T.V. sched. maint. (double)?

[Del Gurney]

Reading through my scheduled maintenance section of owners manual.
"If towing, cut maintenance schedule in half...."

Wow, that doubles my annual maintenance cost and presumably halves the life of my truck. Ok, this regards the engine, drive train and running gear (not the body) but thats where the real money is.

How do you all do it?

Thank you

[dznf0g]

Del,
IMO it does not halve your component life. The idea is the extra maintenance PRESERVES expected component life.

That being said, I follow the "severe duty" schedule, as GM calls it. GM oil life monitors compensate for heavy loads, cold temps, city vs hwy, etc, so that's easy. But the trans, differentials, etc, I follow "severe duty".

[crisen]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Del,
IMO it does not halve your component life. The idea is the extra maintenance PRESERVES expected component life.

That being said, I follow the "severe duty" schedule, as GM calls it. GM oil life monitors compensate for heavy loads, cold temps, city vs hwy, etc, so that's easy. But the trans, differentials, etc, I follow "severe duty".

X2 on this. Although I follow the Dodge schedule. Interesting enough on at least for the Dodge/Cummins oil change monitor system I always get more miles to an oil change when I am towing than when I am doing a lot of stop and go, ie. to work etc.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by Del Gurney

Reading through my scheduled maintenance section of owners manual.
"If towing, cut maintenance schedule in half...."

Wow, that doubles my annual maintenance cost and presumably halves the life of my truck. Ok, this regards the engine, drive train and running gear (not the body) but thats where the real money is.

How do you all do it?

Thank you

Depending on your percentage of towing vs. driving the tow vehicle solo, it probably doesn't quite double your maintenance cost. If you ONLY use the tow vehicle when traveling with your Airstream it would, I suppose. I agree with the others who say it doesn't necessarily have any bearing on the service life of the vehicle, though. Heavy use with good maintenance should still result in a long-life vehicle, it's the ones who don't keep up with maintenance who cut the service life of their vehicles.

[overlander64]

Greetings Del Gurney!

I have always followed the "extreme service" maintenance recommendations whether my vehicle is utilized for towing or typical around town use. My expectations when placing a new vehicle into service is at least 20 years of service and in excess of 200,000 miles. My current 1999 GMC K 2500 Suburban was placed into service in April, 1998, and will hit 200,000 miles sometime during 2013. The truck runs superbly, and the only thing approaching major service was a new timing gear and chain set at 177,000 miles. I am facing the propect of either removing the transfer case or having it rebuilt as it is worn out at this point in time -- I don't need 4-wheel drive (have only used the feature twice in the life of the vehicle) so am giving great consideration to removing the tansfer case and related mechanicals converting it to two wheel drive. The Suburban has been serviced at 3,000 mile intervals throughout its life with transmission, transfer case, and differential service at 30,000 mile intervals. I expect that this Suburban will see me through about 400,000 miles before it is retired.

Kevin

[Bill M.]

I tow a 25' also with a Dodge 2500. My wife drives it everyday. I more or less follow the severe service schedule. Have changed the differential fluids and serviced the transmission more or less on schedule. Right now at am at 110000 and have not yet done the coolant change. But will pretty soon. The scary thing is that I could actually feel the transmission shift smoother the 2 times they adjusted it, so something is happening in there. I think the price of towing is pretty much to do more maintence. I have a hard time mentally with the ecpensive 30000 mile fluids changes for the differentials. But I do it anyway. We have taken this truck to Alaska and through the southwest and the pacific north west. Lots of dust and dirt and mud. Changed shocks on front at 55000 and u joints and ball joints and front brake pads at 70000. I think we need the probably need the extra service schedule. If you drive mostly on pavement and tow a light trailer, maybe not. I can say that when the warranty runs out it leaves one a little more nervous about what kind of maintence he has done and is doing.

[dkottum]

Interesting thoughts. I do extra service as well, but I got a feeling towing down the highway for miles on end is less stressful to the vehicle than the start/stop and short trips of a truck used in the city.

doug k

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Interesting thoughts. I do extra service as well, but I got a feeling towing down the highway for miles on end is less stressful to the vehicle than the start/stop and short trips of a truck used in the city.

doug k

Yes, I agree, unless the TV is operated above mfrs recommended loads.

[crisen]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Interesting thoughts. I do extra service as well, but I got a feeling towing down the highway for miles on end is less stressful to the vehicle than the start/stop and short trips of a truck used in the city.

doug k

From my experience in the auto industry and analysising test data it really depends on the component. One example is cooling systems can be stressed by either hi idle time or heavy loads. Things like axles and wheels bearings are more sensitive to load. So to simplify the more torque going thru a ring and pinion the tendency is to higher lube temps, same for wheel bearings, the higher the radial load and the higher the speed the higher operating temp. Higher temps in lubes breakdown both the base stock and the additive package. As these breakdown the wear on the component then increases. To avoid the component wear you need to replace the lube. This is why it is important to change lubes in driveline components more frequent under high load use.