[allan5oh]

Valve sets should be done once a year. Cheap maintenance. You can run into substantial problems if it's not done regularly. You mileage slowly goes downhill as well.

Ill add a few other things to look out for:

When you're under the truck, bang every brake chamber at the spring end. If it rattles, the spring is broken, and the chamber must be replaced. Change it with "life seal" chambers only! Cost about twice as much, but they're SEALED and the spring wont rust and break. Come with a huge warranty as well.

Change your power steering fluid/filter regularly and put a GOOD synthetic ATF in there. This is very cheap maintenance.

If you have a hydraulic clutch (probably) change the fluid every 1-2 years and put a good high quality brake fluid in there. How does the clutch pedal feel right now?

Change driveline fluids with synthetics only, there's no reason to cheap out on this.

Keep an eye on driveline leaks, any type of leak can be a huge problem. Stay on top of this. Stay on top of wheel seal leaks too.

Check your front hubs regularly. I'm going to assume that they're oil-filled with a plug on the end. Stick your CLEAN finger in there, and jam it down to the bottom, try to find any metal shavings. Pull your finger out and inspect, the oil should be fairly clean. If it's not, you may have problems.

Grease grease grease, now here is where we run into a potential problem. Has anyone ever told you that there are many types of grease that are incompatible with each other? I am the only one that greases my truck for this very reason.

I misled you, it's not a c-clip, its a snap ring. You need a special tool to take them off.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...=1179349568824

Like that, although I do not advise getting that exact one. Get a good one, you'll thank me later.

After the snap-ring comes off, the slack adjuster should slide right off provided it's disconnected from the clevis.

[Cam]

This is awesome. Are you a trained mechanic? I'll use this as a list this weekend. Never heard anything like this.

Originally Posted by allan5oh

Valve sets should be done once a year. Cheap maintenance. You can run into substantial problems if it's not done regularly. You mileage slowly goes downhill as well. I guess a dealership would be best for this and the jakes?
Ill add a few other things to look out for:

When you're under the truck, bang every brake chamber at the spring end. If it rattles, the spring is broken, and the chamber must be replaced. Change it with "life seal" chambers only! Cost about twice as much, but they're SEALED and the spring wont rust and break. Come with a huge warranty as well.

Change your power steering fluid/filter regularly and put a GOOD synthetic ATF in there. This is very cheap maintenance.

If you have a hydraulic clutch (probably) change the fluid every 1-2 years and put a good high quality brake fluid in there. How does the clutch pedal feel right now? Dunno. Feels good, but I have autoshift, too.

Change driveline fluids with synthetics only, there's no reason to cheap out on this. Had synthetic 3 box done last year.

Keep an eye on driveline leaks, any type of leak can be a huge problem. Stay on top of this. Stay on top of wheel seal leaks too. Alright, just going to get dirty this weekend!

Check your front hubs regularly. I'm going to assume that they're oil-filled with a plug on the end. Stick your CLEAN finger in there, and jam it down to the bottom, try to find any metal shavings. Pull your finger out and inspect, the oil should be fairly clean. If it's not, you may have problems. Nah, I've got these sealed front hubs. All I've ever heard is just drive them until...what? They start squealing?

Grease grease grease, now here is where we run into a potential problem. Has anyone ever told you that there are many types of grease that are incompatible with each other? I am the only one that greases my truck for this very reason. Never heard about grease incompatibility. Maybe I just need to learn where all the zerks are, start carrying a grease gun and switch to the 'basic' oil change.

I misled you, it's not a c-clip, its a snap ring. You need a special tool to take them off.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...=1179349568824 link came up for Canadian Tire store asking for a Canadian zip code?
Like that, although I do not advise getting that exact one. Get a good one, you'll thank me later. Good one? You mean I could do this again in my lifetime? :lol:

After the snap-ring comes off, the slack adjuster should slide right off provided it's disconnected from the clevis.

Very good, thank you!

[Kranky]

After the snap-ring comes off, the slack adjuster should slide right off provided it's disconnected from the clevis.

The key word here is "should".

In my years of working on trucks I have dealt with slack adjusters that were so rusted on to the brake camshaft that I had to use a torch to cut them off.

However if the slack adjuster and camshaft bushings are kept properly greased, enough grease finds its way to the spline to prevent this from happening.

One other comment I would like to make:

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER blow out an air filter element!!!!!!

The dust cloud created by doing this will cause dust to settle on the "clean" side of the filter, where it will be immediately sucked into your engine after the filter is re installed.

Also, the high pressure blast of air can damage the paper filter media, allowing dirt to pass through and go straight to your engine.

I have been told that new air filter elements actually let more dirt through, until they become partially plugged.

Supposedly, a seasoned air filter element is most efficient at removing dust and dirt from your engines intake air supply.

Truck manufacturers usually say you should not disturb an air filter element until it is time for replacement.

As far as lubrication, my motto has always been "Grease Is Cheaper Than Parts, And It's A Lot Easier To Install.

While you're under there greasing, always look at things.

Stop trouble before it stops you.

[GMAN]

Cam, you can have the overhead or most any other engine work done at most certified truck dealerships or engine dealers. You can take a Cummins engine to a Cummins dealer, Detroit to a Detroit dealer. There are also some parts which are interchangeable, but may have different part numbers. I found a drag link for my Peterbilt at Freightliner. You just had to match the parts since the numbers were different. :?

[allan5oh]

http://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-2078900-...9366623&sr=1-3

there you go.

[allan5oh]

Another thing, slack adjusters are supposed to be on the s-cam shaft TIGHT!

That means you'll have to fight with the snap ring.

Loose slack adjusters will cause deflection. This will wear out your bushings.

[Cam]

Originally Posted by GMAN

Cam, you can have the overhead or most any other engine work done at most certified truck dealerships or engine dealers. You can take a Cummins engine to a Cummins dealer, Detroit to a Detroit dealer. There are also some parts which are interchangeable, but may have different part numbers. I found a drag link for my Peterbilt at Freightliner. You just had to match the parts since the numbers were different. :?

Is setting the valves and checking the jakes a finesse kind of thing better done at Cummins? I'm just really wary right now what I take where to be done. Obviously, you don't want to go to dealership for an oil change. Same time, you don't want TA working on your ECU (computer, whatever it's called) :wink: . One thing I try to pay attention to is going to the place that actually has the parts! If they don't, they've got to send out for them and mark them up and charge for picking them up and stick it in the bill without showing you why the price was so high- thus, my $700 fan clutch.

I had my starter motor replaced at this outdoor shanty shop in Houston. Guy cleaned my battery terminals immaculately. This really happened, the bill was so low I gave the guy more than he was asking for. Just good, decent people there. Spent $500 in labor at Freightliner getting my rear 4 brakes and hubs replaced as well as two slack adjusters. They wanted an hour and a half of labor to install a few zerks. Mechanic confided it would have take 20 minutes. I nixed the zerks.

So then, I came across this guy with a shop on the SC/GA border to do the front brakes and hubs. Labor charge........$80! So, the moral of the story is I'm really trying to figure out who to get to do what. Set the valves, fix the jakes- Cummins? Freightliners?

[Cam]

Originally Posted by Splitshifter

The key word here is "should".

In my years of working on trucks I have dealt with slack adjusters that were so rusted on to the brake camshaft that I had to use a torch to cut them off.

However if the slack adjuster and camshaft bushings are kept properly greased, enough grease finds its way to the spline to prevent this from happening.

One other comment I would like to make:

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER blow out an air filter element!!!!!!

The dust cloud created by doing this will cause dust to settle on the "clean" side of the filter, where it will be immediately sucked into your engine after the filter is re installed.

Also, the high pressure blast of air can damage the paper filter media, allowing dirt to pass through and go straight to your engine.

I have been told that new air filter elements actually let more dirt through, until they become partially plugged.

Supposedly, a seasoned air filter element is most efficient at removing dust and dirt from your engines intake air supply.

Truck manufacturers usually say you should not disturb an air filter element until it is time for replacement.

As far as lubrication, my motto has always been "Grease Is Cheaper Than Parts, And It's A Lot Easier To Install.

While you're under there greasing, always look at things.

Stop trouble before it stops you.

Thanks Splitshifter, appreciate all the knowledge I can get. What you're saying about the air filter having a peak efficiency when it's slightly used is consistent with what, I think No_worries said. So then, it's also good not to replace the air filter too soon for more than just cost reasons.

This guy who told me about blowing out the filter, I can just imagine what he was thinking. It seems logical, right? So, he's doing this and he doesn't realize the problem he could be creating, all the while thinking he's doing something good. If you hadn't spoken up, it wouldn't have been tomorrow but probably the next day I'd have been in the barn with the air compressor getting my truck fixed up. :?

[allan5oh]

I don't really know about the "air filters become more efficient" theory.

When I bought my truck, the air filter was obviously well used. Pulled it off, and the intake tract was dusted a bit.

Now I change it once a year, and the intake tract is immaculate every time.

[Cam]

Originally Posted by allan5oh

I don't really know about the "air filters become more efficient" theory.

When I bought my truck, the air filter was obviously well used. Pulled it off, and the intake tract was dusted a bit.

Now I change it once a year, and the intake tract is immaculate every time.

That means it's filtering well, but I don't hear any of you guys talking about fuel economy. How about your own experience, ever changed your air filter and seen your mpg jump?

Also, I'll ask you what I asked Gman. Do you like Cummins or Freightshaker for the valves and jakes, or some other option?