Skid plate/Oil filter removal for Oil change

[Baba Booey]

If you are going to be changing your own oil, you may want to buy a grease gun and a tube of good synthetic grease to lube the driveshaft if you have a 4WD.

This should be done every 5k miles with the oil change.

 

[Buckfever]

"If you are going to be changing your own oil, you may want to buy a grease gun and a tube of good synthetic grease to lube the driveshaft if you have a 4WD."

Where can I obtain grease gun and what specifically would be a good brand of synthetic grease? Anything specific about the grease gun I should consider?

 

[Buckfever]

So far this is where I'm at.
Ordered the Metric socket set.
I have the filters coming.
From walmart today I picked up:
Oil Filter wrench,
Oil drain pan with spout,
Oil recycling container,
Super funnel.
A 5 quart jug of the Mobile One @23.62.

I could not find the:
Drain Plug crush sealers
Never seize
Maybe Autozone?


Also I'm going to pick up a case of 6 quarts of the Mobile One from Sam's club. I think it would be easier to get the 6.5 quarts needed by using a jug and a then a quart and a half.

I also located another oil reclamation facility even closer at the department of public works, which will return the recycling container. So the Oil disposal issue was really not that big a hurdle.

Also I was able to get the "90915-YZZD3" filters as highlighted by "toto".

Things have definitely changed since I changed my own oil last.

I sure appreciate all the help over here, hell from before I even bought my 4Runner.

What a wonderful resource we have here.

 

[toybox]

"If you are going to be changing your own oil, you may want to buy a grease gun and a tube of good synthetic grease to lube the driveshaft if you have a 4WD."

Where can I obtain grease gun and what specifically would be a good brand of synthetic grease? Anything specific about the grease gun I should consider?

You can get the grease guns at any automotive stores. They usually have two different sizes, I would get the mini one if you can find the proper grease cartridge in the mini size since it is a little easier to use and store and the fact that you use very little lube fo the 6 fittings you have to hit. I forget the exact grease (actually I think there may be two different kinds, one for the slip joint and one for the universal) but like oil I believe there is synthetic and regular but it is in one of the threads about the driveline clunk, but I'm sure someone will chime in soon who has a better memory than me.

 

[toybox]

I could not find the:
Drain Plug crush sealers
Never seize
Maybe Autozone?

You can find the anti-seize stuff at any automotive store. The crush washers you can get from the dealer. When I asked for them they gave me a whole handful for nothing. But even if you pay for them they are very cheap.

 

[Buckfever]

So I took the skid plate off, really nothing to it and cleaned off the split oil. One helpful hint for those who are mechanical challenged as myself. When reinstalling the skid plate, after you hook it up with the clips up front, sliding a one gallon bucket under it, holds it up just right for easy reinstall. It may be the only thing I do to the vehicle myself. But if I can do it anyone can do it.

 

[greasefingers]

I sawed my front skidplate hanging clips off. I like just removing it completely out of the way and not hanging.

 

[juneau92]

Well I ordered 10 of the OEM filters for $36.95 shipped. That seems OK?

I need to get some. Where did you order from?

 

[Buckfever]

I need to get some. Where did you order from?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&item=330107419267

 

[Buckfever]

"I like just removing it completely out of the way and not hanging."

I'm not sure I understand. I just rotated the plate and the clips slid right out of the slot. Maybe they're slightly different on different models/years?

 

[RamThis]

Do your self a favor and get a can of never-seize and never-seize all the bolts throughout the vehicle, as you remove them for maintenance. (brake caliper bolts, lug nuts, back of the wheels where they meet the axles, exhaust, etc.)

Koz

You cannot get better advice than this. I keep a can of anti-sieze lube in both my work tool box, and at home. Actually I use Briggs & Stratton Valve Guide Lube, which is anti-sieze lube. comes in a large can, and the lid has a brush on it, sort of like PVC adhesive cans come.

And do yourself a HUGE favor, when looking for a grease gun, do not get the long handle pump type. Look for one that has the pistol grip pump, meaning you can hold the grease gun in one hand and still pump it like a spray bottle, and use the other hand to keep the fitting securely held on the zerk so it does not pop off. Also do not get a solid grease tube, make sure it's a flexible rubber tube.

Mini gun is fine except the availability of cartridges. Stick with the standard size, grease is cheap anyway since you dont use a whole lot of it. Just means you wont have to go back for more for quite a while lol.

 

[greasefingers]

"I like just removing it completely out of the way and not hanging."

I'm not sure I understand. I just rotated the plate and the clips slid right out of the slot. Maybe they're slightly different on different models/years?

Mine had hooks (not sure if this is the same as clips?)

 

[Buckfever]

Mine had hooks (not sure if this is the same as clips?)

Yeah hooks, I'm sorry I'm completely ignorant regarding the lingo.

 

[Buckfever]

I went with the regular sized grease gun as I they did not carry the small grease cartridges in the Mobile One sythetic that I wanted to use. The minigun would probably have been easier but the regular gun wasn't a problem. The recommendation for the pistol grip and the flexible hose both helped to make easy work of it under there.

Other than the driveshaft what else needs to be lubed up?

 

[greasefingers]

The mini grease guns seem to not hold up very well. I went thru two of them before buying a large one. And I also looked for the Mobil1 grease in the small cartridge with no avail. (the red colored grease is really cool)

To the best of my knowledge the driveshaft

 

[Buckfever]

greasefingers,
BTW I literally printed out the pic of the grease gun you posted up and took it with me. Very helpful, thanks for that.

And yeah the Mobile One synthetic grease does look cool.

 

[G.I.G.]

Has anyone tried WD-40 as an anti-seize lubricant? I use WD-40 for everything from squeeky door hinges in my house to restoring/preserving guitar strings. WD-40 has a lot of applications and I was just curious if anyone has tried it for an anti-seize application.

Also curious if there are pictures posted anywhere with the location of the grease zirks on the driveshaft. I'll be getting my Runner next week and I want to proactively lube the driveshaft at my first oil change it avoid any problems with the clunk everyone talks about.

 

[Buckfever]

Also curious if there are pictures posted anywhere with the location of the grease zirks on the driveshaft. I'll be getting my Runner next week and I want to proactively lube the driveshaft at my first oil change it avoid any problems with the clunk everyone talks about.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28414

 

[toto]

And do yourself a HUGE favor, when looking for a grease gun, do not get the long handle pump type. Look for one that has the pistol grip pump, meaning you can hold the grease gun in one hand and still pump it like a spray bottle, and use the other hand to keep the fitting securely held on the zerk so it does not pop off. Also do not get a solid grease tube, make sure it's a flexible rubber tube.

Mini gun is fine except the availability of cartridges. Stick with the standard size, grease is cheap anyway since you dont use a whole lot of it. Just means you wont have to go back for more for quite a while lol.

:iagree: Got the pistol grip gun, full size, flexible hose at Advance Auto Parts. But I learned one more thing - you may need to buy a better coupler for the end of the hose. Mine came with a totally cheap POS that was impossible to put on or get off a zerk. Like everything these days, it's made in China. So I spent about $3.00 for a better coupler, and life is much better!

 

[Buckfever]

:iagree: Got the pistol grip gun, full size, flexible hose at Advance Auto Parts. But I learned one more thing - you may need to buy a better coupler for the end of the hose. Mine came with a totally cheap POS that was impossible to put on or get off a zerk. Like everything these days, it's made in China. So I spent about $3.00 for a better coupler, and life is much better!

Yeah kudos to RamThis for sure as well. I got my setup at Autozone, the coupler worked fine. I did have to buy the flexible hose separate, it was like $5.