I'm out in the shed changing the oil in the trike. Doing the 5000 mile service, basically. I thought I was going to have to chisel the filter off. Never seen one so tight. I actually bent my oil filter wrench. Not much room to get in there and really tight. This is my 1st venture in with Amsoil. Always used Mobil 1 in the old bike. Also got some Redline Shockproof for the tranny. It is definitely red. Shouldn't be an issue reading it on the dip stick. If the snow wasn't deeper than the snow blower, I would get it out the shed today. My season ended too early when I had surgery on my foot. Spring will be here one of these days.

 

I guess the assembly line person was afraid the filter would fall off.

 

Mike,
How about the guy who did the 1st service?

 

Crap I forgot about the 1,000 mile service. The tech at the servicing dealer who thought he had to be Godzilla deserves a kick in the nuts.

 

A larger pair of channel locks takes the frustration away. I don't mess with oil filter wrenches anymore. ( They increase the frustration IMO.)

 

I'm guessing you haven't tried to get in there on a trike with the oil cooler and lowers. I have a massive pair of channel locks I have used on my '94 before but there isn't much room on a stock trike. I had the channel locks out and there is no way to get near the stock filter on a stock trike with them. Plus the fact I don't have a lift for the trike yet, I had to lay on the floor. I am feeling old having to climb up and down to try a different angle and a different tool. I had the stock chrome filter to put back on. I'm going to see if there is a long filter that might be easier to get to when I do the next oil change. I use a "Softail" filter for my '94 EVO bagger because it is longer for both more volume and easier to get into. (Plus it is on a lift). Off to J&P (25 miles up the road) today with a friend to walk around and window shop and count the days until spring.

 

,

ZBear I use the K&N filters exclusively. The nut on the end of the filter will solve your problem.

 

ZBEAR, what did you finally do to get the filter off?

 

I ended up using two oil filter wrenches. The one I bent and one with a swivel handle. After some manipulation I was able to get some grabbing with both and some grunting, twisted it loose. Tight fit in there. As earlier posted, I may want to go the K&N route. I have had one of their filters on my '94. I am just thinking the dealer, if they actually changed the filter they charged me for, didn't lube the gasket when they installed. It was about 3500 miles since the 1000 mile and less than six months. Of course this was the same dealer that during the 1000 mile service, I mentioned there was a palm print etched into the left rear turn signal. Looks like someone grabbed it with brake cleaner or something on their hand. I didn't notice it for about a week until I was toweling it off during my 1st wash. The service manager said I should of brought it up when I took possession and since I failed to do so, it wasn't covered. I guess there was other more pressing things when I took possession. Not the only reasons I am done with that dealer.

 

Your making the right move avoiding that dealer, they probably hogged down that filter. I've never had a filter I installed give me a singe problem removing, as I'm sure will be the case with the one you installed.