Prepping Blanche for a Long Road Trip
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Blanche on the go!
We are getting ready for a long wintertime road trip that will take us from Las Vegas to Denver, then to Richmond, VA, for a few days, onward to North Carolina, then up to New England, and back to Las Vegas. For part of the trip, we plan to follow Highway US-6 for its entirety, from Ely, NV (we already did the westernmost section of US-6 from Bishop, CA to Ely, NV) to Provincetown, MA. That’s a lot of miles, and we’re sure to run into ice, snow, sleet, and other unpleasant road conditions. To reduce the likelihood of problems along the way, we’re getting Blanche ready for her next adventure.
Oil Change
This is an obvious one. We weren’t quite due for an oil change yet, but we might as well get one done now, so we don’t have to get another one 1000 miles down the road. We had a discount coupon for an oil change at the Ram dealership, which included their 20-point inspection, tire rotation, and new wiper blades. It turned out they couldn’t put our Promaster on their lift to rotate the tires because we have running boards (hmm!). The wiper blades are genuine Mopar blades, retailing for $80. Blanche usually settles for Michelin or Rain-X wiper blades, so this was quite the treat for her. The 20-point inspection found a couple of issues that needed to be addressed before we leave – see below.
Tires and Tire Rotation
We have rather aggressive all-terrain tires all around, which are in good shape, and which should do well in the Midwest and New England winter weather. We did need a tire rotation, since the Ram dealer couldn’t lift Blanche. Because we bought our tires at Costco, we get free rotations, so we scheduled an appointment and got it done there.
Wiper Blades
The intense heat of our summers is hard on wiper blades, and these needed changing. See above.
Fluids
Check and top up windshield washer fluid, brake fluid, coolant, and oil. Transmission fluid was flushed and replaced earlier this year, and it is sealed, so it can’t be checked.
Battery
The starter battery failed the load test at the Ram dealership. I ordered an AGM type from Walmart and installed it.
Diesel Heater
We’ll be sleeping in Blanche for more than a few nights, and we’ll need the diesel heater to keep us warm. It’s been more than a year since we last used it, so it was time to make sure it still worked. I fired it up one brisk morning and let it run for half an hour, and the heater did just fine. Since Blanche has a gasoline engine, we have an auxiliary 5-gallon diesel tank that I mounted underneath the chassis to fuel the heater. It is painfully slow to fill, however, mainly because the vent hose is poorly routed. I rerouted and increased the size of the vent hose, which improved the fill rate.
The Diesel Fuel Tank is Under the Chassis
Brakes
The Ram dealer informed us that our rear brakes were getting thin. I got a couple of quotes to replace them that ranged from $1200 to $1400. That’s crazy! I purchased brake pads and rotors for the rear axle for under $200, and since I had the tools and the time, I did it myself. I thought the job would take a few hours - one day tops, but it took just a bit longer. There were a few revelations learned, and the job required more than a few expletives. Next week’s blog will share the gory details.
Battery Warmer
The ‘house’ batteries that power Blanche’s lights, fridge, microwave, phone, and tablet chargers, as well as our coffeemaker, are lithium. They work well in reasonable temperatures, but don’t handle temperature extremes. The battery monitoring system disables the charging circuit at temps below 40°F, and disconnects the battery entirely below 0°F. I built a battery insulation and warming system a few years ago that has worked for our past forays into the cold country. (See video here). I disconnected it and removed the insulation for the summer, so I reinstalled it for the trip.
The House batteries inside their Heated insulation
Ice Scraper and Snow Brush
You folks that live up north probably carry these all year round, but we Las Vegans have little need for ice scrapers and snow brushes. We do have a set from previous road trips, however, and I just dug them out and stowed them aboard.
Tools
While this is going to be a long road trip, it will be unlike many of our previous trips, like crossing the Yukon and Northwest Territories to the Arctic Ocean or driving the Trans-Labrador Highway, where it was often hundreds of miles between services of any kind. On this trip, except for a few hundred miles along US-6 in Nevada and Utah, we won’t be venturing too far from the nearest tow truck, auto repair garage, or big box store, so I probably won’t bring my windshield repair kit or tire patching kit. Nonetheless, I still like to carry the tools I might need for most minor repairs, whether for the mechanical repair of Blanche, or fixing and repairing anything that might shake loose or break inside. So, in addition to my tool bag that keeps things like screwdrivers, pliers, cable ties, a hammer, wire strippers, and crimpers handy, I also have a bin that contains my larger, heavier tools like a socket set, spanners, jumper cables, tire inflator, a drill and bits and a power screwdriver, plus extra batteries and a charger. That bin gets darn heavy by the time it’s all loaded.
Interior
In addition to all the mechanical details, we needed to prep inside as well. The water tank was filled, and the grey water tank emptied. Fresh flannel sheets replaced the cooler cotton sheets, and we added a blanket under the comforter. Marcie detailed the interior, so Blanche will be nice and clean – at least to start.
Other than packing all those winter clothes we’ll need, stocking the pantry and fridge, and loading all the Christmas presents, Blanche is as ready to go as she can be. And so are we!