I haven't done my own vehicle maintenance for several years, but I'm looking to save a few bucks, learn a few things, and take extra good care of this great truck.

I haven't ever done much more than oil changes, coolant flushes, and other simple stuff like that before.

For the 15K, I'm supposed to change the fuel filter. No Problem

Also, I need to do the diff's. I've searched the forum and figured out what kind of fluid I need, how much to fill, etc. But how much will I need for each axle? Also, what kind of torque should I use on the bolts? Oh, do I need some sort of pump to get the new oil in?

The next question is really stupid. What the heck is a tie rod end, where are they, how do I lubricate them, and what do I lubricate them with?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

JEFFTEEL WROTE: "What the heck is a tie rod end, where are they, how do I lubricate them, and what do I lubricate them with?"

Have SWMBO climb behind the steering wheel and turn it while you are underneath the front of the truck. The things that are moving is what you looking for. There should be grease fittings on them. I haven't looked yet, my first oil change/ service was for free, I'll be under there next time.

 

When laying on your back and head just inside the front tire looking up, it shouldn't take too much imagination to find a tie rod end. There is a zerk fitting screwed up into the tie rod end and its pointing straight down. If its never been touched there may be a plastic cover on it still. There are 2 zerks (all I could find) - one on each tie rod end. It says in the manual what kind of grease to use; I used marine grease that was in one of my grease guns. Pretty easy. I usually give them a squirt at each oil change.

Front axle will take no more than 2.75 qts; rear axles no more than 3.75. Use a syn GL-5 rated fluid, and do not add any friction modifier. Go to your favorite pep boys and buy a little orange pump to fill the diffs up.

30 foot pounds for the cover bolts and 24 ft pounds for the fill hole plug. Be careful that you do not twist the head off them with too much gorilla force.

 

Outstanding, bulabula. Thanks for the information. I'll look in the manual again to find the tie rod grease spec, but I didn't see it the first 10 times I looked for it.

 

While your under there, its a great time to do the tranny and xfer case too. Won't add much time.

4.7 qts for the 6-speed; and 2.6 qts for the xfer case. When doing the tranny you need to have a 17mm hex to remove the fill plug.

A word of advice: whenever your draining things like this the first time - make darn sure you can remove the fill plug first. Helps to keep that $40k machine from being a $40k anchor for a while.

 

I thought the tranny fluid was "lifetime?" And the transfer case is supposed to be good for 60k miles, isn't it?

 

According to NV it is lifetime; but I don't believe everything I read either. I felt better thinking that I drained out the larger chunkies left over from the production and break-in process, especially since its not filtered. Mine shifts nicer now that I've changed the fluid too.

The reason I did it was in the same train of thought of why many folks change out the factory fill in the engine earlier than what the book calls for.

ymmv.