First, I have to say you all are the most obsessive, picky vehicle owners I have ever met---- WOW I thought I was the only one out there! There ARE others like me! Glad to be among you. The following info pertains to my 2003 FX4 Supercrew:

After spending the afternoon reading all the oil filter threads and spending even longer trying to get my factory filter off, I think I have some helpful info which I don't remember seeing anybody else post. The trick is to turn the wheels to the left. (Turning them to the right puts the arm a little closer to the filter, leaving you less room to maneuver your filter wrench) After trying a few other wrenches, belts, etc. I went out and bought a "Grip Wrench" (yes, the one that says 'as seen on TV') This next piece of advise was key for me-as I was about to call it a night. I still didn't have enough room in there to get it to turn, so I took off the splash guard/ drip funnel thing mounted under the filter. Easy to remove, just 3 - 3/8 bolts. This gave me just enough room for that extra bit of turn I needed. I also wrapped a piece of textured duct tape around the entire filter for some extra grip. Put the rubber strap of the wrench near the base of the filter. You won't be able to turn far, so just loosen, adjust, tighten, and give her another small turn (or five). Mount the drip guard back in place before you loosen the filter all the way, so it can do it's job. It's a lot easier to reach in and wipe down that flat piece of plastic than all the other metal under there when you're done. Then maneuver the filter down through the bottom.

Hope this keeps at least one person from spending half a day on a simple oil change.

 

Or, if you're like me and you think that oil changes should be easy and not involve disassembly of any of the underbelly of the truck as part of the process, install a setup like I have on my truck.



I tried all of the tricks and suggestions you mentioned and I still spent way too much time changing my oil, never mind the busted knuckles I always seems to get as part of the process.

Lets face it, although I really like my truck, I have to say that Ford really blew it when they allowed for the oil filter placement they did in our trucks.

-Mike-

 

I can't complain about the location of mine. I have the `97 behind the driver's side fog light` oil filter. I know, if you smash the front end, it'll mess it up, but it looks like it's pretty sturdy up around the bumper and such, and if I smash my front end that bad, I'm going to be in trouble anyway.

 

Nice filter setup BigDeal. I'd like to get mine inside the framerail too on my 97. I would just feel better with it better protected.

 

Same here.

You gotta wonder why Ford would use a remote mounted filter on our trucks that takes about .5 seconds to change, and then on the next generation switch to something that's such a pain in the ****. Doesn't make much sense to me. But then again, this is Ford we're talking about here.

 

BIGDEAL,
What are the brand and part #'s of the adapters that you are using, please?
Thanks a bunch,
Lonster

 

You should also check out a member named Galaxy's photo gallery.

Im pretty sure he has posted all the parts of his setup also. So it's just a matter of finding that post (put his name in search...)

edit: found it

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...ighlight=parts

 

I have a 99 5.4 xlt 4x4 scab and it takes me a total of about 8 minutes to change the oil.
I don't have to turn the wheels at all or remove anyting and I have yet to bust a knuckle.

I use an endcap wrench and a regular 3/8 socket wrench and there are two different ways to maneuver the wrench and plenty of room to turn the filter.

I have also installed a fumoto drain valve to speed things up.

Throw away all of those crazy wrenches and buy either the fl820s endcap wrench or the standard one for puralator, mobil 1, etc filters.

I will try and take/post some pics next time I change my oil

 

I hear ya hcmq, That advise was mainly for getting the factory installed filter off, which there are several posts from frustrated do-it-yourselfers. The main problem was simply a matter of finding the leverage in that tight space to loosen that torqued-on filter.

From now on, 8 minutes sounds about right, and with the replacement filter on at the correct tightness, probably will be able to reach in the left wheel well to remove it.

I'm looking for some of the stuff you guys mentioned.

 

Yeh, it was through a couple email discussions with 'ol Galaxy that I decided to do mine in a similar fashion. Since both Galaxy's and mine are custom setups (his outside the frame rail and mine inside the rail), the parts lists we used are somewhat different. Somebody else may even come up with a better filter mount location that involves even different parts, so it's hard to really provide a list of must have parts to build this type of setup.

Here are the parts (and #'s) I used in my setup. Remember, your setup could be different and require other (or additional) parts. All of these items can be found in the Summit Racing catalog.

1 - TRD-1027 Oil Filter Bypass Adapter
1 - TRD-1045 Oil Filter Bracket
4 - EAR-981610 Pipe Thread to AN Adapters
2 - EAR-300110 Auto Fit Straight Hose End
2 - EAR-312010 120 Degree Bent Tube Hose End (I used 90's on mine but should have used these)
6 - Ft EAR-306010 Auto-Fit HTE Stainless Covered Hose

If you mount your filter where I mounted mine, you'll also have to fabricate a custom bracket to mount between the TRD-1045 Oil Filter Bracket and the inner frame rail to set the oil filter bracket at the correct angle. Breakout those metal working skills!

That's it.............

-Mike-

 

Thanks mike. It was the
1 - TRD-1027 Oil Filter Bypass Adapter
1 - TRD-1045 Oil Filter Bracket
that I was looking for.
Who makes the TRD stuff and is it a good quality?
Thanks again,
Lonster

 

Those parts are made by TD Performance. Quality is OK for the purpose (i.e. out of sight and low pressure application). Haven't had any problems with mine. I know Galaxy runs the 1027 piece on his truck with a different oil filter bracket.

-Mike-

 

The real solution. Talk to Greencrew this is his truck!

 

Yeh, Greencrew has a very nice setup, but it is far from the only or real solution as you've noted.

-Mike-

 

Love that name !