Need some info please on maintance

Why not change your own oil? You won't save money on oil, but you'll save the labor fees for an A service if you can do that and lube the truck yourself. It's a pretty basic thing to do.
I just did an A service on one of our trucks today. 13 gallons of 15W40 engine oil, new lube filter, new fuel filter, lubrication, replacement of four zerk fittings... so you figure you'd be paying for that, plus the number of flag hours the job is slated for. I'm not sure what it would be flagged at, but you're probably looking at two or three flag hours at $60-$70/hr. or more.
The 2000 hour service is more comprehensive.
Don't be like these lease purchase drivers who'll sit in a shop for hours waiting for their truck to get into the shop to have things such as lights and glad hands replaced.. that's setting yourself up in a bad way.

For the oil change, you don't have to spend much in tools..

1/2" drive straight handle ratchet (you can get a whole set of 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch drive ratchets and sockets from Harbor Freight for around $40, or you can buy a single 1/2 drive straight handle ratchet from Snap-On for $140... it all depends on the quality of tools you intend to buy).

Filter wrench... I have one I bought from Caterpillar for $16, which is attached to a 1/2 drive ratchet. Just be careful not to torque excessively on your filters when you put them back on, or you'll never get them off again.

Center punch. Mine came in a set of punches from Mac Tools..$3 can get you just a center punch from Harbor Freight.

In your sockets, you'll need a 1-1/4 inch socket (preferably 1/2 inch drive). If you need to buy this individually, you can go to Sears for this, or you can buy Harbor Freight's 1-1/4 impact (which will work with a ratchet) for about $4.

Hammer... you'll use this in conjunction with the center punch in order to punch a hole in the bottom of your oil filter so that it can drain before you take the filter off (unless you like the idea of getting oil all over yourself). I use a Mac Tools ball peen hammer... when I was on the road, I kept a Stanley "Fat Max" claw hammer with me... that's really a matter of personal preference. I like the single piece hammers.

A good drain pan, and a storage container which you can carry your used oil in until you can dispose of it (there's plenty of places to recycle used oil).

The Harbor Freight stuff won't last... but it's there when you're o a tight budget. Do a couple oil changes with them, and their products will pay for themselves.

 

Congratulations on taking the "dip" into of truck ownership. Since your on the east coast my figures are a little higher here in Cali. I don't know what mileage you have on truck., I'm assuming its over 700K minimum. If there has not been any major engine work: turbo: 2500, clutch: 1500. oil change u can do yourself, but you need to invest equipment to that ($150 +). So right now, your in no mans land. Before u buy the truck, get the maintenance records, if any. If not you can negotiate a lower price. Use you time wisely and research. Go to the stealer ship get a quote. Then go to local shop (s), u gotta do the leg work. Or get bent over and get driven'.

I'm negotiating with O/O he's selling his 07 Columbia with Detroit 12.7 big block w/894K on the motor.
With a Wabash 1998 Van. He want 22K for the package. He was smoking too much opium. Found out the turbo is blown and oil is leaking from somewhere. To repair it, I thought an inframe 9K, turbo - 2500 and some other stuff maybe 1K. Total = 13500. I told him what I found out, so he's debating. But I did the research. And asked questions. This will help u navigate these "issues".

 

Research the history on that truck. My 1st truck was an FLD w/411k on the odom. So I figured it was just breaking in. I am grateful because it was my ticket into the show. Yet, this is when I began(pretty much forced) to learn how to work on a truck...every weekend...no joke...I'm serious. I finally got the opportunity to trade that thing in for a brand new Pete. Do your research. Check the brakes, the u-joints, the oil, the trans and boxes. You have that right.

 

One of these would do you some good, as well (see what NAPA carries.. don't get that from Harbor Freight). I've seen the electric ones, and feedback on them seems inconsistent enough that, personally, I'd stay away.
I've covered this before.. please read this topic here for more on that.

 

I've done the math, and for me it's worth paying the $260 at TA for the premium PM package. After spending time driving around town collecting the parts and supplies, then actually doing the work, and then cleaning up afterwards and disposing of the used oil, it's just not worth the $75 you'd save.

If you can't spare $75 to pay for someone else to do a PM on your truck, then you're running too cheap.

 

Takes 30 minutes to change the oil if you hustle. An hour if not. Buying oil in 5 gallon buckets or even better 55 gallon drums saves money compared to gallon jugs. Buying fuel and oil filters by the case can save money also, sometimes they have sales on those by the case. Typical oil change, pm costs $260-$300 I can do it for $150 materials that includes grease. Of course it takes an hour and a half to go over truck and trailer... yeah I value my time but I see no reason to pay someone else $100+ to do these things. Never seen one yet wipe grit off zerks before shooting the grease. Never seen one use an old hand pump grease gun either, the only proper way imo, the air grease guns pump too much harder to judge easier to mess up seals.. never see any of these lube shop people check over things the way I do either. They never jack the front wheels off the floor when greasing kingpins. These are small things but important to me. I would expect them to do a better job than me but they don't .

 

In answer to costs of maintenance on a truck of the age you're buying you should be budgeting 20 cents per mile. I own a 2005 w900 and my average maintenance and repair costs come to 20 cents per mile.
You will only need to replace exhaust components if they are leaking (don't go buying big fat stacks when you're just starting out, you can't afford it!). Detroit engines are the more economical engines to repair, parts are cheaper than caterpillar /cummins.
As for oil changes if you have the equipment and premises to do it on your time off then it's a way to save some dollars. If you're going to be getting it done on the road just put it in a shop to do it but pay attention to what they are doing and make sure they don't #### it up. Most truck stops don't allow you to drop the oil in the parking lot anyway.
The cost of maintenance is different to the cost of repairs. A repair is something you will have to sort out at the time depending on where you are and what's available when you breakdown. You have to factor in the cost of towing and motel room, lost time / loads etc. In my experience a breakdown is usually going to run you in the vicinity of at least $1500 dollars or more depending on what actually breaks. The towing alone will run you about $400 to $700 depending how close you are to the shop. Parts are getting more expensive all the time and you won't have the luxury of ordering it from a cheap website and waiting a week for delivery. When you breakdown on the road the idea is to get going again as quick as possible, that means you're basically at the mercy of the shop that's fixing you up.
You should be budgeting 5 cents per mile for tires a well. They aren't getting any cheaper either. If you can , have a spare on the truck in case you blow one out.
Prevention is the key when it comes to maintenance but just starting out with a used truck takes some time to build up the cash and a lot of things have no real way of knowing they are going to let go until they do.

 

Rolln Coal is spot on. You will save by purchasing by the case & in bulk. Plus you know what is going into your engine. You know your filters are replaced and secure. Getting under the truck does grant you the ability to notice things you would otherwise be made aware of later,like during a D.O.T check. I use a hand squeeze-it grease gun also so as to not blow seals. As for running around for suppplies, incorporate it with taking the wife to dinner and it's a WIN WIN deal. You also grow relations @ the parts places.

 

I know I can make mistakes by missing something on my truck, so I KNOW some one working for under $10.00 a hour can for sure miss a lot more. they are at least more capable. I have always done my own service. some of these trucks shops r like jiffy lube. I would trust my local shop who I have known for 20 years & have the same owner & most all the same workers, than a chain, that does not keep the same employees for more than a couple years.