Bar change question.
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 575
Likes: 1
From: WI
Bar change question.
First off I'm sure this has been beat to death but I don't have the time, patience or mobile data plan to search right now. I'm looking for advise on how to swap bars on a 09 Street Bob. I'm going with 12" R6C bars. I looked in my service manual and it says you have to remove the dash, fuel gage, lines & lift the tank to get to the wireing. Is there an easier way? Second question us what do u do with the brake reservoir while changing bars out. Do u drain it and re bleed the brakes or is there another trick? Sorry this is long & I'd appreciate any input. Thanks.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 501
Likes: 0
From: Anchorage, AK
I can't imagine why you'd need to do all that just to replace the bars. The only reason you have to do that when pulling the tree is the wires are threaded thru them. Otherwise, the bars should swap without.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,382
Likes: 4
From: Kennewick, WA
Lay some towels over the gas tank and headlight and have a few bungies handy. When you remove the right side grip and brake reservoir keep the reservoir as level as you can, use the bungies, if necessary, to accomplish this while you wrestle with the new bars. Two people can make this easier, but I always have done this alone.
The left side clutch lever and grip can dangle by their cables or wires while you concentrate on reconnection the right side brake controls and grip to the bars. Tighten them up enough to keep them from rotating before slipping on the other side.
When replacing bars and risers, I loosen the existing ones at the bottom stem and rotate the bars enough to remove and replace one riser for a new one. Then I mount one side of the bars to the new riser, remove the other riser and replace it. It all depends on what you are replacing with what. Just use your judgement.
If this sounds too complicated, forgive me for my poor description. A second set of hands can make this a bit easier. The goal is to keep the brake reservoir fairly level, as they do seem to leak if left dangling. The towels are to protect your paint from possible leaking fluids, to help hold parts from slipping off and to prevent metal to metal dinging. Personally, I use a thick quilted blanket over the tank and a towel over the headlight.
The left side clutch lever and grip can dangle by their cables or wires while you concentrate on reconnection the right side brake controls and grip to the bars. Tighten them up enough to keep them from rotating before slipping on the other side.
When replacing bars and risers, I loosen the existing ones at the bottom stem and rotate the bars enough to remove and replace one riser for a new one. Then I mount one side of the bars to the new riser, remove the other riser and replace it. It all depends on what you are replacing with what. Just use your judgement.
If this sounds too complicated, forgive me for my poor description. A second set of hands can make this a bit easier. The goal is to keep the brake reservoir fairly level, as they do seem to leak if left dangling. The towels are to protect your paint from possible leaking fluids, to help hold parts from slipping off and to prevent metal to metal dinging. Personally, I use a thick quilted blanket over the tank and a towel over the headlight.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,630
Likes: 17
From: Central FL
Well you have to do all that because you have internally wired controls. The only other way I know around that is to cut and splice the wires. Not my favorite way but if done correctly can be reliable. In my opinion by the time you solder and heat shrint all those wires you may as well just do it how the manual says.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 683
Likes: 3
From: Florida
I've had my bars off a couple of times, as far as the brake master cylinder what I did was tie it off to the garage ceiling. Actually when I had to replace a tree riser that was stripped, I screwed a couple of hooks into the ceiling of my garage and then with rope attached a 3/4 inch pipe to the hooks.
I then have two ropes that I come down off the pipe to the handlebars. When I replaced the tree I did not have to remove (or let hang on the tank) anything. The whole handlebar setup just hung from the ceiling in place.
I then have two ropes that I come down off the pipe to the handlebars. When I replaced the tree I did not have to remove (or let hang on the tank) anything. The whole handlebar setup just hung from the ceiling in place.
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 985
Likes: 2
From: NW Ohio
As HEMIORANGE said:
I would also cover your front fender just incase you may drop a wrench or socket. Good luck with the mod.
I would also cover your front fender just incase you may drop a wrench or socket. Good luck with the mod.
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 575
Likes: 1
From: WI
Well you have to do all that because you have internally wired controls. The only other way I know around that is to cut and splice the wires. Not my favorite way but if done correctly can be reliable. In my opinion by the time you solder and heat shrint all those wires you may as well just do it how the manual says.
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Check out these Instruction Sheets on how to remove
the master cylinder
and the switch housings
Use this link to find more info on removing the grips...
the master cylinder
and the switch housings
Use this link to find more info on removing the grips...
Last edited by FXD2003Rider; Feb 17, 2011 at 03:16 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 683
Likes: 3
From: Florida
You can slip the throttle grip off and back on the new bars. The left grip can be a bear sometimes and sometimes not. Usually if you get a thin flat screwdriver and lift up a little bit of the grip and spray WD40 under it, and keep working at it, it will come off. Then clean it up and dry the WD off it good before putting it back on. Sometimes they won't come off depending on how or what they were stuck on with, and you do have to cut it off.