Oil, Tires, Gun Rack, Mount for Ma Deuce
September 23rd, 2009Suggestions Needed
Okay, truck nerds, it’s time to show off your brains.
1. Mike says to use some sort of moly oil in this truck. I was thinking Amsoil or something similar, but he has had a number of diesels, so I can’t discard his suggestion. Opinions? Also, I’m wondering if I should go with the heavier maintenance schedule, because I drive short trips.
2. Tires. The front tires are a little thin, and I don’t think they’ve ever been rotated. I’m going to have to replace them OR get a whole set. Maybe two is the way to go. If not, I’m considering General Grabber HTS tires. I realize you’re supposed to pimp out a 4×4 with weird knobbed tires, but I have no plans to drive on dirt any time soon (nor snow), and I think a good all-weather, all-terrain tire makes more sense. Consumer Reports and the Tire Rack people rave about these. The load rating is E. Okay?
3. Do I need an extra fuel filter? I assume Racor or somebody makes a filter that will fit this truck. On boats, adding inline filters avoids a great deal of grief.
4. Gun racks. Anything you would recommend, or should I just drive to Bass Pro and look around?
It’s embarrassing to admit it, but I have a brand-new Alpine tuner and CD changer I never put in the Thunderbird. I’m wondering if I can make it work in the pickup. It’s an old model, but it will play MP3s. I was going to give it away, but dang, why not use it?
Someone suggested putting coffee in the truck to kill the smell. That sounded brilliant, so I put a handful of coffee in a pillowcase I don’t like, tied a knot in it, and put it on the dash in the sun. I also Febrezed everything.
Looks like I’ll be going with GEICO. Their rate is a little lower than Progressive, and they’re not liberal freaks, and they’ll discount my bike policies.
As soon as the GEICO guy calls back, I’m off for a drive. I don’t even care about the traffic. I just want to take this monster out.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 PM
Big, heavy 4×4’s are always hard on the front tires. Rotate often. Never heard many complaints on General’s, but do stay far, far away from anything with Goodyear on the side of it.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:04 PM
FWIW, here’s my experience with my 2004 Dodge diesel. I’ve always run synthetics in my truck with no problems. I pull a show trailer all over Texas and I’ve got about 85k miles on it. I like the fact that synthetic oil doesn’t break down. I’ve also got a secondary filter that supplements the stock filter so I’ve got double filtration going on.
Even at 85k miles, I’ve still got the stock tires on the truck. And I’ve rotated them app. every 12k miles or so and there’s still a lot of tread left which should make them good for a total of 100k miles. A couple of my truck buds say that rotation makes all the difference as far as longevity goes. BTW, they’re BFGoodrich Rugged Trail T/A tires.
I’ve had a couple of incidents with bad diesel fuel before I put the FAS (fuel filter) system on. One that ended up destroying my fuel pump. Since I installed the FAS system, no problems.
Gun rack. I just bought one from Bass Pro shop for my bedroom and they also carry them for trucks. Didn’t have one to fit my .50 caliber sniper rifle, though.
I installed an iPod compatible CD/radio combo. I put all my CDs on the iPod and have never played a CD in the truck since.
TxBubba
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:15 PM
I’d go with an M31 pedestal mount for the M2. It’s a lot simpler to install and you won’t want to cut up your truck roof for a ring mount.
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Although, one big advantage of the ring mount is that with the right hardware you could switch out and mount an MK19 in place of the M2. Considering that, and the fact no one would have to actually crawl out into the bed to fire off a few rounds, there is a lot to be said for going with a ring mount. I mean, that says class where all a pedestal mount says is Mogadishu.
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These guys sell both types. http://www.bmgparts.com/mount.html
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:19 PM
I had Goodyear Wranlers Load Class E on my 454-2500 suburban, got 50K out of them
September 23rd, 2009 at 6:24 PM
FWIW: I’m using Amsoil 15W-40 oil in the engine, changing it at 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first. Most years, I only drive the truck about 7000 miles, nearly all of which have our 7400# travel trailer behind it. That’s just enough load so you know something’s back there, the truck should handle twice that, given either a 5th-wheel or gooseneck setup.
If you don’t already have a brake controller, get one, preferably a Tekonsha Prodigy. Unless there’s something better these days. You’ll want it eventually.
September 23rd, 2009 at 6:31 PM
I have been buying big diesel pickups since the early 90’s. I have never used synthetic oil, just Shell Rotella 15w-40 and change it and the filter every 5-7 k. It is a good idea to carry a spare fuel filter in case you get bad fuel but I do not think installing a second fuel filter is necessary as long as you buy fuel where they go through lots.
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:26 PM
Bubba, if your truck is wide enough to put a .50 in the back window…
September 23rd, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Another accessory that you’ll want is a top for the bed. My buddy has one that I think you’d find quite useful, it’s a folding/sliding cover that sits on top of the bed rails and adds nothing to the height. You can fold it forward, starting at the rear, making the hauling of taller stuff easy. Yet, you have a closed, rain-tight compartment for hauling stuff.
Cartman’s advice on Rotella T is good, too, that’s what I used before I got hooked on synthetics. Ran 3 VW Diesels to 200,000 miles and beyond, some of it with Rotella T. With your short-trip driving, you might want to change oil twice/year, and doing that with synthetic oil gets expensive.
September 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 PM
If the coffee idea doesn’t work, try grinding up some charcoal briquettes and put them in a dishpan on the floorboard.
DO NOT use the “quick lighting” kind with the built in fuel. Just use plain old charcoal.
September 23rd, 2009 at 10:55 PM
Can’t give advice on the oil…I’ve only run gassers. I can second the Tekonsha Prodigy for a Brake Controller. I only need to buy a Dodge specific cable and I was up an running. No problems in 5 years of towing.
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I run BFG Long Trail T/A’s (the E-Rated Ones). Great for towing and longevity (plus decent snow handling in the winter).
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I know you’re going to love this truck. I have never regretted getting a truck, and we’ll always have one in the family from now on. I think you know how that feels now 🙂
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Beautiful truck Steve; I can’t wait to see what projects the Lord blesses you with through it.
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Dude-GEICO is owned by Warren Buffett you know the idiot who gives all that money to the demon-crats.
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:56 PM
I have absolutely no advice. I just wanted to say congratulations on your new baby!
September 24th, 2009 at 12:15 AM
I know in marine diesels, Shell Rotella is the hot ticket in South Flordida. You hardly ever see synthetics used on boats. It’s a different type of service than a truck so you really can’t go by that.
September 24th, 2009 at 1:41 PM
I keep the truck gun under the back seat. Seems to me a gun rack in the back window is an invitation to a smash & grab theft, if you leave the truck parked anywhere the hoodlums gather. I mostly see umbrellas in the window racks around town…
September 24th, 2009 at 1:49 PM
I use Mobil 1 in my diesel (not a truck, but hey).
Expensive, but synthetics are great for longer intervals and less wear, as long as you make sure it’s diesel rated (which you absolutely must do for any oil in a diesel engine).
September 24th, 2009 at 5:36 PM
I’m a lawyer who runs a claims department, and who is slightly to the right of Ghengis Khan politically, and I use Geico. Great rates, decent service. All of your major insurers donate heavily to the dems, so there’s no escaping that. You might get more personalized service w a regional mutual, but the premiums would likely be higher.