Breakdown nightmares!

[Barnfind46]

I also took my camper to a state park about 50 miles away (Same truck) and had the u-bolt that holds the lower control arm in place let go and nearly wrecked the truck and camper. Wife was with me! She still loves the truck but that is because she thinks I can fix anything.

[outfield]

I was down at the Oregon Coast with my first 69 K20, my girl friend, now wife was with me. The clutch pedal suddenly dropped to the floor, and stayed there. My dad was a truck driver, and always talked about shifting without using the clutch, I got real good at it that day. Was able to drive to my girlfriends Grandmothers about 40 miles, make a couple calls, find a new clutch pivot ball in Tillamook Or, pick up the part, borrow tools and fix it before driving home to Portland. That was about 1983.
My current '69 K20 was acting up like it was starved of fuel, my wife and I were going to an evening street market event. Figured out the fuel line was pinched, nothing a zip tie would not fix.
Good times...

[Barnfind46]

I love that parts are cheap and the truck is simple. Replaced the engine a few months back and was out about $2200.00. Can't do that with a late model!

[Coley]

Well, with very little effort and insight and forethought you can eliminate probably 90% of the failure points in these trucks if you intend on stretching out past a 50 mile drive.
That is the great thing about them.....super simple so problem points are usually easy to see or hear....and arguably fix and replace.....unlike new vehicles.
We could probably all get together and organize a 'Top 10' list of upgrades or pre-checks to set the odds high that the trip will go well.
hmmmmm:
1) Fluids...check the fluids. ALL OF THEM...engine, coolant, transmission, differential, grease the lower end...ALL OF THEM...and while you under the truck look/check for trouble...muffler? mt clamps? broken wires or lines or?
Also, what condition is your radiator in? original?....small? leaking? ...don't know?....lol
2) Ignition...Plugs? Wires? Points? (hope not..lol), condition? new? 10 years old? ...never touched it? or?
3) Charging System: working? wires tight? frayed? checked? when was the last time anything was replaced?....1995? lol
4) Starting System: slow?.....sometimes? never a problem?
....ok, there are certainly more (fuel/carb/etc) ....but those are a quick few...but you would be surprised that well over 1/2 of the guys who have these trucks do not, in all likelihood...check or go through this stuff....lol.....at least on some occasion, ...ask me how I know, lol

All good
Coley