Service topics

[texcwa]

This may not be a topic that pertains to specific parts on the truck but I would like to see a topic on special tools and the way others cope with the removal of parts that require tools that most do not have. Here are a few of these types of parts that I found difficult to remove:

Steering wheel
Bronze bushings in front axle and hubs
Differential front oil seal
Wheel lug nuts

These are just examples and I am sure others have run into other issues.

[Gordon Maney]

Great ideas!

[Gordon Maney]

Bringing this back up for more votes and comment.

[Charles Talbert]

All of the above

Gordon, picking a single topic area would be really hard for me if I were a novice. Knowing the ins and outs of what it takes to properly perform service in all of the areas mentioned; easy to follow detailed info is a necessity for the uneducated do-it-yourself technician. Although some of the general areas you mentioned seem very straight forward, the attitude of the masses would be, "who could screw that up." Well not much we haven't seen here, and believe me the most simple things apparently are very easily screwed up by some. I've seen things done I wouldn't have thought of in a million years; many are actually proud to show you their accomplishments, some of which I would be literally ashamed to admit that I had done.

Most certainly, fine detail is needed in every area you listed. Then there still remains the huge task of persuading the reader to actually FOLLOW the instructions.

Special tooling is another big deal. We have lots, some of the genuine item, many special tools are shop made by our design once we saw exactly what was needed to perform a given task. My guys seem to prefer our shop made special tooling over many of the original tools that were once offered by Dodge. At any rate, special tooling is expensive regardless of how you obtain them. I would say this, some task can be performed with make shift tooling and isn't that big a deal. Other task become real issues if correct special tooling isn't available. Educate yourself to the point of knowing the repairs you can handle based on the proper knowledge and correct tooling at hand. It is very easy to ruin high $$ hard to replace components if you are not equipped to handle the task correctly.

[CSCameron]

All of the above! Lol!