What kind of maintenance for very low mileage?

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brianmost@gmail.com - 14 Jul 2006 02:44 GMT

I have a Ford Explorer that I mostly use for hauling boxes over short
distances -- most things are within walking distance around here, so I
put a max of about 3,000 miles per year on the truck. (How many of you
would like to be filling up once a month right now?)

What kind of regular maintenance is appropriate for such low mileage?
An oil change every 3,000 miles would only be once a year, so I go
every 4 months or so. Is this often enough, or too often? Should I
really be waiting five years for the 15k checkups?

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Craig - 14 Jul 2006 02:57 GMT

<brianmost@gmail.com> wrote...

>I have a Ford Explorer that I mostly use for hauling boxes over short
> distances -- most things are within walking distance around here, so I
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> every 4 months or so. Is this often enough, or too often? Should I
> really be waiting five years for the 15k checkups?

You sound like me with my '96 and 121k miles. It's now a Forest Road,
hauling bigger items and bad weather vehicle and puts on about 3k per year
like yours. For what it's worth, I go with oil changes every six months and
stick with the Owner's manual mileage suggestions for other items.

I await others' responses.

Craig

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monkeyboy - 14 Jul 2006 04:25 GMT

>I have a Ford Explorer that I mostly use for hauling boxes over short
>distances -- most things are within walking distance around here, so I
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>every 4 months or so. Is this often enough, or too often? Should I
>really be waiting five years for the 15k checkups?

All I know is that petrolium does not spoil. It can get diluted and dirty but
if your in a clean enviroment no dirt roads or sand blowing, change your oil
by milage not time.

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Alan Moorman@visi.com - 14 Jul 2006 13:50 GMT

>I have a Ford Explorer that I mostly use for hauling boxes over short
>distances -- most things are within walking distance around here, so I
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>every 4 months or so. Is this often enough, or too often? Should I
>really be waiting five years for the 15k checkups?

I use Mobil One synthetic, and change it once a year, just before
winter hits.

On the rare occasion that I plan a road trip, I'll change the oil
before that, unless it was just changed for the winter season.

Alan Moorman

The only reason some people get lost in thought
is because it's unfamiliar territory.

Paul Fix

=================================

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tyson.morrow@sunlife.com - 14 Jul 2006 16:17 GMT

I am no expert but would suggest doing maintenance sooner than
indicated in the manual (ie do not wait for the mileage mark for
check-ups, etc).

My 96 Ranger has only about 63,000 miles on it (30,000 when bought 3
yrs ago) but I have already replaced parts that you would think might
wear out more with use rather than time, such as belt tensioner, ball
joints, radius arm bushings, rebuilt transmisson (more precautionary,
it did not fail, but had a 2-3 flare that I tried fixing with new
separator plate kit, etc to no avail.). Now i seem to have driveline
play from the t-case chain AND rear end. Definitetly keep the chassis
lubed, esp if you live somewhere where they salt the roads in winter
(like where I live), and stay on top of problems are they arise.

AlanMoorman@visi.com wrote:

> >I have a Ford Explorer that I mostly use for hauling boxes over short
> >distances -- most things are within walking distance around here, so I
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> =================================

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