Prepping for an 8,000 mile road trip...

[drdolittlerwc]

I climbed the easiest route on Half Dome called (Regular Route) basically a 5.9 if your'e familiar with climbing terminology back about 25 years ago, was fantastic. Now you actually have to have a permit just to go up the cables!

We started before sunrise, got to the base of Half Dome right as the sun started coming up and made it down the cables in the back right as it was getting dark, Epic day of climbing.

I think we went the first or second year they required permits, and had them in hand just to find out that there was still too much snow on the ground! No cables! That was in early JUNE!! So we hike up to Glacier Point from the Valley and around to the falls. Still an EPIC hike with AWESOME vistas!!

Anyway, OP, enjoy your trip!

Something you might want to do in Cali is see the Big trees...

Calaveras Big Trees
Sequoia National
Muir Woods
and My Personal fav

Big Basin State Park (great camping and awesome hikes, My fav hike is McAbee Overlook - no, not the guy who's causing problems here in C.A.)

Have Fun!!

 

[4'running'26]

A ScanGuage ii serves as a code reader, correct? I forgot I requested one of them for Christmas from my parents.

The more advice I get on where to go and what to see the longer I anticipate this trip becoming!

 

[Nunyabiz]

A ScanGuage ii serves as a code reader, correct? I forgot I requested one of them for Christmas from my parents.

The more advice I get on where to go and what to see the longer I anticipate this trip becoming!

Yes it does. Although an Ultra Gauge is just as good, larger screen and cheaper.
There is also an option for $100 to add basically the same functionality to the Garmin GPS I have.
If my Ultra Gauge ever dies I will probably opt to buy that instead.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/prod38354.html

 

[4'running'26]

Just a quick update...not that anyone really cares, but as it gets closer to summer I am getting more and more pumped for the trip!

So far:
--Timing belt, water pump, pulleys, tensioner, thermostat, drive belts have been changed
--New front bumper (busted up fat-lip to '98 style OEM) has been put on

Ordered and to be installed (AirCabinMan kit):
--Denso plugs and wires
--PCV valve
--Air filter

Still to do (for sure):
--OBDII scanner/checker (still trying to decide between ScanGaugeii, UltraGauge, iPhone thingy)
--New clock (I tried fixing mine, messed the soldering all up and now can't even send it away to the Ebay guy who fixes them...plan b?)
--New Antenna...Taco Whip? Cheap Autozone? Not sure yet.
--A nice wax job before hitting the western sun...don't want that nice red to fade!

Still to do (possibly):
--231mm Tundra brake upgrade...been on my to-do list for a while but will take a good chunk out of my spending money as well
--Lower ball joints...thought the right side was going out but then realized it was just a broken sway bar link, so I swapped that out and things have been dandy. They still worry me though and I need to jack it up and test them out a bit.)
--Rear chrome face-plate...it has two half-dollar sized rust spots and I want her to look clean before hitting the road
--OEM radio replacement...my backlight is flickering and it is annoying as heck
--Replace "Cruise" and "4wd" indicator lights on the dash...burnt out

Any other general maintenance items I should be checking in to?

Also, what all would you include in a goody-bag for that "just in case" situation? I could make the bag as big as my whole storage area, but would like to keep the size down to the notorious essentials.

Plugs, wires, oil, coolant, of course my ratchet set, wrenches, etc...what else? Drive belts?

Thanks, all!

 

[griplimited]

Thanks for updating this. Great deal of info.

For your Radio replacement, just look up Scion Head Units on CL, mine was plug and play, plus an extra 15-25 for ipod connector.

Someone did mention it, but get an external cooler for the transmission. I've read enough pink milkshake stories.

Last thing that I have in mind for myself, is lighting. Getting better visibility depending where you go.

 

[drdolittlerwc]

You've probably heard this already, but if you do replace your LBJ's, ONLY OEM.

I spent the money and time and went cheap, THEN read the horror stories. Which freaked me out enough to redo them with OEM, and when I took the 'NEW' ones off and moved them around, a couple of them were so loose it felt as if they had been installed for a long time and this only took place over the course of about 2 months.

 

[Nelsonmd]

You may not have written down all the maintenance items you have done or are planning on doing, but you don't mention some basic stuff like new gear oil in the diffs and TC, brake pads, brake fluid, etc.

For your goodie bag, I'd be sure to bring a basic tool kit: Metric sockets, Metric Box end wrenches up to 19mm (ratcheting is preferred), screwdrivers, a hammer (rubber mallet), a small compressor (I use a $30 one from autozone, it is small and works great so far), some basic recovery gear like jumper cables, maybe a tow strap with a couple shackles, etc.

Also, I'd bring 1 jug of gear oil, a gallon of washer fluid, some DI water (in case you overheat), and a small tube of sealant. There are lots of other little things I'd pick up. Fortunately, you will pass a bunch of autozone's in case you realize you forgot something. I carry most of this stuff in the back of my 4runner at all times and it has proven useful a couple times already, especially the tire patch kit and compressor (since I don't have a spare!) Definitely pick one of those up even if you have a spare with you.

 

[MattAK]

Plugs, wires, oil, coolant, of course my ratchet set, wrenches, etc...what else? Drive belts?

Thanks, all!

As a commercial bus driver and having made several 6000 mile trips to Alaska and back, I highly recommend carrying an extra set of belts. You never know when those guys are going to go and you can't get far without them. My $.02.

 

[4Runner4TW]

My two cents is to check everything over at each gas stop; tires, motor, belts, oil, feel around with your hand. I just moved to Seattle from Arizona pulling a fully loaded 6X12 trailer. I was worried about trans temp so at every stop I put my hand on the external trans cooler and each time it felt the same.

I see you are going through the upper part of Arizona. You have to check out Sedona, AZ! Its only 20 minutes from Flagstaff and 2 hours to the Grand Canyon. It is very beautiful there with all the red rocks and crazy formations. If you decided to check it out send me a PM and I will give you places to go. I used to live there with my g/f and we are talking about moving back there once our time in Seattle is done.

Anyway enjoy the trip! I have crossed the country 12 times and wouldn't hesitate to do it again! Only problem I have ever had was a belt shredding apart and over heating a bunch; both same trip and in a 96 Olds Aurora with over 230,000 miles.

 

[Nunyabiz]

Any other general maintenance items I should be checking in to?

Also, what all would you include in a goody-bag for that "just in case" situation? I could make the bag as big as my whole storage area, but would like to keep the size down to the notorious essentials.

Plugs, wires, oil, coolant, of course my ratchet set, wrenches, etc...what else? Drive belts?

Thanks, all!

I would pick up a Tire Plug Kit, far easier to mess with than changing a tire as long as the leak is in the tire tread and not the side wall.

 

[shootmymime]

Thanks for all of the great info and suggestions so far guys.

. Here's a link to a rough outline of the trip.

MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map

When is the departure date. It looks like you will be driving around my next of the woods near Yellowstone.
If you need a place to stay and shower and some neat things to do that big tourist groups can't go see. Let go!
Caves. Cliff jumping. Hot springs. Sand dunes. Hiking. You need to come see me in Rexburg Idaho!

Message me sometime, ive got some things to change your route when you go through yellowstone and enter idaho.
Im your man for that part of the trip!

 

[jgue467]

Fairly exhaustive list

you've got going. To be sure, just read over your maintenance list from toyo, say the 60k mark to capture most items. Many of the items you still lack (scan gauge) can be had pretty cheap on ebay.

Funny enough, I too am taking a similar trip this summer from cen tex to cali to colo and back. Gonna visit some 1/2 sisters i have in cali that i haven't seen in 25 yrs and just trek from south-north cali along PCH. I'm setting aside 17 days for this trip. Also excited but am also taking a vehicle like yours with over 200k. I feel the same about it, pretty much ready. About May I'll change out the trans & diff fluids with an engine oil change the week before i leave, jun 27. I don't have a solid travel plan but will probably focus on it soon.

I don't think your vehicle has a factory tranny cooler (anyone else know for sure?) but just check real quick to see if you've got any metal lines coming from your tranny to the bottom of your radiator. If so, read this site to do the 'strawberry milkshake' repair, its cheap and ez. If not like another reader suggested add a tranny cooler, also cheap on ebay and will help your tranny with the hills and summer heat. Good luck, look forward to your pics and Enjoy!!

 

[4'running'26]

Thanks for all of the responses everyone!

Latest update:

New Denso plugs and wires, PCV valve and TOYOTA air filter are installed as of last night. Other than forgetting to plug a vacuum hose back into the intake and wondering what the hell was going on for a about 30 minutes, everything went smoothly.
[MENTION=56021]Nelsonmd[/MENTION] Thanks for the reminder about the gear fluids...i had that on the list at one time but it had slipped out of my mind and am glad I was reminded about such.

This 4runner has made a trip to Colorado and back before (and my old Subaru Legacy GT made a couple trips to Colorado and back) but this is definitely the most extensive trip it has been on since I have owned it and I want to be as prepared as possible.

I do have a tranny cooler installed. I didn't know it until recently (I guess I hadn't look at the radiator all that closely) but when I was attempting to replace my bumper the first time I noticed it...that made me happy!
[MENTION=14772]shootmymime[/MENTION], things have changed a little bit and it looks like we will be going from the Sawtooth range straight over to the Tetons area. We sat down and tried to make the trip more about quality rather than quantity. My uncle lives in Freedom, WY (about an hour south of Jackson) so we will probably stay with him one night, but I am going to PM you.
[MENTION=75316]jgue467[/MENTION], maybe we'll see you out on the road! I have a friend who lives in the SanFran area so we'll be stopping over there for two nights, and like you said, we will be in a lot of the same places. My home base before and after the trip will be in Colorado (close to Colorado Springs..Woodland Park to be exact as that is where I used to live) so if any of you Coloradans are looking for an exploring partner in mid-late June/early July, let me know!

One last thing...after replacing the plugs, wires, PCV valve, and air filter (also sprayed the MAF) I was hoping to see an increase in MPG. To this date, my best tank ever was 22.7 MPG and have averaged 21 during certain periods of time, but as of late, even on the highway, I am averaging 15-16. That is what I got again after 220 miles of mainly interstate driving and keeping the speed around 71-72 MPH. The wind was pretty high so that probably had something to do with it, but like I said that is what I have been averaging for a while now and would like to get that back up above 20. As far as tires and suspension goes, I am completely stock and don't plan on changing that as it is my daily driver. I am resetting the ECU tonight and that has worked for me in the past so we will see if it works again.

If anyone has any other suggestions for the bad MPGs I have been experiencing lately, let me know!

Cheers.

JT

 

[eplanajr]

Keep going North from Missoula and go to Glacier NP. That place is badass.

 

[4'running'26]

Thanks for updating this. Great deal of info.

For your Radio replacement, just look up Scion Head Units on CL, mine was plug and play, plus an extra 15-25 for ipod connector.

Someone did mention it, but get an external cooler for the transmission. I've read enough pink milkshake stories.

Last thing that I have in mind for myself, is lighting. Getting better visibility depending where you go.

Which model number did you get? This sounds like a great idea.

How much hassle was it to mount the head unit?

 

[griplimited]

I have an 08 model that I bought from CL, like this:

But I recommend the newer than 2011 ones that has more rows of text on the LCD display, as it's easier to scroll when searching on your Ipod similar to these.

 

[griplimited]

As for installation process. The only thing I had was a metal file, which I used to file the left side of the center trim coverings. I did a little too much since I was in a rush to have it on, but it's fine with me. If you are a perfectionist, you could fine sand it.. but I just went right to fit and finishi within 30mins. with plug and play of the music. All that while my two little girls were climbing from trunk to back seats playing around.