Hey guys, I haven't been much of a member here lately and this my first time visiting the forum for a while. I've spent much of my "toy time", the past months either customizing my golf cart or dealing with issues on my other vehicles.

Anyway, I've been even less attentive to my truck. I bought it new in 2004 and just hit 90k miles. But other than changing the plugs, oil, replacing the tires, and putting an aftermarket catback on it a while back, I've not ever paid a lot of attention to the maintenance schedules. This is the first vehicle I've ever owned for anywhere near this long and it has never let me down. I have intentions of keeping it and handing it down to my son in 2 years. But, prior to my RAM, I was always one to drive something a couple of years and trade it in on something different. So making sure long term maint. work got done is something I don't have a lot of experience with.

So, as mentioned before, I changed my plugs a while back, but other than oil changes, tire rotations, brake pads, and wheel alignments, nothing else has been done to my truck. I'm sure I should probably be ashamed to admit it and should probably be a little scared at this point. That means, the belts, hoses, transmission fluid, axle fluids, radiator fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, etc. is all what came in the truck 7 years ago.

Considering I want to keep the truck as long as possible, I think it's past time to be a little nicer to it. But I'm hoping to get some help. I'm trying to make a list of what should be done and then figure out what I can handle on my own (DIY) and what I'll need to get a shop to do. I don't plan to take it to a dealer, regardless. I don't have a local dealer anymore.

I know the shop I take it to for tires and such does inspect a checklist of things everytime I take it in for a rotation. But there are probably things that are past being inspected and should just be replaced.

Below is my short list. If I have anything listed that should be okay, even at this point, please let me know. More importantly, please feel free to add things to my list. And, if you can, give me an idea of the effort involved to do it. If something requires a special skill or type of tool to do correctly, I don't want to touch it.

- Service transmission - new fluid
- Radiator flush and refill - inspect hoses and replace if necessary
- Replace belt
- Change axle fluids front and rear

 

trans fluid and filter(s)
transfer case fluid if 4X4
diff fluids
power steering fluid
coolant flush
check and fill all grease fitting as needed: front end
id go ahead and do full bleed on brake system
other than that its really an inspection thing.

if 4X4 then check CV boots at front axles
check all u-joints (feel/hear any clunks when going to reverse? check for any play
inspect all bushing underneath. excessive cracking is a clue to be ready to swap.
check brakes.....
check everything really as you normally should.

when i do an oil change i usually roll around on a creeper with a light and check eveything i can.

creeper makes it much easier and more comfortable for me. i find that i spend more time underneath and am able to inspect more.

HTH

 

inspect belts and hoses too. ALL hoses. vac lines included.

PCV should rattle. if in doubt its only couple bucks

serpentine belt should not have cracking. if so replace.