Proactive Replacements

[bigredhdt]

What things would you recommend to be replaced proactively?  Here's my starting list.  Please comment and add to the list.

 

Belts

Tensioner

Idler pulley

Starter relay

 

 

[noteven]

If I am on a tangent to proactively pre-replace parts on my Kenworth, I only buy parts from my Kenworth dealer. Whatever has been vetted through Paccar Parts seems to fit and work and has a warranty at 100's of Kenworth and Peterbilt dealers continent wide. 

It could be just me but I have had issues with the quality of replacement parts from the automotive aftermarket on a couple light duty vehicles. 

And the aftermarket is not afraid to charge for stuff... 

[steiny93]

My recommendation

Follow your favorite set of maintenance intervals (and actually do them), beyond that I wouldn't proactively change parts unless you were already "in their" so to speak.  Example, if you are replacing a failed water pump do the belts and idler.  I do believe what you have listed (except for the relay, are included within many maintenance intervals).

With the hyper low miles most of us put on these HDTs a yearly oil change with inspection should catch the majority.  Beyond that your assuming that you'll change a 'soon to fail' part and not introduce a new problem during the change out, I don't know how likely that is.

If a massive tow bill is the worry, pickup a tow plan as cheap insurance.

 

my 2 pennies

[Darryl&Rita]

Don't just randomly change out parts, without a visual inspection first. Belts? Inspection. Tensioner and idler? Pull the belts off and give them a spin. Starter relay? Only if it starts showing signs of failure. Air governor? Carry a spare. Wiper blades? When they start streaking. 

[bigredhdt]

We do put low miles on them, but I don't know when things were changed before I bought them truck.  I changed the belts about 2 years ago and didn't detect a problem with the tensioner pulley, but this weekend the tensioner decided to self destruct.  We use our HDT to tow our horses in a living quarters horse trailer to events.  Luckily, it died at the arena rather than on the highway.  3 days to get the part locally, but they had it 1.5 hrs away.

Bought both tensioners and idler pulley.  The existing idler pulley seems good on the truck, but if you spin it on you finger you can barely feel a catch when it slows down.

I carry us rider and they would have paid for a tow or mobile repair, but being stranded for something as easy to change as this is worth it to me to proactively replace them.  

[rickeieio]

Do you have any idea how old that pulley was?  Change the next one at 80% that time.

[Darryl&Rita]

1 hour ago, bigredhdt said:

The existing idler pulley seems good on the truck, but if you spin it on you finger you can barely feel a catch when it slows down.

I'd count that as "inspection", and change it while you had all the other new parts in place. Never worry about it again.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

When were the the radiator hoses changed?  

 

[bigredhdt]

18 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

When were the the radiator hoses changed?  

 

I did that, but good idea to add to the list.

 

What about the thermostats and water pump?

[Darryl&Rita]

22 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

When were the the radiator hoses changed?  

 

Understand that there's a difference between black and blue hoses. The blue hoses are silicone based, and are essentially lifetime. Don't forget the heater hoses, while you're checking.

[rickeieio]

And check the metal lines too.  We had one leak where a bracket was welded to the line.  Soon after, a couple more similar weld points looked a bit damp.  I changed everything. Don't forget sleeper and tranny cooler too.  Right at $1,000, three years ago.

[Wrknrvr]

   Also cam sensor, yep changed that in a parking lot in Dodge city Kansas. Did have the part with me. Fan solenoid, our fan stuck on for most of a 1300 mile trip. Then replaced it. Add in the air brake valve or at least  a kit for yours. If you engine has a fuel shutoff solenoid you just mite want one of those also. The splitter valve for the fuel tanks?

 

   Maybe throttle position sensor. I did that for preventative measure. It made the cruise control work as it should. Thermostat for engine . Yep did that. Make sure you have to correct part. Or let’s say parts. I ordered the thermostat, took it apart and our N-14 takes 2 thermostats. Called back to the parts supplier. He called Cummins with the serial number. Yep it takes 2.   Now we were sitting for the winter. But what if you are in a hurry..   Add in there a fuel check valve if your truck has one. 

 

   If you have these parts it would be easier to get it repaired while on the road. Or if you replace the parts one could think of keeping the used parts just Incase the new part gives up.

 

  Vern in a T-shirt 

[Jaydrvr]

I hesitate to comment on this thread, because my experience and usage is quite different. Most of my miles are commercial. 25 plus years ago, I tried to carry a good selection of parts for emergency repairs, plus doing repairs proactively. I no longer do that, but then I've been through my truck and know the age of each component. I would research your specific setup and look for known weaknesses and fix those. Otherwise, I'd just keep an eye on things. For example, my N14 is known to have crank sensor and fuel line issues. Those I would replace proactively. Silicone coolant lines are already referred to as lifetime. Mine have almost 2 million miles on them and they're fine. The only time I've replaced thermostats in several million miles was due to defective injector cups. Most things on a Class 8 truck not only last hundreds of thousands of miles, they usually give you plenty of warning. I've only needed a tow once, and that was my won ton, not a Class 8. I'd be mostly concerned about components that would leave me stranded. YMMV.. Jay

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

In almost 7 years I proactively replaced a few of the sensors.  The only sensor that stalled on the road was the low coolant sensor, once unplugged, we continued on our way.  Got towed once due to a blown turbo... I've replaced the air governor, some hoses, alternator (due to changing a generator system that it shared), and the dryer cartridge.  Some of the work is proactive, like replacing the rear heater coolant lines, etc.

[noteven]

Here's one for you guys and gals - back in the late 2000's early teens we had Cummins ISX 15l engines coming in with cracked EGR coolers - the cause was determined to be cavitation of the coolant causing the material of the cooler to run at exhaust gas temperature momentarily vs coolant temperature. The cavitation could only occur due to low cooling system pressure.

The prevention was to maintain a properly functioning radiator cap. 

Now these engines were normally in tractors hauling 63.5 tonne (140,000lbs)  GCW 8 axles so throttle is on the rug a lot. 

No idea if this would ever be a trouble in RV haulin' work but if the rad cap had a million miles on it I would freshen it up. 

[jenandjon]

I changed out all the coolant lines because they were pretty rusty. Other than that I really should have a spare belt and idler/tensoner pulley  just in case.