Congratulations on your new Ram 1500, Ram 2500 or even Ram 3500. Your truck is built to run hard, but even the toughest truck needs regular love. The service center at O'Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram has several suggestions to keep your truck in tip-top shape between annual inspections.
- Keep your oil changed. The rules for changing your engine oil have changed over years. With today's new engine technology, and new oil technology, for that matter, your engine oil probably only needs to be changed every 7,500-10,000 miles. Of course, if you regularly work your truck hard (e.g., hauling/towing heavy loads) or drive on dusty/dirty roads all the time, your oil can break down more quickly and you may need to change your oil as frequently as every 5,000 miles. But the days of the 3,000 mile oil change are over, unless you own a much older vehicle.
- Keep your tires rotated and balanced. Tires wear unevenly as a result of your truck's drivetrain. Rotating your tires not only extends the life of the tires, it makes for a smoother ride and reduces the burden on your truck's suspension that can arise from unevenly worn tires. A tire is balanced when the weight of the tire is equally distributed around the axle. Every bump, pothole and off-road mission can throw your tires further out of balance, and an unbalanced set of tires leads to vibrations while driving and causes increased wear on your suspension as well as uneven wear on your tires.
- Drink your fluids. You're not the only one that needs your fluids. Your truck needs to maintain proper levels of all its fluids. This includes only oil, but engine coolant (especially important at the beginning of very hot and very cold weather), transmission and brake fluids and windshield washer fluid. In the case of washer fluid, it's a good idea to keep a jug behind the back seat, especially for during winter weather.
The service center at O'Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Fort Wayne, IN is here for anything your truck may need in the way of service, and our managers and technicians will be able to diagnose and repair any issue you're experiencing. You can also count on our parts center for all your OEM parts and accessories needs, including sparkplugs, filters and hoses. We're conveniently located at 5611 Illinois Road (exit 305A off of Highway 69), and our service center is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 5:30 am and Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Call us at (888) 716-3641 to schedule your next appointment.