Things to do before a long road trip with new 4Runner?

I am looking at a pretty extensive road trip with my new 4Runner. I realize what kind of damage can be done to the paint on the hood from road debris as my Tundra looks like it has been shot with bird shot from road debris over the years. Hoping to avoid this with my 4Runner.

I will be traveling to the southwest US and then to Montana before heading back to the east coast. I can see driving around 6K in total mileage round trip. What precautions would you recommend to minimize road rash? I am thinking a bug deflector for one but I feel sure there are other things I could/should do but not sure where to begin.

Thanks!

 

bug deflector won't do anything. I would not do anything different, maybe perhaps get better wipers, and change oil if they are due.

 

@RyanJJ how about PPF on the front of your 4Runner?

 

I'd just make sure any fluids that need to be changed....change. Grease any grease points, change wipers if needed(don't forget the rear), top up wiper fluid, make sure tires are in good shape and properly inflated, brakes are in good shape and won't need replacement, and make sure all lights are properly functioning. I'm sure there's more but that should be a start.

 

I didn't worry about road rash much but I did change my oil I think around 1200-1300miles before I did first interstate driving. Owners manual also has below note. Not sure how new is your 4Runner.





Edit -
Another important point. If by any chance if your new 4Runner a TRD Pro it would be worth to check alignment and wheel balance is good before a trip. Mine was bad since I believe lot of stuff installed locally not from Japan. May be even keep an eye on the paint marks on suspension bolts half way your trip. Make sure they haven't move. (I know many Pro owners would hate this, but I just want to share my experience so other Pro owners may be safe out there.)

 

Thanks for the replies. I actually only have 1200 miles on the 4Runner so far and I did follow the guidelines kmeeg shows above. PPF might be of interest. Not gonna lie-I am a bit nervous driving a new vehicle on a road trip like this but I am excited also. Going from a Tundra with 340K miles to a new 4Runner has been an adjustment. I am so familiar with the Tundra that my 4Runner still feels a bit strange.

Thanks again for the suggestions. Much appreciated!

 

Everyone has offered good suggestions. Here's a couple more:

• In addition to checking fluid levels, do a basic under the hood check and look at belt tightness and quality, fluid leaks and anything loose that shouldn't be.
• Look at the underside of your vehicle as well. The 4Runner has plenty of ground clearance. Look for leaks, loose bolts/fasteners and any visual abnormalities.
• Check your spare tire pressure. I like to keep my spare at 50psi which gives me a bit of a cushion to compensate for normal leakage over time. I usually run my tires at 35 psi (BFG TA/AT)

If you don't have a basic tool and spares kit, make/get one. Ther are several "things to carry" threads. Basically, you should have screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, electrical tape, duct tape, WD-40, misc nuts, bolts, screws, zip ties, mechanics wire and a set of fuses. Don't forget what are known as "The 7 essentials of survival". Since you'll be traveling through the southwest during summer, water, and lots of it, is especially important. You might also want to consider an emergency starting battery/powerpack.

Check if your Entune map data is current. You may want to look into a satellite based emergency device like the Garmin InReach. I also like to carry a variety of printed (usually AAA) maps when I travel. They're great for making travel notes and I've never had a printed map run out of power or connectivity.

Safe travels!

 

If you are looking solely into protecting your vehicle so it doesn't look like your Tundra then I would highly recommend a PPF. Before I have PPF done I would get a paint correction done otherwise those imperfections will sit under the PPF. Do your research as there are plenty of low quality PPFs on the market and are a waste of money.

Good luck on your trip.

 

What Photo said. I always tell people to bring a go-bag with essentials in case you have an incident driving in the middle of south/mid-west nowhere. Tools, medical supplies, medicine, food, water, paper atlas. Anything you might need to rough it or get yourself out of a jam.

 

Toilet paper

 

I second this along with a basic, if possible, tire repair kit/small compressor at a minimum. May seem like overkill, But It will be better to have it and not need it than not having one in an emergency. Found this out the hard way dropping two tires at the same time many moons ago...(Lets just say before cell phones existed).

 

5 gal can of emerg fuel.
I've driven in the western states a lot and gas stations can be scary far between. Think Dakotas. I've come close a couple of times. One or 2 gal may not be enough to start an engine driven dry.
This is doubly true if driving with significant other.

 

Another option is to put painters' tape on the nose of the truck to protect the paint from rocks during your trip and then remove it when you return home.