Very Infrequently Used Truck / Maintenance

[SwampSurvivor]

At the end of next month, I am going to be using my dad's infrequently used truck ( as in, I last drove it in August and it has been sitting since) to tow my Jeep ~500 miles on a trailer.

It's a 01 F350 with 5.4L engine and 5 speed manual. 58000 miles I'm not sure what the towing capacity is (I think 8500 or 9500) but I should be well within the limits of it. The truck itself is extremely rusty, but the frame checks out as of last inspection. It doesn't get driven in the salt - obviously, since it doesn't get driven, so it shouldn't be too much worse.

What should I be looking at on this?

I am planning on replacing the radiator (has a pinhole leak or two), thermostat, radiator hoses - original, belt -also original, PS lines that are super rotten and probably checking the rear driveshaft U Joints. And an oil / filter change.

It recently had a lot of work put into it including - new brake lines hard/rubber, new pads/rotors/calipers/backing plates/shoes/parking brake cables, ball joints, front wheel bearings, front u Joints, spark plugs, changed AT fluid in the manual transmission and the AT fluid in the transfer case.

Is there anything else I should be looking at? The truck is always filled with ethanol free gas and the proper amount of Sta-bil.


It wouldn't be so much a thing but the truck sits all the time so who knows what it may need.

Any other suggestions!?

 

[supton]

"Frame passes inspection" means little to me. It's not like the guy went up and down the frame with a ball peen hammer checking it. That said, I doubt it's that bad.

I'd be concerned with rubber lines suddenly going. Dry rot. I'm not sure if said lines can suddenly go with suddenly "much more" heat but I've noticed in my '99 Camry that lines are just disintegrating it seems.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I asked the mechanic to check the frame closely and make sure it's okay to tow with. I was poking at it with a screwdriver and it didn't go through anywhere. Just mostly paint coming off. Even the shackles are good! Usually C-channel frames won't break or rust through. Boxed frames up here are a death sentence for a truck.

All of the rubber brake lines were replaced when my dad blew out a brake line a year or two ago.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
At the end of next month, I am going to be using my dad's infrequently used truck ( as in, I last drove it in August and it has been sitting since) to tow my Jeep ~500 miles on a trailer.

It's a 01 F350 with 5.4L engine and 5 speed manual. 58000 miles I'm not sure what the towing capacity is (I think 8500 or 9500) but I should be well within the limits of it. The truck itself is extremely rusty, but the frame checks out as of last inspection. It doesn't get driven in the salt - obviously, since it doesn't get driven, so it shouldn't be too much worse.

What should I be looking at on this?

I am planning on replacing the radiator (has a pinhole leak or two), thermostat, radiator hoses - original, belt -also original, PS lines that are super rotten and probably checking the rear driveshaft U Joints. And an oil / filter change.

It recently had a lot of work put into it including - new brake lines hard/rubber, new pads/rotors/calipers/backing plates/shoes/parking brake cables, ball joints, front wheel bearings, front u Joints, spark plugs, changed AT fluid in the manual transmission and the AT fluid in the transfer case.

Is there anything else I should be looking at? The truck is always filled with ethanol free gas and the proper amount of Sta-bil.


It wouldn't be so much a thing but the truck sits all the time so who knows what it may need.

Any other suggestions!?


Check the steel gas and brake lines.

Save up lots of $$ to pay for the gas it will use.

What kind of brakes on trailer?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I'm renting a UHaul with surge brakes.

I'm hoping for 8 MPG. And in the hills of PA it'll be going so slow that I can get out and walk up aside it!

 

[redhat]

Maybe a week or so before your trip, drive the truck regularly to just get a feel for anything that may be on its way out.

Them 5.4 mod motors, while not my favorite, really don't die when they have their oil changed and full of coolant. They get noisy (cam phasers in 3v), but they will sing and work.

Fresh oil change? Besides that, keep some extra coolant and oil with you and I think you should be ready for the trip.

 

[donnyj08]

Check brake lines. Many of these have a line that runs inside the rear frame rail and they rust out easily. My dad has a 99 F350 and it's had that line replaced due to a blowout. He lives in southern Indiana, where things rust but not near as bad as some of the eastern states.

 

[CT8]

Dump the truck and rent one as needed.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: redhat
Maybe a week or so before your trip, drive the truck regularly to just get a feel for anything that may be on its way out.

Them 5.4 mod motors, while not my favorite, really don't die when they have their oil changed and full of coolant. They get noisy (cam phasers in 3v), but they will sing and work.

Fresh oil change? Besides that, keep some extra coolant and oil with you and I think you should be ready for the trip.


That's the plan. For a few weeks, actually. I drove it most of the month of august and it seemed to work pretty well.

Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Check brake lines. Many of these have a line that runs inside the rear frame rail and they rust out easily. My dad has a 99 F350 and it's had that line replaced due to a blowout. He lives in southern Indiana, where things rust but not near as bad as some of the eastern states.


That line was replaced and it hasn't been driven in salt since. I believe Dorman sells install ready line kits for these trucks should I find any bad lines.


Originally Posted By: CT8
Dump the truck and rent one as needed.

I have AAA for if/when it dies and it will get me close enough to home to have someone locally fetch it. Renting a truck isn't worth it.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

How has no one said "charge the battery" yet?
Use a charger, NOT the alternator.

 

[c502cid]

I'd be most concerned with the condition of the tires more than anything else.

 

[BrocLuno]

You're pulling a heavy load for hundreds of miles. I'd change the rear end fluid to something beefier. That's one piece that is going to get a real workout. Is it posi?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
How has no one said "charge the battery" yet?
Use a charger, NOT the alternator.


It's on a charger all the time. But taking it out and giving it a real charge is not a bad idea for sure

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
You're pulling a heavy load for hundreds of miles. I'd change the rear end fluid to something beefier. That's one piece that is going to get a real workout. Is it posi?


It's a limited slip. I should swap it out with LSD 75w-140 according to the manual.

Originally Posted By: c502cid
I'd be most concerned with the condition of the tires more than anything else.

It's gone through many sets! Current set is only a bit over a year old. They keep dryrotting from sitting.

 

[compratio10_5]

Lots of good advice here. How about this one? "Never put your horse away hot and never put your truck away cold"

 

[AZjeff]

You didn't say if it's towing 500 miles one way or 250 out and back. If it's one way you might check how much a car hauler would charge. Add up what your costs will be to fix the truck and trip expenses. I'm all for DIY but it may be cheaper to have it hauled, unless you just want to put the money in dad's truck. Or have an adventure. If it's out and back never mind.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Get familiar with the fuses.

Fill the windshield washer bottle and test the system.

Take a close look at the tires and the spare. Make sure the jack and lug wrench are there.

Get a good book on CD.

Make sure all the lights work.

 

[Nick1994]

The week before you leave drop your car off at their house and borrow the truck and do your daily commute in it to make sure it's up to the task. Tthings that are wrong or going wrong will be more noticeable the more time you have with it daily driving it.

 

[supton]

Watch out for tolls. My wife still complains about the trip we took to DC--and that was 3 years ago.

Which has nothing to do with driving an old truck, but has to do with the surcharge per axle.

 

[Red91]

I second CT8's suggestion. You're spending money one way or another, why not just rent a truck and trailer and let your dad's truck continue to sit.

I see this all the time with customers bringing their broken down car to the shop. They are "saving money" by having someone with a 1/2 ton and a rickety old trailer haul it in for them, then two of the tires blow, and ratchet straps might as well be t shirts. They could have paid $75 to have it towed no fuss.

Your call, I'm just saying that there's no justification here for your repair work on the truck for one trip. Rent the truck and trailer, and let the old Ford sit.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I will definitely check all of the mentioned things. Some things you just don't think about when something just sits.




Originally Posted By: Nick1994
The week before you leave drop your car off at their house and borrow the truck and do your daily commute in it to make sure it's up to the task. Tthings that are wrong or going wrong will be more noticeable the more time you have with it daily driving it.


I'll probably have it an entire month and leave them with my car. Definitely not the best idea to pull it right out and get going. But if I can put a few hundred miles to work out the bugs



Originally Posted By: AZjeff
You didn't say if it's towing 500 miles one way or 250 out and back. If it's one way you might check how much a car hauler would charge. Add up what your costs will be to fix the truck and trip expenses. I'm all for DIY but it may be cheaper to have it hauled, unless you just want to put the money in dad's truck. Or have an adventure. If it's out and back never mind.


500 total. Actually more like 480. Never thought about getting it hauled down and back, but it's only a 3 day trip. Heading down Friday, coming back Sunday. Going to an off road park. My Jeep may not be running when I'm done and that hinders hauling. I don't plan on intentionally destroying it but who knows what will break on the thing!


Originally Posted By: supton
Watch out for tolls. My wife still complains about the trip we took to DC--and that was 3 years ago.

Which has nothing to do with driving an old truck, but has to do with the surcharge per axle.


I thought you said watch out for trolls! haha!

Luckily no tolls. It's literally - get on 81, drive 210 miles, get off 81. I live a few hundred feet from 81, the off road park and motel are also right on I-81. Pretty easy drive aside from the steep hills.

The thruway is ridiculous with tolls. Had a crazy toll when I brought my popup on the thruway!