quoted ~$400 for MT & 4wd fluid service at small Toyota shop, is that excessive? JiffyL wants $450

with an air hammer attachment and some nice penetrating oil the bed comes off with 4 bolts and unplugging the rear lights and trailer plug.

 

6 Bolts

 

also the fuel filler neck and needed fuel tank removal which I might handle ok not sure about reinstall tank properly

but yes, it sounds like an easy task, other than maybe a difficult bolt or two in the rear with decades of roadspray crust built up (currently under FF treatment), it may need torched or cut Idk lol

Issue there the is the 500 pound box

 

Out of curiosity I am dropping by the Benson jiffy lube I labored at 30 years ago to see what they have for MT and gearbox services
The fluid is likely the same cost but the techs most likely do not bank $100+ per hour and maybe does not take 2 hours to do
I must cut costs somewhere for future planned outlay, starting with that front suspension quoted $1500 using parts at list, I can get OEM parts for about $200 less at wholesale but have not convinced Toyota Lexus shop to use my supplied Toyota parts
Never did I think I would have to consider sullying my old truck to non Toyota certified lube techs for some basic routine maintenance
I am exhausted... !

 

The tank is banded to the bottom of the bed and might have a few bolts in it. Never removed the tank

 

why not just do it yourself?

 

well check this out fml, i could not believe what i heard after stopping at the Jiffy lube for a quote

135 for MT
99 for the others F-R-T

they want MORE than the indie Toyota/Lexus shop

$432 + tax so likely more than $450
those lube techs are banking it these days!

 

i have been 'hoping' i could wait until a new fuel pump is needed but i have no clue when that is going to go out to justify removing the bed to get at it and do the other stuff i need to get tackled back buried under there with more adequate headroom

 

because the risk/reward ratio is not in my favor

the total fluid cost needs to deflate to around $50 for all of it (currently sits near $200 without hunting for stuff on sale) before i try to squirm underneath without 'proper' equipment

the headaches and all that the next morning lately from just a short time deep under are becoming very cumbersome at my age
i could barely drive in one day this past week!

 

I did it myself, read documents, watched some youtubes, got the right size sockets hex nut sockets, went to town. I did my transmission earlier this yr. I'm about to hit up the pumpkin again,