Now at 1700 miles on my ride and changed fluids in the diffs, tcase, and trans, to Redline. Took 4 quarts for the rear diff, 3 for the front diff, 4 for the trans, and 3 for the tcase. Real easy to do and those rubber gaskets for the front and rear diffs are trick! The original fluids were pretty dirty from breakin, everthing looked real good inside the diffs when everything was cleaned out.<br><br>Then I went to change the oil and found several of my trusty filter wrenches (clamp kind and cup kind) that would work. Removed the air box to get at the filter and see what I was doing. All looked well and found that I could easily get at the filter with the tools I had, so I dumped the oil. As it was draining, went to remove the filter and guess what. Broke my clamp type wrench and spun the cup wrench on the filter. This Fxxxing thing is on so tight there seems to be no hope. Ran to Wally World for replacement filter wrenches and broke them too. So now what????? My truck is now sitting in the shop with no oil in it till I can get the filter off, I refuse to waste a case of oil just to move it out of the shop tonight. <br><br>Anyone out there have this problem and how did you get that filter off???? Also how much stuff did you take off to get to the filter? I just took the airbox off, however I may end up having to take the intercooler hose off to get at it with something more significant than the standard filter wrenches.<br><br>Any ideas and help would be appreciated.<br><br>CTDCAL.

 

Interesting to see that some things never change. Welcome to the &quot;first time filter club&quot; Everybody undergoes this trial. I have no idea why Cummins insists on cranking down so hard, but it's been that way for a long time. What I'd recommend to you is to get a cheapo strap wrench. Bring the strap up to the top of the can where it's said to be the strongest. Attach you ratchet to it, then add a little umph by using a breaker bar. I also reached way down into my bag of cuss words. ;D This method has never beem know not to do the trick. I have an '02, so I just take off the turbo hose, and go to town. Good luck to you.

 

Commatoze,<br><br>Thanks for the heads up on this, I am on my way to town now to pick up a strap wrench that works with a 1/2&quot; ratchet from a friend who used to work as a dodge tech, he said will do the trick. The strap wrench I was using had a handle on it and I promptly bent the handle and then broke it completely off. Those cup types wrenches that go over the end the filter don't work as I applied as much tork as I could with a breaker bar and just spun the nubs off the end of the filter. I think I can get at without removing the intercooler hose, I will let ya know in a few hours.<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>CTDCAL<br>

 

Yes, I hope you realize I meant the kind of strap wrench that uses a 1/2&quot; drive. I wish Fleetguard &quot;scalloped&quot; the bottom of the cans because a cup wrench would do the trick. The other kind of wrench I like has 2 radiused jaws that clamp around the can in a cam fashion. The harder you twist, the more they clamp. I have a small one that won't fit over the monster Fleetguard filter. Hope you broke it loose by now!<br><br>-Tom-

 

The Snap-On nylon belt strap wrench with 1/2&quot; drive and a breaker bar from the top did the trick but it was not easy and the gasket was dry as a bone!<br><br>Got it all done with only removing the air box, dropped the old filter into a zip lock bag as soon as it was unscrewed and sealed it up then pulled it out the bottom. Filled the new filter and put it up in there from the bottom without much trouble. I managed to do all this without spilling anything!!!!<br><br>Thanks for the info and support!<br><br>CTDCAL

 

You did it? Great! Yeah, if you loosen the filter, then pull a zip lock bag around it, things are much cleaner. Another trick is to to let it drain overnight, and the turbo line will drain back leaving nothering to come out when you unscrew the filter. You might want to look into a EZ Drain valve (Geno's Garage) if you plan to do your own changes. It makes draining the pan really clean and simple.<br><br>-Tom-