driving cross country

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Carry a fuel pump. You aint' gettin that damn thing just anywhere. Maybe a water pump?? Those can strand you without much hope of getting parts in mid nowhere, download the cruiser assistance list, and have a great trip!
 
I'd say a fuel pump is an unlikely spare.... water pump is more likely to blow. You can get one at Napa.

remember to pack a good flashlight- regardless of where you are sleeping, a little light can go a long way. And if you do break down at night, a flashlight is indispensable.

have a great trip, take pictures.
 
I'd did the same trip in reverse from Newport, RI to San Diego, when I first got my 60 and I new nothing about the rig. I found out later that is was not running in the best condition...but it made the trip fine, not a single problem. If you know your rig, it shouldn't be an issue at all.

I regret to say I didn't have any spares of any kind. Not the smartest Idea, but it worked out.

Go for it!!!
 
Congrats! Good decision.

Have a safe and fun trip. :cheers:
 
walmart?

nvdesertrider said:
booked my flight today!!! :eek: I'm going for it! I fly into providence at 5pm eastern time on weds, november 23 and will pick the cruiser up (its only 12 miles from the airport) as soon as i arrive. I got it insured and the dealer will issue temp tags. I also am asking him to have an oil change, coolant flush, and hose/belt inspection performed. The tires are brand new. All i'm bringing are a few articles of clothing, pillow and sleeping bag, my laptop, cell phone, and ipod with tape deck adapter (the ipod is going to save me) I think i'm just going to sleep in the back whenever i get tired. Speaking of which, how safe are rest stops? Should i just pull over in some residential neighborhood or a well lit parking lot to sleep? I would feel better traveling with my pistol but it would be such a hassle to check bags at the airport and some east coast states have weird gun laws on driving with a firearm. I plan on getting out of RI no later than 7pm and driving through the night so by the time i hit new york traffic wont be so bad.
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This may be bogus advice, but I've heard several times that travelers are welcome to spend the night in Wal-Mart parking lots--anyone know if that's true?

Desertrider, I envy you--have a great time! I'd be happy to help out if you break down, but if you end up in north Georgia you're really lost! :) Take it easy and good luck!
:beer:
 
flowman said:
This may be bogus advice, but I've heard several times that travelers are welcome to spend the night in Wal-Mart parking lots--anyone know if that's true?
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Heard the same thing. I think it is in fact true. But, I'd still rather be at a truck stop or parking lot of a hotel or 24 hour restaurant.

Let me re-iterate... get the Cruiser Assistance Club spreadsheet. (Like at top of site in the main menu). It will be invaluable, and hopefully you won't need it.

-Rob
 
flowman said:
This may be bogus advice, but I've heard several times that travelers are welcome to spend the night in Wal-Mart parking lots--anyone know if that's true?
beer:
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It's true, in fact, you can spend up to three nights.
 
I dont think wal mart will mind too much if i hang out in their lot for a few hours... havent done that since high school. i just joined the cruiser assistance club and asked woody to have the list "rush emailed." The only other question i have is what do you guys think about having the tranny fluid replaced, or should i just top it off and then do a proper flush/filter change when it gets home? thanks everyone for the words of encouragement, i think this is going to be an adventure i wont forget, plus a cool story behind the cruiser.
 
The tranny fluid is easy enough to replace. You can always take off the fill plug and see what the level is and what it looks like. It should look like gear fluid (dark yellowish brown) and not soupy. The same goes for the rear diff. I would at least check the conditon of it and level. Could check those when you get there and if it looks bad just stop by a good lube place.
 
NocalFJ60 said:
The tranny fluid is easy enough to replace. You can always take off the fill plug and see what the level is and what it looks like. It should look like gear fluid (dark yellowish brown) and not soupy.QUOTE]

Forgot to mention, this is an auto, so should it have ATF and ideally be pink in color or do the 62's auto trannies use something else?
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Texx said:
Carry a fuel pump. You aint' gettin that damn thing just anywhere.
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I will second this! I bought my 60 in Bakersfield, California and had to drive to Phoenix, Az. Took 4 days. Went through two fuel pumps, once in Hesperia and the second in Blythe. My brother drove out to Blythe with an OEM and have never had another problem. 90% of the time was spent trying to get a fuel pump to Hesperia, my brother had to fedex one to me!

Sean
 
nvdesertrider said:
NocalFJ60 said:
The tranny fluid is easy enough to replace. You can always take off the fill plug and see what the level is and what it looks like. It should look like gear fluid (dark yellowish brown) and not soupy.QUOTE]

Forgot to mention, this is an auto, so should it have ATF and ideally be pink in color or do the 62's auto trannies use something else?
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Does the PO have complete service records?...if they did you could look and see if they'd had the trans/transfer/diff lubes done recently. Still check the fill levels on everything, though. Auto trans takes Dexron series fluid, it's pink when new and pale orange/yellowish when old. Transfer/diff oil should be yellowish and transparent. If it's grey/milky/translucent or worse, opaque/dark- change it.
Buy a cheapo Haynes service manual to take with you. Good luck.
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I've done similar treks when I bought my 60 and my 42.

As said before, download and copy the Cruiser Assistance Club spreadsheet. Toss it in the glovebox and leave it there. It contains names and numbers of cruiserheads along your route.

I have slept in Truck Stop parking lots more times than I can count. Lot lizards are folks looking to bum a ride. Lock the doors and crack a window or two for ventilation. I personally avoid WalMart parking lots and rest areas, though I've heard folks use them without any problems.

Finally, I recommend you leave the pistol at home. The various State laws and FAA security procedures make it more trouble than it's worth. Frankly, the only "bad" guys you might run into would be at a rest area, parking lot or gas station. Spraying bullets when a bat or tire iron is enough could get a bystander hurt bad. I've driven my trucks cross continent several times and simply never had a need that required fire power. Of course, I wouldn't leave RI without jumper cables, a tight 5 gallon fuel container, and sufficient food/water/gear for me. HTH

Happy Trails! N
 
if you realy want to ski, bring yours and stop at monarch, it's right on US50 in colorado. a bit north of your planned rout but not out of the way. i wish i could aford to take another big road trip.
best of luck, carl in salida, CO
 
i echo the sentiment of leaving the gun at home and stopping by CO for snowboarding. both are a good idea :]

if you want something for protection, pick up a collapsible billy club:
http://tinyurl.com/dhvkk
you can knock someone silly if needed without the worry of a felony.


have fun and take pictures!
 
missyc said:
yea, leave the pistol at home, buy a rifle when you land
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Yeah a nice short Winchester Lever in .357 :cool:
 
nvdesertrider said:
how is the snow in CO? i would definately be down for a little detour but my skis, boards, and all snow equipment is currently in reno.
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it's worth checking out if you haven't. that's pretty much all there is to say.
 
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