Time for Some Truck Maintenance

[TOXIC]

My 2016 Silverado High Country just turned over 77,000 miles and I was getting some rotor vibration from my brakes.  My last trip to Florida it really started showing up and when I got home it was apparent even not towing.  The majority of the miles on my truck have been with a boat or trailer of some sort in tow.  My general rule is that when OEM equipment fails or needs replaced, I take the replacement up a grade from original.  In my research I found a lot of good reviews on Power Stop Z36 Heavy Duty pads and slotted rotors designed for towing. Got a notification from Auto Anything that they were on sale from $600+ to $480 so I jumped in.  I did not replace the calipers as that would have jumped the price up to $900+.  When disassembling, we did find some heat marks on the rotors and one set of brake pads was worn a little unevenly.  Funniest thing was we found where someone in the factory assembly line took their paint pen and put a smiley face on the back of the rotor.  I also replaced both the engine air filter and the cabin air filter since they were original.  The cabin air filter was terrible and I’m a little ashamed I let it go.  Funny aside to the filters, I ordered both off Amazon before I left for Florida knowing we had a 14 mile drive on a very dusty dirt road everyday going to the ramp.  The engine air filter was $26 and the cabin air filter was $14.  Both were supposedly OEM ACDelco parts.  When I got home, only the cabin air filter was here and so I jumped on Amazon and sure enough it showed my engine air filter “lost in transit” so I cancelled the order and opted to stop by the dealership and pick one up.  To my surprise, the filter was $62!!  I have a very good relationship with the dealer and they have been very competitively priced on other items so this really took me by surprise.  And finally, of course you go digging around you are bound to find other things and now I need to order up new shocks.  Fronts are good but pretty Rusty but the rears are weeping a little.?

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, TOXIC said:

 

I thought this was a sidewalk grate when I first looked at it. I expected to see pipes and a subway car go by as I was looking. Wow. 

[Jig Man]

It is good that you have the skills to take care of that stuff.  I don’t.  I depend on a friend who works at the local dealership. When he says something needs replaced I say ok.

[Woody B]

I change mine and Mrs B's cabin air filters twice a year.   Let us know what you think about the powerstop stuff.   My brakes are still good.  I've had to machine my (factory) rotors a couple times though.  

[Bird]

I've never replaced a caliper until they fail.

Temp gun reveals which one.

 

If your like me and keep a vehicle until it expires.

Now you have to consider a radiator flush, spark plugs and changing the fluids in the transmission and both differentials.

 

It's easier than you think, seriously.

 

[slonezp]

Only vehicle that has warped rotors is a GM vehicle

[flyfisher]

4 minutes ago, Bird said:

I've never replaced a caliper until they fail.

Temp gun reveals which one.

 

If your like me and keep a vehicle until it expires.

Now you have to consider a radiator flush, spark plugs and changing the fluids in the transmission and both differentials.

 

It's easier than you think, seriously.

 

I agree that there is a lot of basic maintenance on vehicles that is not hard at all if you are willing to take the time to do it.  I mean fluids are easy, drain and replace.  Getting to the drain can be a pain but they are never that bad really.  

I replace spark plugs every 60k miles or so, 4 cyl motor for me so it is cheap and easy to do.

 

[DaubsNU1]

Excellent work @TOXIC!

 

I do all maintenance on truck, wife and kids cars, RV, ATV's, boat, John Deere, etc. Kind of fun, but also peace of mind. I know stuff is done right, and with quality parts. 

 

I've begun to get oil analyzed at Blackstone Labs. Check them out...for $35 you get a peek in to engine wear and status.  

 

My Dad taught me how to change brakes, clutch, pull engines (we replaced a few), rebuild carbs, etc. In addition to being a motor-head, he was a carpenter for 40+ years and showed my brother and me LOADS of things. 

[Darth-Baiter]

love it.

 

i do most of my stuff.  it is a Tacoma so pretty easy.  i usually go with OEM parts.  i have warped my rotors before, but so far so good on the last go around.  around here, it is long twisty downhill runs that roast my brakes.

what FREAKS me out are the spark plugs.  i just dont love pulling plugs from Aluminum heads.  it feels like it is pulling out the threads all the time.  yikes.

[Dirtyeggroll]

Can you do mine next?

[TnRiver46]

5 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Can you do mine next?

^I’m after him. 

[Woody B]

Just for the record I HATE working on my own vehicles but I keep up with my maintenance.  I've been an automotive technician for 40+ years.   Working on others peoples vehicles all day just makes me want to leave mine alone.  

I currently work at the countries "largest used car retailer" repairing problems people have after the sale.  I worked at a GM dealership for decades.  I'm an ASE Master Tech and former GM World Class Tech.  

 

Toxic, when you change your spark plugs change your wires too.  It's next to impossible to get them off without damaging them.  If you managed to get them off without any external damage many times there's internal damage.   Also, some of the aftermarket wires are a little bit longer than the factory wires.  Make sure the wire on #7 cylinder can't get caught on the steering shaft bolt and get pulled off.  (next to back cylinder on driver side)

[TOXIC]

I am pretty good on maintenance.  My rotor warp is a common Chevy thing but you can also warp rotors by over torquing your lugs.  We used a torque wrench which I’m pretty sure none of the shops do.  In the last 3 months I’ve had both the front and rear differentials and transfer case fluid changed.  I put new tires on at around 65k.  I will do plugs and wires at 100k.  I did a transmission flush at 55k.  I also changed out the brake fluid to a full synthetic.  I’m debating a radiator flush and getting rid of the dexcool but that decision can wait until 100k.  

17 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I thought this was a sidewalk grate when I first looked at it. I expected to see pipes and a subway car go by as I was looking. Wow. 

Yeah, I honestly underestimated the need to change that out.  Looks like a mouse attempted to set up house but although my truck is parked for some longer periods, it gets run regularly so I foiled his plans.  With all that being said, my days of turning a wrench are limited.  I used to tackle most anything.  I have a jeep wrangler with 475k on it that I have done all of the maintenance.  I have a buddy who loves to work on vehicles and I am normally a tool grunt but he has a bum shoulder right now so I had him stand over me while I did the work.  I traded my last truck a 2004 2500 6.0 Silverado with 175k on it for this 2016 brand new and the sales manager said that my truck would not make it to the lot, one of the dealership mechanics already bought it.  ? 

[casts_by_fly]

55 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

I am pretty good on maintenance.  My rotor warp is a common Chevy thing but you can also warp rotors by over torquing your lugs.  We used a torque wrench which I’m pretty sure none of the shops do.  In the last 3 months I’ve had both the front and rear differentials and transfer case fluid changed.  I put new tires on at around 65k.  I will do plugs and wires at 100k.  I did a transmission flush at 55k.  I also changed out the brake fluid to a full synthetic.  I’m debating a radiator flush and getting rid of the dexcool but that decision can wait until 100k.  

Yeah, I honestly underestimated the need to change that out.  Looks like a mouse attempted to set up house but although my truck is parked for some longer periods, it gets run regularly so I foiled his plans.  With all that being said, my days of turning a wrench are limited.  I used to tackle most anything.  I have a jeep wrangler with 475k on it that I have done all of the maintenance.  I have a buddy who loves to work on vehicles and I am normally a tool grunt but he has a bum shoulder right now so I had him stand over me while I did the work.  I traded my last truck a 2004 2500 6.0 Silverado with 175k on it for this 2016 brand new and the sales manager said that my truck would not make it to the lot, one of the dealership mechanics already bought it.  ? 

 

 

I dont' do much myself on my truck now.  I used to do everything.  In the UK I had a jeep cherokee (Liberty here) that was my beater hunting and fishing truck.  I did most everything on that (fluids, brakes, etc).  I even cleaned the throttle body on it when it started sputtering (huge improvement in how smooth it made it).  On my current truck (2018 Ram) I did the oil the first time after I bought it.  I'll change the air/cabin filters.  Otherwise, I have a great local shop that knows what to do better than me.  I have always taken the 'cheap and cheerful' route in the past just to keep things limping along.  For this truck, I intend to keep it a while so I want things done right which means letting a professional do it.

[TOXIC]

22 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

 

I dont' do much myself on my truck now.  I used to do everything.  In the UK I had a jeep cherokee (Liberty here) that was my beater hunting and fishing truck.  I did most everything on that (fluids, brakes, etc).  I even cleaned the throttle body on it when it started sputtering (huge improvement in how smooth it made it).  On my current truck (2018 Ram) I did the oil the first time after I bought it.  I'll change the air/cabin filters.  Otherwise, I have a great local shop that knows what to do better than me.  I have always taken the 'cheap and cheerful' route in the past just to keep things limping along.  For this truck, I intend to keep it a while so I want things done right which means letting a professional do it.

I am a lot like you and a benefit to my dealer doing most of the work is that they have all the records so when I trade it in they give me a better price.  Up until the engine air filter deal, they were very competitive on price.  Now I’m doubting them and will double check before I just assume they are fairly priced.  

[InfantryMP]

You may be able to shim the caliper to get the uneven pad wear taken care of. I know when I did disc brake conversions on my Chevelle, and my C10, you have the ability to do that. I would imagine it is similar. 

[TOXIC]

3 hours ago, InfantryMP said:

You may be able to shim the caliper to get the uneven pad wear taken care of. I know when I did disc brake conversions on my Chevelle, and my C10, you have the ability to do that. I would imagine it is similar. 

My pads actually looked really good Besides that little bit of uneven wear.  I felt a little guilty changing them out.  My 2 friends are a guy who builds and races no prep street cars and a retired marine who was a hilo crew chief.  They keep me straight as an arrow on maintenance. ?

[TOXIC]

And wouldn’t you know it, today I read an article in my feed about how amazon is now carrying OEM parts matched to whatever vehicle you put in “Your Garage” on their site.  ?

[Darth-Baiter]

I buy my oil filters from my Dealership.  I get them three at a time.

 

they are next to one of the big bridge Contractors I work with.  I had a meeting so I just ducked in and bought my TWO filters.  not sure why I didnt buy my usual three.  I also got 2 crush washers for the oil drain plug.  total was $18+++.  I was meeting with my contractor and thought...how can 2 $5.99 filters come up to almost $19.  I looked at the reciept and each crush washer was $2.99.  I LOL'd.  hahahahaha...

 

whatever.  I still won't buy potential fakes, and I will still continue to use a new washer each change out.  I remember I used to get them for free.  

[GravelPitSpoiled]

On 2/20/2023 at 6:54 PM, flyfisher said:

I agree that there is a lot of basic maintenance on vehicles that is not hard at all if you are willing to take the time to do it.  I mean fluids are easy, drain and replace.  Getting to the drain can be a pain but they are never that bad really.  

I replace spark plugs every 60k miles or so, 4 cyl motor for me so it is cheap and easy to do.

 

Hey, sorry for off-topic post here but I guess I can't send messages for some reason... Anyway, would you PM me? I've got a question to ask ya. Thanks!