long, long trip with old truck

mountainsam wrote:
We are planning a very long trip with our new 8000 lb 5er. Leaving northern CA and ending in Maine and return. We have an 05 Dodge with Cummings diesel and automatic transmission. I had a Banks engine brake installed. We have owned this truck since new and have had it serviced as manufacturer recommends by authorized diesel machanics. The truck is stock as it came from the factory. I have pulled trailers for thousands of miles but rarely long distance. My question is, is there anything besides normal pm maintainance I should consider doing? Transmission, cooling, etc. Should mention brakes are all brand new and the truck has never required any repairs except ball joints last year. It has 160,000 miles. Thanks for your feedback.

Well if you haven't had issues with the transmission to this point, it will likely be fine. 8,000# is not that heavy of a 5er. The recommended service should have included trans adjustments and fluid changes.

mountainsam wrote:
I must correct my statement of the 05 being old. I grew up in the 50's when 100,000 miles was junk yard stock. Before I retired I bought the 05 diesel thinking it would be my last truck. Since then i have put it through heck pulling a farm tractor around the Ozarks. Now I have retired for the second time and the 05 has weathered much better than I have. So reading all your replys I see I need to keep the faith. It hasn't let me down yet.

It is hardly broken in, look at my signature, I don't think of my 01 being old or ready to retire! It only has 262,000 miles and still pulls our 11,000# 5er just fine, strong really.