Alright guys I am about to move out to NV next month and I've been being a bit lousy on maintenance. I'm at 43,xxx miles and I doubt that when I bought my D at almost 30k that the front and rear diff fluid has been changed so I know I should do that before I go. I'll be towing my wife's car and carrying whatever I can in her's and in mine. I'll be around 4k extra lbs. What else should I do to prepare for this besides an oil change?

 

Check the brakes, make sure there is a good amount still left on them.
You might want to check/flush & fill the coolant if it isn't up to the protection/cooling performance its supposed to be.

 

make sure you have four wheels too. thats always good to drive with.. HAHAHA j/k dumb *** coment.. with that low of milage as long as you have had that recal done to your d and changed up the fluids you should be set... oh yeah.. make sure you get some good sunflower seeds and engergy drinks then you will be totaly set.. hahaha JP (just wanted to post something.. )

you could add a 160degree thermostat if you can get one..(mine was like 12 bucks I think) that has wonders for me with the long drives and when I was towing the boat with tuns of friends...

 

Yeah I had the brakes changed about 6 months ago so they're good I couldn't stand the stockers squeaking so I got ceramics. I was going to do the cooling system and get a 180 degree t-stat so that it would be better on gas and keep me from getting as hot as my 195 anyway. I only have 3 wheels though JP. Do you think that will be a problem? I have 5 new tires and I just need to rotate them before I go. I can't wait to get back to my home territory I'm a western boy and this east coast is just too full of people always trying to pull one over on you or just too busy to get there before you do. I'm too easygoing and this place has had me on edge ever since I got here.

 

This has nothing to do with your post, but my brakes just started squeaking a couple days ago. Dodge told me that i have 85% of the brakes left. Is the squeaking from stock brakes and how much difference do you see with the ceramics?

 

Ceramics don't squeak at all. The oem brakes are not as good either and if you ever plan on towing prepare to stop way earlier. OEM pads also can become hot enough to basically glaze over then you will have a hard time stopping if you can stop at all (this doesn't happen a whole lot) but with ceramics you push the pedal and get the same results every time. I got mine done at midas for like $160 and the pads are guaranteed for life when I need to change them again it will cost me labor ($60) and the pads are free. That was only fronts but the backs aren't squeaky at all because they don't do as much work...

 

When I put the 180 degree t-stat in my 98 with a 5.2L I got about 1mpg less than I did before I changed it. It went from ~15mpg to ~14mpg..... I don't know if that is a common thing though.

 

I would rather have a 180 anyway because in the summer when I had to run my a/c my D was going up to like 230ish. I need to get a better fan and maybe a bigger radiator before next summer too.

 

I agree. I just recently changed out my front pads. They are still OEM and have about just a tad less than half left. Not bad for a D with 70k miles. I do alot of stop and go driving but I am never hard on the brakes. I hate cleaning my rims as the OEM pads really dirty them really fast and not easy to scrub off. Having the OEM pads for this long on my 2000 D, I think the pads are deteriotated. Braking really got scary. Well, originally the breaks always sux. There were a few times I swore I was gonna kiss someone's butt really good the first year I drove this thing. Break fade was BAD. Now I learn the breaking limitation of this D. But when the break looses it grip during semi hard breaking for just a moment on and off, that is when I decide to get rid of the OEM pads. My mechanic recommended ceramic pads. They were quite a bit more expensive, but does not dust my rims as bad and was easy to clean off. Also, like Meen green says, my breaking is very consistent and I can almost say it can stop on a dime. My rear anti-lock breaks don't engage anymore like it used to even with moderate breaking.

 

You may need to reprogram your PCM to make adjustments to the new temp. When you change the temp, you affect emissions which will affect your MPG. Hopefully your ride will still pass inspection.

This is the reason why I did not change my 195 to a 180 stat. My R/T already pollutes enough as it is with 12-14 mpg. But with my new maxi clutch fan, my D stays at the 195-200 mark even in the swelterning 106 degree Texas heat and with A/C running. But I do hate the roaring noise the fan generates. But I guess I have to compromise noise for maximum cooling.

That maxi clutch for the fan ran me $100!!! Most expensive domestic part for a fan clutch!