So what?

Blackmobile · Post by **Blackmobile** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:37 pm

So what to do? My 03 has turned 4 yrs. and 44K. Just put a battery in it and know I need to change the dex and put a fuel filter in it.... I've kept up on oil and lubes, rotated tires, put a new air filter in. As the hot rod lincoln says - "brakes good, tires are fair"....
What else Really needs to be done?
I mostly drive it to work in the rain/cold weather. I ride motorcycles the rest of the yr. 25 mis. interstate, one way. It's been troublefree and probably for my $, best truck I've had.
Just want to take care of its needs, but it' basic (cheap) transportation to me. I subscribe to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school. On the other hand I really don't want me to cause it to break....

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:53 pm

Change all the fluids. AT, TC, front and rear diff fluids. When you change the rear diff fluid, make sure it is not brown and soapy looking. If, it is then it could lead to big problems. Chances are your rear diff vent hose ends up right between the body and the bed of your truck allowing water to enter the rear diff. Relocate it beneath the bed somewhere. I know that the specs tell you that plugs are OK until 100K but, do you want things to go wrong while enroute to work in bad weather?

Sounds like you do not use 4WD much so, I would put the items I mentioned on top. Is your AC and heat working properly? There is an upgrade on your transfer case vacuum switch that can affect your 4wd operation and your HVAC systems. Plenty of others will have conflicting advice but, listen to it all and try to do what is best for you.

I could name a bunch of stuff but, what I suggested might save money by replacing now versus when they break.

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:49 am

If it hasn't been done yet pull and lube all caliper slide pins. I just finished doing this on my 04, at 45k one pin was just starting to stick and had some corrosion on it, had I waited for another winter driving season it never would have come out.

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:10 am

04crewvt wrote:If it hasn't been done yet pull and lube all caliper slide pins.

Good advice!

On a side note, I am currently looking into making custom made stainless steel brake caliper slide pins for the S-Series and B-Body platforms.

It will be some time though before they will available due to R&D, but they will solve the seizing and wear problems that currently plague several GM vehicles.

Steve

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:13 pm

04crewvt wrote:............... had I waited for another winter driving season it never would have come out.

Yours would of come out but, it woulda been ugly

All good advice but, I was trying to prioritize high prized stuff that is likely to fail and go from there. I was in his shoes with my my ZR2. Oil, Lube, battery and an alternator in 65K. I never did preventative stuff and I bet it fell apart shortly after I traded it.

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:23 pm

Remember I live in the corrosion belt, the caliper slide pins are probably a higher priority for me than for anyone out of the road salt zone. I would never even thought of them as a high priority item if Steve hadn't beaten us about the head that we should check them yesterday if not sooner. I was even able to get the calipers off and back on without pressing the piston back in. I actually stopped working on my truck after getting the pins lubed and everything back together without a serious hitch. With my luck the very next tweak would have jinxed everything and I would have been forced into brute force mode.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:46 pm

All four corners for all new parts on brakes is goona cost a tad less than what a stealership is gonna charge when the rear diff goes due to water contamination. I said that he should expect conflicting opinions, did I not? Bite me, big boy!

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 3:52 pm

f9k9 wrote:All four corners for all new parts on brakes is goona cost a tad less than what a stealership is gonna charge when the rear diff goes due to water contamination. I said that he should expect conflicting opinions, did I not? Bite me, big boy!

Entire rebuild of my 95 blazer rear end including axles Eaton Posi all new gears and seals ran about $1500 full brake replacement including pads rotors and replaced calipers if pins are ruined should be right up there in that ballpark.
Gears failing while driving you tend to stop, brakes failing the result is just the opposite.

T Man · Post by **T Man** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 4:19 pm

killian96ss wrote:
04crewvt wrote:If it hasn't been done yet pull and lube all caliper slide pins.
Good advice!

On a side note, I am currently looking into making custom made stainless steel brake caliper slide pins for the S-Series and B-Body platforms.

It will be some time though before they will available due to R&D, but they will solve the seizing and wear problems that currently plague several GM vehicles.

Steve

Just did a brake job today on an 01 blaz, and im pretty sure the new slide pins I ordered from slowreillys were ss

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:09 pm

T Man wrote:
killian96ss wrote:
04crewvt wrote:If it hasn't been done yet pull and lube all caliper slide pins.
Good advice!

On a side note, I am currently looking into making custom made stainless steel brake caliper slide pins for the S-Series and B-Body platforms.

It will be some time though before they will available due to R&D, but they will solve the seizing and wear problems that currently plague several GM vehicles.

Steve
Just did a brake job today on an 01 blaz, and im pretty sure the new slide pins I ordered from slowreillys were ss

Can you check for me?

I have never seen SS slide pins for the S-Series.

Steve

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:30 pm

Would any of this be considered "off topic" for a dude just trying to squeak by with the keast costs?