Ranging from oil changes to brake jobs and oxygen sensors, learning DIY Ford truck maintenance can be helpful. But do you?
Aside from the cost of buying a new Ford truck or SUV, the biggest expense associated with owning a new vehicle is maintenance and repairs. Even if nothing ever “breaks,” things like oil changes, tire rotations, and brake jobs are unavoidable if you own the truck for more than a few months.
That brings us to our newest Question of the Week: Do you work on your own Ford truck or SUV?
Regularly scheduled maintenance tends to be simple enough for folks of all backgrounds. Changing the oil, replacing the air filter, etc. These tasks pretty much anyone can do with basic tools and a little instruction. Thank goodness for YouTube, right? While having your tires rotated at the dealer or mechanic shop is both easy, inexpensive, and convenient, doing oil changes at home is almost as simple and even a little cheaper.
As far as more intricate tasks go – doing your own brake job is among the easiest non-regular maintenance items one can do. At the same time, most folks are intimidated by brakes and prefer to avoid screwing up such a vital component, so they prefer to pay a professional. Of course, there are other complex systems like air conditioning, lighting, and cooling that may not be as simple for most to handle.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
