Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Discovered one thing I HATE about my Ram 2500 cummins

Dodge isn't the 1st to do something really stupid like this oil filter trick. Years ago Ford was selling Mazda pickups that were equally hard to change filters. You could stand and look at it easily but to get at it you needed an arm with 3 elbows. It was directly on top of a suspension member. We were in the market for a small pickup and I was at the Ford dealership shopping. I asked the salesman how you got at it and he couldn't give me and answer. I ended up with a Datsun.

Yes, it still occurs, but it seems to be almost non-existent in stock trucks with suspensions and steering components that are in good shape. Fords and Jeeps are prone to the same phenomonen. I haven't experienced it in almost 400k miles of driving these 2500's. Stock height suspension, stock wheels and tire size, and I keep my wheels balanced. Worn out steering and suspension parts will increase the odds of it happening.

You bill by the hour, don't you.

Hell, my own stuff is free

I have an '08 Dodge Cummins. The oil filter was a real bugger the 1st time I did it. I had to remove the wheel well liner to get at it because I needed a large band-type filter wrench to get it loose. I almost had to drive a big screwdriver through it to break it loose. It was way too tight. Since then, I've followed the directions when tightening instead of using a cheater bar on it. I use a speed wrench with cap type filter wrench. With 1 6" extension, I can reach it from the bottom and get it off fairly easily without removing a tire.

that's a huge mistake no matter which lot you're on. if you look at want ads for car salesmen they always state" no experience required"

Try to change a headlight on a newer GM or Ford. Buddy was complaining to me about having to remove the grill on his 2010-2012 FM 1/2 ton to replace a headlight bulb. Then I went to put LED's in my '11 F-250, low and behold, I too had to take the whole grill out then the headlight assembly swings out and you can remove/replace the bulb. Something that should take less than 5min to swap both now takes ~45min.

I suspect that's done specifically to allow dealers some easy money as many won't go through the hassle.

I'm convinced that the reasoning behind many of the latest 'improvements' is to put the home mechanics and small shops out of business. An independent mechanic often can't afford the electronics training and equipment to keep up with the new stuff.

my 94 f150 with the 351 was similiar. the filter was only accessible through the aframe and you had to loosen it from the top and take it off from the bottom (maybe other way around??) and would still get oil all over the damn place.

Can't you cut a hole in the skid plate and make a screw-on plate to cover it?

If you're going to own the truck for a long while, that seems like a reasonable solution.

I feel your pain. It takes me an easy hour to change the oil and grease the DLs on my '15 4Runner, and ramps are mandatory. I cuss it every time, but learn a new trick and get a little faster every 5K miles. I'll never love the rig, and know it'll bleed me someday because it's packed with lots of electronic BS.

My bare bones, manual everything '97 Tacoma on the other hand, still makes me smile every single time drive it or even think about it for that matter. Oil changes are almost as fast as I want them to be, and no ramps needed.

I'm convinced that automobile "engineers" are paid to make things complicated enough to discourage DIY'ers and/or pad the bill of dealerships.

Just wait until all new vehicles start driving themselves and are chock full of radar sensing modules.

It's too bad that vehicles became more and more complex instead of simpler and more efficient at the same time.

I despise that too. Why can't we make it a priority to have the dang oil filter easily accessible?

I agree. They want more vehicles brought into THEIR service areas. More money!

I'm thinking I need to purchase some vehicles in the next few years to last my driving days before the rise of the machines.

I do the 1 gallon zip lock bag trick, works pretty good for me and I don't fill the new oil filter but 1/4- half way putting it on.

Seems like a remote filter kit would be the way to go.

This.

I have a 2004. It's no fun either.

My '08 isn't too bad...now. When I got it the filter was so tight that I almost needed an air wrench to remove it. I had pull out the wheel well liner to do it. Since then, I just follow the tightening directions on the filters, 3/4 turn after it makes contact. Then I can remove it from below with a speed wrench, a long extension, and and end cap type filter wrench.