This coming November, I may be making a pretty long trip in my Ram. Driving from Detroit,MI to Denver,CO and back again. What do you guys think I should do to prepare for my truck for this? I am really good on keeping up on regular maintenance and such, but are there any special things you would for this trip? Thanks.

 

Do the maintenance and if your truck is due for tune up, do it. I would check the basic before leaving for a big trip.

 

Oil change AT LEAST a week before you leave. Alignment, rotate and balance the tires if it's been a while. Clean the throttle body and replace the air filter. Replace the plugs if they're over 40K. Check hoses and belts, maybe take a spare belt. Replace the rear diff and tranny fluids. If you don't have time to replace the fluids well before the trip, then let it go 'til you get back. Don't change the oil the day before you leave. It's easier to fix an "oops" five miles from home than five hundred.

Decent tool kit for side-of-the-road repairs. Take a quart or two of oil just in case.

 

Oh, yeah... bump your tire pressures up by two or three. It'll be good for the tires and provide a pinch less rolling resistance.

 

Since I am **** about maintenance, the only thing I really do before a long trip is to make sure I have things in the vehicle for an emergency. I keep all this type of stuff in the toolbox of my truck on a regular basis, but if i"m taking the Grand Cherokee, I make sure I make room for this stuff when I'm packing it up and like previous stated, bump the air pressure up a tad, will help with gas mileage on the open road...

 

^^^^ Exactly. When I made my first roadtrip ever to Florida from NY by myself. i bought a spare Serpentine belt, a small portable air compressor and a tire patch repair kit. Compressor was like $15 at Walmart and the tirepatch kit was $10.
I didn't make it to Jersey and I stopped and fixed a flat tire for this chick that was stuck on the side of the road. She gave $20. It payed for most of the materials...lol
Gotta have a flash light with spare batteries, jumper cables and a tow rope along with 2 diff size wrenches, pliers, one flat and one Phillips screw drivers. Black electrical tape and duct tape and i think you'll be good to go. ohh, don't forget the ratchet to install the serp belt.