Proactive Replacement

[bk10s]

2002 Trac, 190K. Is it ever advised to replace some things proactively? Truck runs great, but wondering if I should be replacing things like idler pulley, tensioner pulley, water pump, thermostat, thermostat housing, radiator, etc. Have done things like plugs, wires, brakes, shocks, ball joints, inner/outer tie rods, front/rear swaybar links, etc, as needed.

Funny story: I once bought a used 2004 CRV from an airplane mechanic, and was commenting to him about how everything was in such great shape. He replied, "In my line of work, we like to replace things BEFORE they wear out!"

Wondering if that theory applies?

 

[curtis james]

i do lots of maintenance with fluids but have not done any parts on my trac, my excursion i did a bunch of parts at 90 k and right after i started having issues, and tracked it down to a new coil pack and bad injector which i replaced, was a pain trying to figure where issue was and which cylinder, put all old parts back on and still runs perfect. was trying to be proactive and what a pain. was bad new parts.. i check under hood on my trac quite a bit checking for leaks and 18 years later no issues.. yet!

 

[DILLARD000]

AutoMobiles vs AirPlanes:
if something critical fails in your Auto, just get safely off the road & then worry about getting home;
if something critical fails in your Plane, gravity takes over & ....
Well I just don't like flying.

Swapping working used parts for unknown new parts is always a judgement call;
study up on typical component life\reliability & common failures items,
then make your best educated WildAssGuess\WAG; that's all anyone can do.
For the V6~4.0L~SOHC Engine + 5r55e Tranny + 1354 TransferCase + ...
there are certainly some known failure items & known component lifetimes
which can be fairly well predicted & remedied before they leave you stranded.
Doing good routine maintenance & mechanical repair work is always crictical.

 

[thehof2012]

So, just on this train of thought -- I totally agree. I bought the Zabteck aluminum thermostat housing and chain tensioners to replace all at once while flushing the coolant out.

All was going well, top tensioner in, new thermostat in place, tightening the last bolt and bang, snapped right off. I should say "I snapped the bolt by over tightening". This was all preventative maintenance.

My Dad's line is "if it isn't broken don't fix it", and he made sure to tell me that a few times over the weekend. We ended up getting it all fixed up, but wowza it really put into perspective my preventative stuff. If you do things, gotta make sure you're REAL careful, otherwise you have a huge headache, non running vehicle, and a guy in your head hitting you over and over for opening it up in the first place!

 

[DILLARD000]

...bought the Zabteck aluminum thermostat housing and chain tensioners to replace all at once while flushing the coolant out.
...going well, top tensioner in, new thermostat in place, tightening the last bolt and bang, snapped
...Dad's line is "if it isn't broken don't fix it", and he made sure to tell me that a few times over
...all fixed up, but wowza
...make sure you're REAL careful, otherwise you have a huge headache
...and a guy in your head hitting you over and over for opening it up

Broken bolts happen to seasoned mechanics every day. You did good.
Just give thanks to your Dad for giving you life,
then quietly assume his father tortured him the same & try not to do that to your son.

 

[thehof2012]

lol right!? Thank you Dillard000, took a little bit of courage to share that on the page!

We ended up not being able to get the bolt out, but it was on the "left" "ear" of the casting. Thankfully, there was enough space underneath to get ready-rod with a nut on the bottom, mount the housing, and put another nut on top. It's as good as ever, no leaks! On to the next project... gotta get that last tensioner (bottom) done, and finally an oil change for her.

Part of being a home-mechanic is dealing with those challenges... right?!

 

[Steve Brothers]

lol right!? Thank you Dillard000, took a little bit of courage to share that on the page!

We ended up not being able to get the bolt out, but it was on the "left" "ear" of the casting. Thankfully, there was enough space underneath to get ready-rod with a nut on the bottom, mount the housing, and put another nut on top. It's as good as ever, no leaks! On to the next project... gotta get that last tensioner (bottom) done, and finally an oil change for her.

Part of being a home-mechanic is dealing with those challenges... right?!

And the “bottom” tensioner is a piece of cake, compared to the top one. Remove the right front tire, remove the rubber fender skirting so you can access it easily. Use long socket extensions, and possibly a breaker bar, as they seem to be tight. And make sure to use a new “gasket” on the new tensioner so it won’t leak oil.