just grab a flash light check everything for leaks and looseness, check all your fluids before you leave. and its worth the 5 mins to check them when you fill up on stops too, its never a bad idea to pack fluid with you either. a jug of coolant, qt of oil ect for top offs. all good suggestions above.

x2 on the metal radiator. I replaced the original with one that had plastic tanks too. laster 9 months before it started leaking at the seams... had to use some pliers to re-crimp it every 100 miles until i made it home, thought it was going to drop a tank on me lol.. now i have a solid metal 3 row, only cost me 160$

 

I'm leaving From Baltimore the Tuesday before for bonnaroo

 

what years did jeep radiators have problems cause i have a 94 but the temp is never above 160 degrees and it has not overheated nor leaking but i have 197,600 miles, I can definetly carry water but Im not carrying a radiator. BTW Im driving to Fl from NC

 

I think you should be fine with the stock radiator as long as it isn't leaking or anything. Also, try adding some water wetter to the coolant. It should make your XJ run 20 degrees colder. I'd also do an oil change, trans flush, and diff fluid flush just to be safe

 

i would carry spare fosses, loads of water and maybe a spare pulley belt.
deffo replace the rad with a good quality one and then just go for it, maybe take your old rad as a spare???


on a diffrent note, is there a thread on here where by if someone gets stuck in a area, there are other 'jeepers' local who could maybe get them out the mire?

 

I replaced my Radiator and Water pump at the same time when I did my cooling system revamp. Was doing the "230 Creep" as I like to call it, when idling it would slowly creep to that temp, but while driving was fine. So I knocked out my rad, did the water pump for an extra 30 bucks, and even on 85 degree days here in Michigan she never goes above 200 just street driving.

 

Fosses? fuses and hoses? Carry spare fuses, belt and fluids. Also spare hoses would be nice if you can. Old rad may be a bit much for a long haul unless you are planning some serious off-roading.

I love the local help thread idea! Cheers to you!

 

opps it was a typo lol 'hoses'

but i always carry loads of spare fuses after i pushed a car for 2 miles home only to find it was a 10 pence fuse that had gone lol

yea a 'locals' thread would be usefull, not so much for me as im in england lol, but for you chaps and the huge milages and distance it could be a life saver

 

When I drove to Florida I did a once over... Replaced the front brake pads and rotors, topped off the fluids and checked the lights.

Things I took where

Spare belt
Spare spark plug wire
Safety wire
Small spool of 20AWG wire
Full set of tools
Electrical and duct tape
Tube of RTV
All fluids (power steering, brake, coolant, WWF, tranny, engine oil, gear oil)
WD-40

Turns out during the 1,500 mile round trip I needed to replace a brake light and add top off the coolant once. YMMV

Remember that you aren't going to be going into oblivion... there is almost always an auto parts store and the things above can limp you there. Generally the chances of something breaking go down as the preventative maintenance goes up.

Hope that helps

 

see I did full brakes, rotors, wheel hubs, drum shoes , new tires, diff fluid, trans gear oil, transfer case fluid, with a full tune up in a month so im hoping it will gor fine I have faith but right now my confidence in the jeep isnt to high just because of 197,566.6 reasons.

 

X2......get a CSF 3 row online shipped to ya for about $170. Plastic tanked radiators will leave ya stranded at the worst possible time.

Every other weekend I drive my 99 with 215K on a 720 mile round trip.

I carry with me a stocked tool box. I keep a old belt from the last time i changed it rolled up and stuck under the hood. (on all my vehicles) Its not something id want to run forever but its enough to get me to somewhere if one breaks in the middle of no where.
Since i have quite a few different cherokees I drive I keep two of the plastic file folder totes (wally world for $5) that are a little larger than plastic milk crates. They are stackable and dont take up too much space and I can move them easily from cherokee to cherokee.
In one I keep 2 gallons of coolant, 1 gal of oil, 1 gal of atf, 1 qt PS fluid, and 1 qt of brake fluid.
In the other tote I keep a cheapo water pump tube of silicone and gasket (under $30) and a new thermostat and gasket.
I also keep a JY alternator ($20), a A/c delete pulley($15) spare hose clamps and a cpl of pieces of exhaust tubing the same ID as the radiator hoses.... If i develop a split in one of my hoses I can cut it into and put in the pipe to fix the leak.. (and as with the belt it isnt something Id want to use forever but i can change a water pump or alternator in 30 minutes and it will get me home).
For about $100 just those items have saved me way more than once.

 

Geez, do you guys really own a Jeep?

Pack 4 days worth of clothes, leave half of them at home.
Fill the damn thing up with motion lotion and drive it.
If it breaks down, you get to travel the road not taken....ENJOY!


Ron

 

Thanks for all the good advice.

 

Would it be easier/cheaper to replace it at your convenience before the trip or on the side of the road somewhere?