would you trust your gwag on a road trip?

[BillyWagoneer]

247000 miles on it but shes got a fresh crate motor and im not sure when but the trans and trandfer case have been gone threw at some point. They work perfectly. Still 800 miles round trip makes me nervous.

[FSJunkie]

I'm driving mine 2000 miles round trip through the Mojave desert in June and July. Temps are expected to hit the low-110's.

It is possible for an FSJ to be a reliable vehicle. Unfortunately it is often hard to tell if one is reliable without completely tearing it down for inspection.

This is one of those things that has to be your own call, unfortunately. If it runs well, then you're probably good. Take spare parts for peace of mind at the least.

[BillyWagoneer]

im very confident in the drive train. and the brakes are all new. also the suspension is new. so i guess i really dont ahve much to worry about. maybe i should bring a new ignition module just in case

[Tin Medic]

I went from Colorado Springs to Knoxville then Chattanooga and back with no problems, except 13 MPG.

[CJ the noisemaker]

I'd trust a FSJ in a trip. I made the voyage from Gardnerville to here in Tempe during the middle of summer. No problems besides the oil leak and driving 55 all the way down here (18 hour trip). I'm on par with these guys on having extra parts, stuff like belts, hoses and water alone will do the trick.

[Blake]

I've driven my J10 all over the country and 'wheeled it very hard without issue.

Do I trust it? Not really, which is why I carry an enormous amount of spare parts.

[Billygoat]

I figure with an FSJ, if they do break down I probably can diagnose and fix on the side of the road, try to do that with a new truck...

Would I take go with out spare parts and tools - no
Would I take if I was suspicious of a problem - Depends on the problem.
Would I take one - YES!

[austinaubinoe]

the thing that scared me the most about old vehicles is old electrical. But these things need very little to get down the road! I daily drove mine for over a year when I bought it no issues except the ignition box. There are not alot of things that would just suddenly fail on these boats with proper maintenance. just carry fuel pump and ignition module, make sure all the rubber under the hood is fresh.

[Tad]

...Do I trust it? Not really, which is why I carry an enormous amount of spare parts.

Agreed.
That being said the last engine in this went to about 300K.

[BillyWagoneer]

yeah i think shell be fine, im going from reno to los angeles and back. guess the only thing ill have to worry about is adjusting the carb for the altitude.

[CJ the noisemaker]

yeah i think shell be fine, im going from reno to los angeles and back. guess the only thing ill have to worry about is adjusting the carb for the altitude.

Not even that. The 395 down to the I15 has no major altitude changes, so carb adjustment isn't required.

[BillyWagoneer]

reno is 5000 ft higher than los angeles. how would i not have to adjust the carb down there. unless i wanted to run super lean

[CutterN55]

I look at it this way, 800 miles is what i would normally cover in a month, no problem, when DD'ing. Is it reliable for that...?

I think highway driving is much easier on a truck if you keep the RPMs down than dd'ing it around with stop and go traffic. A truck that is started often and driven all the time seems to work a lot better for me than a "once in a while truck."

Now, I would carry an ignition mod, fuel pump, spare coil, and some cheap auto splices and a roll of wire along with my normal "oh-crap kit" consisting of various fluids and a tool-bag full of the harbor freight cheap-o tools in the truck 24/7. Also, a couple gallons of gas because, well you never now with these old guages.

Full size spare as well. A hooptie tire will get you out of the woods, but I wouldn't put one on and go down the road...

I wouldn't bother with a carb adjust unless you were staying there for a period of time. I didn't notice any adverse effects when I was wheeling at 6-8K' in Red River NM, but I went from sea-level San Diego to higher altitude NM.

I guess if you feel the truck needs it, then give it more fuel...

[BillyWagoneer]

yeah i drive it every day with no problems other than the normal stuff, tightening hose clamps and dumb stuff like that. othre than that she runs great

[serehill]

well

Yup & have done it drove it to Las Vegas & other areas.