Transmission fluid; Should it be changed sooner the every 50,000 miles if your a 4 wheeler? How often should the Steering fluid be changed? I have 32" tires on my sport and I do go 4 wheeling. Does that make any differance in when I should change the Transmission fluid?

My 98 Sport is at 866400 miles should I change the Transmission fluid now. I took it to a new place today and they said I should change and flush both the Transmission and Steering fluid. A little voice in side my head was telling me they were trying to rip me off.

Steve

I'd change the fluids if your wheeling style includes a lot of water crossings, or your terrain is exceptionally dusty. I've alway been a little leery about tranny flushing. If the fluid is clear red with no "burnt smell" and no cloudiness, I'd just do a drain/fill/drain/fill cycle, cleaning the filter screen on the first pass, and retorque the valve body bolts. The only way I know to "flush" the power steering (and I use the same criteria for changing this fluid) is to remove the return hose from the reservoir and put it in a waste container and add fluid as the old pumps out, making sure you don't get any air into the system. I've never changed my power steering fluid, and it's still clear as new - probably only added less than 1/2 can since I got the truck, a tiny dribble at a time.