Grey09

I, along with my wife and dog will be driving from Alaska to South Carolina in our 2009 STX 4x4 regular cab. The three of us together with items in the bed of the truck and hitch rack (and truck cap) come out to be right around 1290 lbs of payload, around 200 lbs shy of what the sticker says the maximum is. We've never hauled so much so far before so I was wondering if there was any reason to be concerned about putting too much stress on the vehicle driving 5000 miles being so close to the limit.

TooManyVehicles

No. However, watch your transmission temperature. Watch your speed. Allow for a longer braking distance. Check your tire pressure.

Take breaks. Enjoy the trip.

Mlarv

Needless to say but hey I am going to say it anyway. Change plugs, wires, fuel filter, air filter, wiper blades, and pack toilet paper(-; Ya never know.

Enjoy the trip.

FerdinandF150

Where are you coming to in SC?

Grey09

Thanks for the input folks. Miihere, we are looking to find a house near Columbia.

FerdinandF150

Columbia is a nice area. Will be quite different than Alaska. I can't stand the humid heat any longer.

smokeywren

No trailer? If not, then no problem if you use your head.


Change the motor oil and filter before you leave the great white north. If you have not had the ATF changed in the automagic tranny the last 20,000-or-so miles, then do that before you head out. Pump the rear tires up to the max on the sidewall when the tires are cold. Front tires can be around 10 PSI less than the max on the rear tires.


Be certain the spare tire is in excellent shape and pumped up to the same as the rear tires. Be sure you have a good jack and lug wrench, and I would also haul a piece of 3/8th or thicker inch plywood about two feet square to use as a jack base in case you must change a tire in a muddy ditch.


As soon as you get on the road, stop at a truck stop that has a CAT scale. Fill up with gas then weigh the wet and loaded truck, with you and everybody and Puppydog and everything in the truck. Compare the weight on the truck axles with the GVWR of the truck. If your rig exceeds the GVWR of the tuck, then be aware of how much overloaded you are and drive accordingly. I wouldn't worry much if you're overloaded only a hundred or two over the GVWR, but more than that and you need to get rid of some of the weight in the truck.


If oncoming traffic constantly blinks their headlights at you at night, then consider changing your schedule so you get up early and hit the road before sunup, drive between daylight and dark, and stay off the road at night.


Or if you must drive at night, then add Firestone Ride-Rite air bags to the rear suspension to raise the rear end of the truck back up to level, so your headlights don't blind oncoming traffic.


DO NOT carry any firearms with you when you cross into Canada. They don't have the second amendment up there. Last time I crossed into Canada they asked if I owned any firearms. I said sure, I own several, but I didn't bring any with me this trip. But they searched my camper and tow vehicle from bumper to bumper for about an hour looking for some sort of firearm or even a stray cartridge. They didn't find any, so we went on our way.


And unlike in the past, now you need a passport to cross into Canada and then back into the USA.

SSGT_B

Don't take bananas into Canada. Or gas cans...........

They got pissed when I made the trip from AK to TX. But that was also back in 97. Stuff has probably changed since then. One thing I would say is get a few hundred bucks converted into canadian. Although they usually accept US currency, you will get out ahead using Can currency.