What tools/spares should I bring for a cross country trip in a new to me truck?

It might not hurt to have enough extra cash to buy a tire or two. Hopefully you won't have to, but you never know. Also bring a tire pressure gauge. I'd check the tire pressures before hitting the highway.

IDIBRONCO said:

It might not hurt to have enough extra cash to buy a tire or two. Hopefully you won't have to, but you never know. Also bring a tire pressure gauge. I'd check the tire pressures before hitting the highway.

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Of course! I travel with plenty of cash and usually a way to protect it. Although flying make that second part kind of rough, but I'm reasonably capable...

saburai said:

Next week I'm flying to Colorado to pick up my new to me 148k '94 F250 E4od 4x4 turbo. While it's been well maintained and I don't anticipate any problems, I do like to be prepared for what ever comes. We do have a good roadside assistance program, but you know how that can go... so bearing in mind that I'll be flying, what do you suggest that I bring in the way of tools? What about spare parts? I've got a good set of hard injection lines (thanks Corey!), but packing them so that they don't get smashed and keeping them from tripping the TSA goons as flammable due to the diesel smell might be a nightmare...

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Before you do any driving long distance, find the jack and see if it lifts the truck. Lots of times, these old trucks will have a jack, but the hydraulics malfunction. It's often neglected until you get a flat tire and it's too late.

So attempt to lift the truck. If it doesn't work, then buy a jack right away, so you are set for the road trip. While you are at it, check the pressure and tread condition on the spare.

As for tools, just bring a standard socket set, channel locks, pliers, visegrips, and screwdrivers. As for fluids, buy what you can once you arrive. It might be prudent to buy some good quality grease for your greasable joints and bearings, if you have some time to prepare them. If the truck has been sitting for a while, you might put the bearings and greasable stuff under some stress for 500+ miles.

I'm not sure the hard lines are necessary, unless the PO was complaining about them. Seems like overkill. They don't typically fail.

I always keep one of those 100+ piece blow-mold tool sets behind my seat, along with a pry bar and breaker bar for changing belts (I have V-belts, if you're serpentine you probably won't need the pry bar), that should cover you for just about every parking lot repair you might need to make. Bring a multimeter incase your FLPS is loose or needs adjusting, your E4OD will go in to limp mode if that happens so I always keep a multimeter in the truck. Handy extra's would be a flare wrench for tightening the injector lines if needed, a big enough socket or wrench so you can swap an injector if needed, and as for parts... injector lines, return kit, belt, filter, a can of ether, and 1-2 spare injectors should be more than enough to get it home.

genscripter said:

Before you do any driving long distance, find the jack and see if it lifts the truck. Lots of times, these old trucks will have a jack, but the hydraulics malfunction. It's often neglected until you get a flat tire and it's too late.

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Uh... at least on all the IDI trucks I've seen, the factory jack is a screw jack. No hydraulics to fail; as long as it's not rusted solid inside or bent, it'll work.

edit:
Not to say you shouldn't check it and make sure that it's there and does work though.

Thanks guys! Keep it coming, some really good ideas so far!

Take any tools you would need to do any repair you are willing to do beside the highway.

Since it's a Ford, take a power steering pressure hose. They fail after the parts stores close when you're far from home. I've carried a spare since I drove 600 miles trailing power steering fluid to catch a ferry. I've used that spare, too.

One thing I forgot, do you have spare retainers / clamps for your injector lines? If you get there and notice any missing on the truck, you can fix that before it becomes a disaster.

Macrobb said:

Uh... at least on all the IDI trucks I've seen, the factory jack is a screw jack. No hydraulics to fail; as long as it's not rusted solid inside or bent, it'll work.

edit:
Not to say you shouldn't check it and make sure that it's there and does work though.

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On all my IDI Vans, someone had replaced the screw-style jacks with aftermarket bottle jacks. Usually low quality bottle jacks. Nearly all the OP's bottle jacks didn't work well, or at all. Thankfully, I found out they were bad after I got home, and not on the drive.

saburai said:

Of course! I travel with plenty of cash and usually a way to protect it. Although flying make that second part kind of rough, but I'm reasonably capable...

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Depending on how much you trust the guy, you could ship the protection to yourself at his house.

jwalterus said:

Depending on how much you trust the guy, you could ship the protection to yourself at his house.

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Yeah, I was thinking about that and I trust him, but some of the states don't have reciprocity. Plus, I'll be driving on the po's borrowed plate and registration with just a signed title and insurance in my name until I reach Florida. If I got stopped by some low functioning local yokel who didn't understand the paperwork, I could potentially be in a world of hurt...

Edited to add that generally I have a very high regard for the brothers in blue. But as we know their are exceptions and I've had some awful luck in the past...

saburai said:

Of course! I travel with plenty of cash and usually a way to protect it. Although flying make that second part kind of rough, but I'm reasonably capable...

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How much cash? Cash and the TSA don’t work well together. $10k seems to be a magical number to keep it below where the gangsters don’t think it’s dirty money. Unless you deal with a local bank, I’d just hit up an atm or carry a few blank personal checks with me to avoid the hassle.

mu2bdriver said:

How much cash? Cash and the TSA don’t work well together. $10k seems to be a magical number to keep it below where the gangsters don’t think it’s dirty money. Unless you deal with a local bank, I’d just hit up an atm or carry a few blank personal checks with me to avoid the hassle.

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Thanks, we are well-versed in the stupidity of the TSA! My wife and I frequently travel internationally, and I used to travel all the time for business. I'm bringing cash to pay for the truck and a few grand more to have in my pocket, definitely under 10k. I've never had problems before as long as it's been under 10k. Another SHTF prep, more when we are traveling internationally, is to carry some coins from a few different countries and toss a crusty looking Krugerrand or two in with them in a change pouch, keeping the pouch and some small cash in a pocket, throwing it in the bin to get scammed. Never been questioned by any check point goons. All around the world...

Below is my list so far.

I'm going to be hustling, but I'll have time if I need it,
I'm the master of my own destiny

I'll either borrow a grease gun or stop at at a local shop to get greased up. All of the parts and consumables I will either have shipped to the PO's house or obtain locally. What I could still use help with is from all of you who have been working on these trucks for a long time, is a detailed list of specific hand tools that I might distribute between my checked and carry-on luggage so that I don't incur a overweight baggage charge. I'd just love to take the 500 lb of tools that I have in the back of Diego now, but of course that's not a reality...

So here it is-

Road trip checklist:
New serpentine belt, tools to change Inquire about fuel levels, did he ever run out? And if so at what level?
ATF, diesel additive
3/8 hose clamp 3/8 HP fuel hose
laser thermometer
fused jumper wires
tire pressure gauge
Tire plug kit
Check spare and jack
Grease job
Multimeter
Injector line flare wrench
New fuek return kit(needed for the swap anyway)
Either
Spare injector(anyone have one to sell?)
Check power steering pressure hose

What am I missing?

Thanks Gents! I'm excited and it's going to be a fun trip!

I did something similar, where I flew to Alaska to pick up my Blazer, drove back to Colorado. I used USPS ship to fit packages and sent my tools and spare parts up beforehand. You'd be surprised how much stuff you can jam in a box.