JDsdogs wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
gafidler wrote:
Go to walmart buy disposal oil drain pan about $6, buy oil and filter, lift MH on jacks/levers, drain oil , take pan back to walmart.
That's the ticket.....yeah boy
They will accept your used oil and pan?
The rig is an Ford F53 chassis and if you have ever changed oil on one, you know that the oil pan plug and filter drain directly over the front axle, making a mess if you don't build some sort of flow diverter to direct the draining oil. Just plain messy. A petcock for the pan is fine but it does not help with the filter mess.
I was under the impression that most RV parks frowned on doing maintenance on their grounds.
Also, I pull a Toad which puts added strain on the engine, which has about 50,000 mi on it.
I was thinking changing at 5,000 mi.
Thanks again all.
I have done oil changes on my Ford F53 chassis at least 5-6 times on the road and have developed a process that doesn't spill a drop. First step is a trip to Walmart for a five qt. and one qt. container of Motorcraft semi-syn oil, a Motorcraft filter, and a $0.88 disposable tinfoil roasting pan. Onboard, I have a six quart drain pan, a standard funnel and a filter wrench. I use a utility knife to cut a 3/4" hole in one corner of the bottom of the tin pan and place it above the front axle and steering link. You will find that this allows the pan to sit at a nice angle, tilting forward and fully supported. I then pull the plug, and let the oil splash into the pan, which acts as a giant funnel that drains into my plastic drain pan. Next I pull the filter. After the filter and plug are replaced the tin pan gets folded up for the garbage, without a drop on the ground. Next it's fill time. My rig has a fill neck that is nearly tight to the bottom of the dash, preventing anybody from filling the oil in a civilized manner. I used to screw around with long neck funnels, hoses, etc.. but now I just dump the quart bottle in. (that can be done without spilling) Then I quickly refill the empty quart, five times, using a funnel, while emptying the five qt. jug. After the oil is successfully changed, it's a simple matter of reusing the five qt. jug to pour the dirty oil in. Since this oil is hot, the jug will distend a bit and fit all the old oil. After any cleanup, the jug heads to any auto parts store, or Walmart for recycling. I have done this in campgrounds (with permission,of course. On this forum, I have to say that, to get it in before the keyboard police lose their minds ;)) but I typically find an abandoned lot or gravel area where it's obvious that nobody would care what I'm doing. Whole job takes 20 minutes and costs less than thirty bucks.
In the past I have successfully found places to do the job, but it is typically a hassle to find anybody that wants to work on big stuff, it's expensive, and there is the magical upcharge once you say the word "motorhome" for many shops. Doing the work on my rig is one of the easiest oil changes I do, but many shops quote ridiculous figures to do it.
