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Old 04-10-2012, 09:37 PM   #1
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Newbie questions initial maintenance service on Itasca Meridian

At 6000miles, 7 months after taking delivery on a new class A diesel pusher, do I really need to do all 53 maint. procedures listed in my owners' manual? Freightliner says change oil & filter at 6000 miles, Cummins says at 7500. Huh? Do I really need to lubricate the ZF IFS, the knuckle pin, the tie-rod ends, the camshaft bracket bushing, the slack adjuster, the drag link, the steering driveline, and the steering gear? And do I need to change the axle lubricant, the hydraulic reservoir filter, the fuel filter, & the coolant filter? I'm not a mechanic and don't want to become one. Should I pay Freightliner to do all this or wait awhile? Please help me reach a common sense decision here.
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Old 04-10-2012, 09:46 PM   #2
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Yes you should. there is alot of gunk left over from when it was put together. Alot of grit was worn off as the moving parts got broken in and now contaminated. lube it up and change the filters. The less its driven the more often you need to chang the oil. If you dont, they wont cover it when it fails. They wouldnt put it in there if it didnt need it.
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Old 04-10-2012, 09:59 PM   #3
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Let's see. New rig. Manual says to do all that. I am curious, why would you feel the need to ignore that? BTW There are warranty considerations for not following/documenting service intervals.

The initial quick oil changes (engine and axle) are intended to remove any lingering machining residues. Changing the hyd, fuel, and coolant filters is to remove trapped machining particles from those systems. Lubing the chassis is to ensure all components are properly lubed after a period of initial use.

Once you get through this initial "house cleaning" you'll be on the regular longer recommended service intervals.

If you can't do these services, it would be prudent to have Freightliner do these initial services, make sure they understand that is what you are there for, and keep the fully itemized receipt.
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Old 04-11-2012, 07:53 AM   #4
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Certainly a complete chassis lube, engine oil/filter change, and all the other filters would be in order. Frankly, I would question the rear differential lub at this point. IMO, that is a bit of overkill.
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Old 04-11-2012, 07:57 AM   #5
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If you want to keep that coach in top notch working order I would suggest to do everything they say. A little $$$$ now could save a whole lot more for you down the road.
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Old 04-11-2012, 09:20 AM   #6
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I'll join the choir. Yes, it's very important to follow the maintenance schedule in the manual. I nearly always have a Freightliner Oasis dealer do it. They only work on motor homes and will check for recalls, updates, etc.

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Old 04-12-2012, 08:52 AM   #7
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You are not considering the fact that the chassis is not just 7 months old. Check the date that the chassis was manufactured and that will tell how old the chassis fluids and components really are. That is really the key determinant of when your first chassis service should be done. You will find the date the chassis was made on the beige Winnebago information card - the same card that has the tire pressure info - attached to the driver side wall in the cockpit area.
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Old 04-12-2012, 09:00 AM   #8
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A expensive tube of grease is still cheaper than anything on the chassis that needs it!
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Old 04-12-2012, 09:16 AM   #9
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I have never understood why people go to great lengths to avoid doing any scheduled
maintenance then are the first in line to complain when this approach ends in
disaster.
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Old 04-12-2012, 09:30 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rwbed1 View Post
At 6000miles, 7 months after taking delivery on a new class A diesel pusher, do I really need to do all 53 maint. procedures listed in my owners' manual? Freightliner says change oil & filter at 6000 miles, Cummins says at 7500. Huh? Do I really need to lubricate the ZF IFS, the knuckle pin, the tie-rod ends, the camshaft bracket bushing, the slack adjuster, the drag link, the steering driveline, and the steering gear? And do I need to change the axle lubricant, the hydraulic reservoir filter, the fuel filter, & the coolant filter? I'm not a mechanic and don't want to become one. Should I pay Freightliner to do all this or wait awhile? Please help me reach a common sense decision here.
Yes, you should have this maintenance done. You could have the stock conventional fluids, greases and filters replaced with extended interval synthetic upgrades that have their own parts and labor warranties and reduce your maintenance time and costs, and improve mpg for about the same price. PM me if you are interested, I can help you with this.
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Old 04-12-2012, 02:41 PM   #11
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...You could have the stock conventional fluids, greases and filters replaced with extended interval synthetic upgrades...
FWIW - Basically Cummins does not approve extended change intervals simply by switching to synthetic (or by oil analysis alone). Cummins owns your warranty, believe what the engine manufacturer says not what an oil manufacturer says.
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Old 04-12-2012, 02:51 PM   #12
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FWIW - Basically Cummins does not approve extended change intervals simply by switching to synthetic (or by oil analysis alone). Cummins owns your warranty, believe what the engine manufacturer says not what an oil manufacturer says.
Cummins only warranties for manufacturer part defects, not oil related failures. I suggest using an oil that will warranty for parts and labor in the event of an oil related failure, even if it is extended. That way you are covered if the parts or oil fail.
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Old 04-12-2012, 04:40 PM   #13
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oil change

Yes for your warr. I took deliv. of mine 06 journey in dec. so every jan. i service MH and gen. I found a local mobil diesel repair person to come to my home and change oil filters ect. per what i tell him. all filters can be bought on line for a good price,he does get all the stuff if i don't and you will get a detailed reciept from him for your records.
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Old 04-15-2012, 08:57 AM   #14
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Newbie thanks those who replied

Many thanks to all who replied, giving me straight from the hip advice, to help me sort through all the questionable opinions I have received talking to people in the campgrounds who seem to consider themselves experts. I thought I was getting bad advice and you confirmed my suspicions.
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Old 04-16-2012, 11:06 AM   #15
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It is timely that you ask this question as I just recently was faced with the same question. I called my local Freightliner service center and spoke to them and they convinced me to do the 6,000 mile service check. It cost me about a thousand dollars for the check but when I picked up the Tour I found the technician that did the work and he walked me through all the checks he performed and what he found. He said that in his experience the most important part is to check the tightness of all the frame bolts. In my case he said he found a couple loose and every one of them took a little tightening. I asked him if that was normal and he said yes. He said keep in mind you have a house on wheels and there is a lot of weight being shifted around as you drive and there is bound to be some settling, so it is not unusual to find some looseness in the hardware as a new coach settles. I think the first 6000 mile check is probably the most important check for the reasons he stated. As far as the fluid changes go I am of the belief that the fluids are the life blood of the system. The first change is the most important because it flushes out most if not all of the contaminants that invariably get in the system during manufacture and assembly not to mention the normal break in wear that always occurs. From my vantage point it was money well spent. He found coach stuff that needed to be fixed in the process too! Hope this helps as well!
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