Coolant Change Question

[Gorilla]

OK, I am in progress of changing the coolant for the 1st time in my '03 d-max. I am trying to figure out what the best way to get all the coolant out of the engine block. I drained what I could from the plug on the side and then refilled with water and ran down the street to open up the thermostat to mix with remaining coolant in the block to try and get it out. I have done this twice so far and am still getting very pink colored fluid. I guess my main question is can I take out the thermostat? Is there a gasket and o-ring that I have to worry about? Does anyone have any better ideas or have a definite way to do this process efficiently?

 

[Gorilla]

For those that may want to know...I ended up just yanking out the two thermostats to do the flush. There is an o-ring used for sealing, so no need to worry about tearing a gasket or having to get a replacement. Figured I'd share for those that didn't know.

 

[HeartbeatHauler]

Holy Cow! My truck is an '01 and I haven't changed the coolant yet! I planned on doing it at 5 years, but I have recently learned that Dex-Cool is rough on hoses. What hoses need to be changed and are there aftermarket (read cheaper than dealer) places to get the hoses?
JP