Forgotten Maintenance
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Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,259
Likes: 1,321
From: Pryor, OK
Forgotten Maintenance
Not everyone that owns one of these great machines has an owner's manual to go with it. In the '70s, there was more maintenance to vehicles than today's vehicles. Just this last December, I had a wheel bearing go out on me and I was afoot for a little while because, little did I know, the front wheel bearings need repacked every 12 months or 12,000 miles (19,312 km). This cost me a spindle, hub, and both bearings (close to $250). If I had done the maintenance on time, it would have cost me just a couple seals and some grease (under $20).
So this has got me wondering, what other maintenance items do I not know about? Chime in anybody and everybody that knows of other things that we would most likely forget about or just not know. Some things probably are not even in the owner's manual.
So this has got me wondering, what other maintenance items do I not know about? Chime in anybody and everybody that knows of other things that we would most likely forget about or just not know. Some things probably are not even in the owner's manual.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 49
From: Great American SouthWest
The manual also says to repack the bearings after driving through deep water.
One should also check/change the grease in the manual transmission and transfer case.
Check/change the fluid in the differential
check the water in the battery if not maintenance free
change the belts
change the spark plugs/rotor/cap
change the brake fluid
One should also check/change the grease in the manual transmission and transfer case.
Check/change the fluid in the differential
check the water in the battery if not maintenance free
change the belts
change the spark plugs/rotor/cap
change the brake fluid
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 605
Likes: 156
From: NJ
Change the winter headlight fluid out for summer headlight fluid every April and October.......LOL
Grease all suspension and steering components if fittings are equipped, a lot of new fake truck parts don't have grease fittings.
Grease all suspension and steering components if fittings are equipped, a lot of new fake truck parts don't have grease fittings.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,259
Likes: 1,321
From: Pryor, OK
When? How often?
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,436
Likes: 19
From: Regina, Saskatchewan
This is a huge one. I've seen/talked with so many people that have 10 year old vehicles with the factory brake fluid in them. I can honestly quote some people saying "I've never changed the brake fluid, and it still works just fine"... *face palm*
Brake fluid is hydroscopic - it attracts water. Rubber hoses on these old trucks aren't impermeable - water/air/moist gets through slowly over time and faster if the lines are cracked.
Tire balancing is one that most probably wouldn't think that's missing from the list. Regular balancing is important because as new air is introduced into the tire, water comes with it. If you leave a tire that's "balanced" long enough, eventually the accumulation of air + moisture from refilling the tire over time will throw it out of balance.
A lot of users on the forum have been quoted with saying "I can't get this to balance no matter what I try"... But they never tried dismounting the tire to see what's inside. Even Jay Leno has been quoted having an "unbalanced tire" that he couldn't figure out why it wouldn't balance. Turned out he had a quart of water inside the tire.
Brake fluid is hydroscopic - it attracts water. Rubber hoses on these old trucks aren't impermeable - water/air/moist gets through slowly over time and faster if the lines are cracked.
Tire balancing is one that most probably wouldn't think that's missing from the list. Regular balancing is important because as new air is introduced into the tire, water comes with it. If you leave a tire that's "balanced" long enough, eventually the accumulation of air + moisture from refilling the tire over time will throw it out of balance.
A lot of users on the forum have been quoted with saying "I can't get this to balance no matter what I try"... But they never tried dismounting the tire to see what's inside. Even Jay Leno has been quoted having an "unbalanced tire" that he couldn't figure out why it wouldn't balance. Turned out he had a quart of water inside the tire.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,217
Likes: 154
I've seen a grease zerk on my slip yoke, at the carrier bearing. I need to get under there with my grease gun...
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2017
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From: british columbia, canada
Make sure the vents on your drive axels are clear, or you will start spewing oil out the seals.
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New User
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 17
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Ive been told that every few years you should flush and change the coolant system. Brake fluid from what i remember is supoosed to be replaced every year or so. I'm not certain about intervals, so if I'm wrong please let me know.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 213
Likes: 6
From: Maysville, Ky
Multi-vehicle. After losing brakes on a 6 year old truck in Los Angeles rush hour traffic, I'm a firm believer in changing brake fluid every couple of years on all our vehicles. That's in addition changing anti freeze, trans, diffs, T-case, belts, hoses, grease/lubrication, regular oil changes, and rotate/rebalance tires at every oil change. Regular tune-ups are also important and are a lot easier on the old trucks than on the newer ones. I also flex the leaf springs and spray grease between the leafs to help them flex better. At times it seems pretty time consuming but, like the old saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" Works for me.
Mark.
Mark.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 117
From: starship enterprise
ok, auto trans adjust shift linkage, adjust band(s) and reverse light switch, kickdown linkage, manual adjust clutch, adjust drum brakes, lube park brake stuff, lube glove box latch and all hood and door latches and hinges, clean differential air vents, pcv valve, clean and lube the window regulators, on 4x4 get a grease gun with a needle and lube the double cardan joints, check the adjustment on the heater control cables, oil those, lube speedometer cable, blow and wash the radiator fins out, change the steering fluid, steering is very important to a vehicles safety.