ppl with tools in there truck.
Sorry for the long post. lets keep it rolling.
And again, thank you everyone.