How about an extra serpentine (fan) belt? Thay may be tough to find down there.

Joe F.(Buffalo)

 

I spent a couple weeks in Baja. Drove from San Francisco, CA to Cabo San Lucas with my 83 year old dad. Great trip. But since I intended on being mostly away from civilization, I packed well.
6 extra 7 gallon water jugs. Didn't use them.
4 extra 6 gallon fuel jugs. Didn't use them.
2 full size spares. Didn't use them.
Air compressor. Didn't use it.
Hi Lift jack, floor jack, cables, straps, etc. Didn't use them.
Basically, the availablity of diesel was fine, and the range of the truck was great, so there was never a problem. Gas would be a different story.
I carried a great first aid kit. I'm a former EMT, so I had a lot of stuff that most folks wouldn't use or carry, but it felt good.
Otherwise, I carried a couple extra fuel and oil filters, a spare serpentine belt, and some duct tape. And of course a basic wrench kit. Toss in an ice chest along with a water purifier, and you should be all set. The further you get from the border, the less traffic and crime there is. By the time I was a couple hours south of Ensenada, I really didn't worry much at all about anything. Except driving at night. Don't.
Hope this helps.
TP
And don't make the mistake of bringing only one Mariachi cd on a three week trip...

 

You might consider getting a boonie box from Geno's

http://www.genosgarage.com/prodinfo....=BOONIEBOX0306

 

Keep some cold Cokes with you for the "mordita" if that doesn't work 200 pesos ($20) will take care of almost anything. FYI Diesel in Mexico has been tested to be better that US diesel. But I always carry extra filters. Pemex (government subsidized and controlled stations) keeps it really good for the truckers. In fact the truckers that are allowed to cross always fill up over there. Sounds like you are fine with the maintenance. BTW Dodge dealers in Mexico now carry and sell 5.9l Cummins trucks so you can get any part you need at the dealer. Though, it will cost double the US price.

I do some work there and just fill up at the newer stations with the big rigs and never have had a problem. Enjoy the trip you will be fine!

 

x2 on the driving at night! DON'T! To many drunk drivers, loose animals and big rigs on small roads. It just doesn't add up to a safe drive. That and it seems that no one not even the police can keep there tail lights working...

 

Sorry, forgot to include the items I used most. A very nice Baja atlas that showed most of the roads, especially the secondary and dirt roads. Extremely handy.
It's the Baja Almanac, and very detailed.
http://www.baja-almanac.com/?q=node/3

Also a simple GPS. I didn't use it to see where I was going, but where I had been. If I pulled over to take a nice photo, I'd mark a waypoint in the GPS. That way later I could find the coordinates on the atlas and have record of the stops I made. Almost none had a street sign. ;-)
It also helped me keep the kilometers per hour displayed as I went through the speed traps.

You will be stopping occasionally for the military checkpoints. A couple cold sodas or waters will work wonders, and I tossed a couple AA batteries to the young soldiers as well. They seemed very happy to get them.
My Military Police sticker in the window didn't get a second glance, but they were puzzled how I could be in possession of a $5 surplus Army canteen. Go figure.
Have great trip, and take your time. There's lots to see.
TP