Stingray Jim....With that amount of miles on the truck, I would not do a diff service. Seen too many high mileage diffs with no problem (and never serviced) take the big dump after someone has been talked into getting it serviced. I have a '94 F150, 225,000 miles. HAS been serviced every 30k. (never towed with it) My '64 el Camino I have owned since 1988, I don't know if the rear cover has ever been off. Doesn't really look to have been removed....

                              Reid  '72 T-top

The article is right on the money.   Periodic fluid changes as recommended in the owners manual are a good idea.  I highly recommend them, when needed.  But the quick lubes do get carried away, as do many other shops.

Brake fluid is the only one really negelected.  When brake fluid starts changing color, it's due to moisture in the system creating rust.  That's the dark color.  A small amount is okay.  With ABS brakes it's more important than ever.   And a car that sits a lot need it more often than one that is driven.   My drivers get a brake flush every few years.  My Vette gets it every year.

Once when I was working about 80 hours a week, my wife deciced to suprise me and have the car serviced.  She wanted to save me the trouble of the extra time to do my own.   They didn't grease the fittings, which I had to go back and show them.  The left the car by the sidewalk and didn't relock the doors, which were locked when parked.  They tried to sell her gear oil based on the fact ours was a dark color.  They showed her gear oil dyed light beige, and told her ours was shot.  Straight up rip off.

They were not happy when I went back.  The folks in the waiting room were not happy when they heard what I had to say.  They tried to tell me the fitting were greased, then I gave them my credentials and told them they were wrong.  Show me one of their people who came close to having the same thing.  They put it on the rack and I proved it to the boss.  They lost a lot of customers that day.

My wife never tried to do that "favor" again.  It took more time and effort than just doing it myself.

The minivan has 124,000.  The steering fluid was changed when I changed the rack.  Like wise in the Celebrity (only a month ago).  The van is due for a trans service for the second time.  The Celebrity will get it's first soon at 84,000 miles.  Coolant flushed are every few years, depending on condition.  Oil changes are a regular basis.

   You know Ken...a brake flush is the hardest to sell too! Some people don't understand SAFETY!!!!!!

                                   Reid '72 t-top

The odd part is the savings.  With regular brake fluid flushes, I have never had to replace a master cylinder or caliper.   And just one wheel cylinder.  The flex hoses have only failed from outside in, not the other way around.

And the price of an ABS unit will just about kill most wallets.  The flush saves them.

But your right.  It's the most ignored and the hardest to sell.  Go figure.

I always feel that the brakes and tires are the most important part of the car.  If you can't stop it, which involved both of those, there is not point in even starting the engine.  After that is the steering. Other items come next.  Those other things can be controlled or compensated for by the first three, and you can live instead of die.

I have often heard people say that if a car hesitates, it will kill you.  Pull out in front of traffic and get hit.   There is really a very simple answer to this.  If the car hesitates, and you know it, DONT PULL OUT IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC!  It's something the driver has a choice in doing.  When you can't stop and steer, you become a passenger, with no control.