How do you guys run your PM schedules?

[cranetruck]

Thanks to all this has been a helpful post. As I do my pm, I wanted to check my dash lights, I think there are three by the gauges, anyone know what bulb to use to replace them? I take it they screw off, ish.

Two choices IMHO, the 356 gets the filament lower for better illumination of the instruments.

 

[Blackbear]

Here I go thanking folks again, really this makes it easy. I take it your a regular at the fiddlers convention in Galax.
actually I lived in Roanoke for about five years, great area.

thank you.

 

[turnkey]

I get around to doing the PMS, 3 times a years .....All fluids and filters changed once a year ..or as required...Coolant flushed 2 years..New hoses and belts also...complete Brake tear down and rebuild every year...Pre trip logs and eyeball the rig for a up coming trip...Watch some of the older Army pretrip PMS for M35 A3s and stuff...WOW great stuff from this site, and other SS members...Rig failed with a air leak...Didn't have a flashlight with me ...Wife pulled the air tank release by mistake....I can never say check and check it again enough times...Forgot and lost the entire coolant...Bad hoses..That one cost me big bucks...

 

[rustystud]

Every spring I check and air-up all the tires. I have the stock 9.00x20 NDTs, so 50 PSI in the rear, I now run 60 PSI in the front, and then max out the spare at 65 PSI. I change my oil and filters in the spring on the even numbered years. I'll probably incorporate changing the coolant filter at the same time now that I have one.

I then drain the air tanks every-day after driving it.

That's the only scheduled maintenance I've got for the truck. I do, however, do the pre-trip walk around checking brake fluid level, checking for other leaks, ensuring cargo cover is secured and I haven't left any tools sitting on the truck, and etc. I should incorporate checking the oil and coolant level as part of my pre-trip, but I get lazy as I only see a few drops here and there (I realize that doesn't mean something ELSE isn't going wrong...).

This past year I did drain and replace the gear oil in all 3 differentials, transmission, and transfer case, repack all bearings, replace all seals, new front boots, and rebuilt all wheel (brake) cylinders and adjust the brakes. At my usage I'll have to see how frequent of an endeavor that turns out to be. I think next time I'm going to get an electric pump to re-fill the differentials, transmission, and transfer case - that should make things far less awkward and difficult for me.

This is the 5th year I've owned my deuce and I've put ~1300 miles on it in total. I need to drive it more and I'm feeling a bit more confident after all that big service work has been done.

That is another great advantage of doing regular service PM's on our trucks. The confidence you get knowing how everything is suppose to be and being able to spot trouble areas before they become "Major Headaches" . When I was doing "Inspections" on the buses, after about a year I was able to spot problems well before they became major issues.