Road trip prep

[throttleplate]

Do you have a AAA card?  If not buy one as they are cheap breakdown insurance. Get the Supreme card, they will tow you 200 miles if needed.

[TetraFish'n]

13 hours ago, throttleplate said:

Do you have a AAA card?  If not buy one as they are cheap breakdown insurance. Get the Supreme card, they will tow you 200 miles if needed.

I don’t have one, but I am going to pick one up now. Thanks for the suggestion! 

[PourMyOwn]

Extra spark plugs?

 

Sounds like you're really prepared. Have a great time, amigo!

[airshot]

Instead of AAA look at your own ins company, mine has far better coverage, longer towing, even all the way home if needed...  Andvthe cost is about 1/4 that of AAA.  Had triple A for many years, until I finally needed them one day...great dissapointment!!  

[immortl]

Think the bottle jack was already mentioned, they're pretty useful along with a board or three for under/over it. 

 

I'll also second the air pump idea.  I put onboard air on my truck and it's been invaluable.  Decent air gauge to check tire pressures in the morning. Or I think you can add extra sensors to the fancy new trucks these days for your trailer tires.

 

Make sure you have the tools and proper bit/end to lower the spare on your pickup.  Turns out my truck was missing the special security bit end when I bought it used and no one had one.  Cost me an extra day and had the tire shop cut the spare off when I needed it after an accident in AL last year.  Same if you have locking lugnuts, make sure you have that tool to get them off.

 

Tool kit?  If I'm hauling the RV, I tend to have a full set of most of my tools, if another trailer I bring a smaller selection but am sure to have sockets, ratchets, wrenches, screw drivers and bits, etc...

 

Fuel additives?  I regularly use Optilube performance additive and their cetane additive. I pour that into 8/4/2oz bottles (nalgene) I picked up off of Amazon ahead of time.  When I fill up, just select the appropriate sized bottles and dump them in.

 

Electronics - radar detector, phone chargers/cables, spares.

 

Fluids - oil, washer fluid (top off before leaving and bring some extra, bugs across the Dakotas are crazy at times), coolant?  Extra DEF if you need that.  I tend to have a tub in the bed of my truck with these.

 

Filters - spare fuel filter in case you pick up a bad tank somewhere?  Never happened to me, but I have one in the tub of fluids and spares.

 

Paperwork - current registration and insurance cards - truck, trailer, and boat.  Health insurance card for yourself.

 

Added on  edit - wife is usually my passenger.  She likes to have a pillow and blanket with her.  And lots of snacks and drinks.

 

Oh and a fire extinguisher, somewhere easily accessible. 

[TetraFish'n]

1 hour ago, immortl said:

Think the bottle jack was already mentioned, they're pretty useful along with a board or three for under/over it. 

 

I'll also second the air pump idea.  I put onboard air on my truck and it's been invaluable.  Decent air gauge to check tire pressures in the morning. Or I think you can add extra sensors to the fancy new trucks these days for your trailer tires.

 

Make sure you have the tools and proper bit/end to lower the spare on your pickup.  Turns out my truck was missing the special security bit end when I bought it used and no one had one.  Cost me an extra day and had the tire shop cut the spare off when I needed it after an accident in AL last year.  Same if you have locking lugnuts, make sure you have that tool to get them off.

 

Tool kit?  If I'm hauling the RV, I tend to have a full set of most of my tools, if another trailer I bring a smaller selection but am sure to have sockets, ratchets, wrenches, screw drivers and bits, etc...

 

Fuel additives?  I regularly use Optilube performance additive and their cetane additive. I pour that into 8/4/2oz bottles (nalgene) I picked up off of Amazon ahead of time.  When I fill up, just select the appropriate sized bottles and dump them in.

 

Electronics - radar detector, phone chargers/cables, spares.

 

Fluids - oil, washer fluid (top off before leaving and bring some extra, bugs across the Dakotas are crazy at times), coolant?  Extra DEF if you need that.  I tend to have a tub in the bed of my truck with these.

 

Filters - spare fuel filter in case you pick up a bad tank somewhere?  Never happened to me, but I have one in the tub of fluids and spares.

 

Paperwork - current registration and insurance cards - truck, trailer, and boat.  Health insurance card for yourself.

 

Added on  edit - wife is usually my passenger.  She likes to have a pillow and blanket with her.  And lots of snacks and drinks.

 

Oh and a fire extinguisher, somewhere easily accessible. 

Good stuff! Already have a bottle jack, but I hadn’t considered the boards until you guys mentioned it. 
 

That’s a great idea with the multiple size Nalgene bottles. Even for putting Stabil in the boat, it would make it a lot easier instead of trying to measure it out each time.

 

My truck takes DEF and I will have a jug of it with me. I have a fire extinguisher in the boat, but hadn’t considered one for the truck. I have room in my safety kit, I’ll throw one in.
 
I appreciate you guys taking time to give me some good ideas!
 

 

[Susky River Rat]

How about an extra outboard and TM prop?  List looks good. Just keep a cool head on the road. The water isn’t going away. It will be there when you get there