Servicing my own bike.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 571
Likes: 4
From: USA
Take your oldest vise grip. Pull 3 plugs from under the engine. Doesn't matter as long as fluids drain out. Shake the bike till tired. Go to Walmart and get the best cheap crap and add it to anything that opens on to of the engine. Rememebr to oil your drive belt. Don't want that to rust. Kick back and have a cold one. We are here to help.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 547
Likes: 2
From: So. Cal.
Take your oldest vise grip. Pull 3 plugs from under the engine. Doesn't matter as long as fluids drain out. Shake the bike till tired. Go to Walmart and get the best cheap crap and add it to anything that opens on to of the engine. Rememebr to oil your drive belt. Don't want that to rust. Kick back and have a cold one. We are here to help.
Also, you are not to oil the drive belt with motor oil, there are specific lubricants for this. While at Walmart, look for Permatex belt dressing, if you cannot locate it, Marvel Mystery Oil will suffice.
You'll also need a bike jack, the added height, will allow for a greater gravitational pull on the oil when draining, so your oil change will go much quicker.
Also pick up a bag of kitty litter, if you spill any oil, drop some of the kitty litter on the oil and crush it up with your foot. You can then reuse the kitty litter in the litter box. You'll be surprised how well the scent of oil in the litter box will have even your dog using the box.
Take your time, it isn't rocket science, if my brother in law Phil can change his, you can too. You'll save $ by doing this yourself.
BTW Welcome aboard, you'll find the guys/gals around here are a real helpful bunch and the knowledge base is bar none, you just need to give them time to chime in. If you are in need of tires, oil or a new battery, just post up a question as to which is best.
Take care.
K. You have plugs underneath the bike. Use a 1/4" hex and remove the 4 plugs under the bike. Let all the fluids drain. Now re-install all the drain plugs,you want them in there really tight. You don't want them to come loose while you are riding.
Remove the primary inspection cover. You need 1.5 quarts in the primary. Alot of guys are using red tranny fluid in the primary. It helps diagnose possible leaks too. Royal Purple gear oil also works well in the primary. If you can find a friction modifier additive it's a good idea to add it in there too. It keeps everything nice and slick,ensuring long life.
Now for the tranny. I use red line shockproof heavy. Now be very careful to not overfill,it will cause you problems in the long run. I put in no more than half a quart.
Now for the engine. I know Harley recommends 20w-50 but in the summer heat a regular 10w-30 will disspate heat faster and will increase gas mileage. You only want the 20w-50 in the spring and fall,even a straight 50 or 60 grade would be best in cooler temps.
And don't believe the synthetic oil hype. These motors last 100000 miles on regular oil so there is no point in spending the extra money on it.
Or you can just use a 5w-20 in all 3 holes. Alot of guys are having good results with it.
And remember,you want the oil with the "resource conserving" or "energy conserving" stamp on it. That stamp means there are friction modifiers in the oil which leads to longer engine life.
Hope this helps. And you won't get too far in this forum with that attitude.
Good luck
Remove the primary inspection cover. You need 1.5 quarts in the primary. Alot of guys are using red tranny fluid in the primary. It helps diagnose possible leaks too. Royal Purple gear oil also works well in the primary. If you can find a friction modifier additive it's a good idea to add it in there too. It keeps everything nice and slick,ensuring long life.
Now for the tranny. I use red line shockproof heavy. Now be very careful to not overfill,it will cause you problems in the long run. I put in no more than half a quart.
Now for the engine. I know Harley recommends 20w-50 but in the summer heat a regular 10w-30 will disspate heat faster and will increase gas mileage. You only want the 20w-50 in the spring and fall,even a straight 50 or 60 grade would be best in cooler temps.
And don't believe the synthetic oil hype. These motors last 100000 miles on regular oil so there is no point in spending the extra money on it.
Or you can just use a 5w-20 in all 3 holes. Alot of guys are having good results with it.
And remember,you want the oil with the "resource conserving" or "energy conserving" stamp on it. That stamp means there are friction modifiers in the oil which leads to longer engine life.
Hope this helps. And you won't get too far in this forum with that attitude.
Good luck
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 571
Likes: 4
From: USA
Don't believe TGWN, you don't use vise grips. You'll get more leverage with the biggest channel lock pliers you can get your hands on. I believe your bike has 4 plugs, not 3 as TGWN stated. As for pouring oil into anything that opens on to of the engine, disregard pulling the spark plugs and pouring oil in there, unless you have a sluggish motor, in which case pull the plugs and add 1/2 quart, as the added lubricant really allows the pistons their full potential.
Also, you are not to oil the drive belt with motor oil, there are specific lubricants for this. While at Walmart, look for Permatex belt dressing, if you cannot locate it, Marvel Mystery Oil will suffice.
You'll also need a bike jack, the added height, will allow for a greater gravitational pull on the oil when draining, so your oil change will go much quicker.
Also pick up a bag of kitty litter, if you spill any oil, drop some of the kitty litter on the oil and crush it up with your foot. You can then reuse the kitty litter in the litter box. You'll be surprised how well the scent of oil in the litter box will have even your dog using the box.
Take your time, it isn't rocket science, if my brother in law Phil can change his, you can too. You'll save $ by doing this yourself.
BTW Welcome aboard, you'll find the guys/gals around here are a real helpful bunch and the knowledge base is bar none, you just need to give them time to chime in. If you are in need of tires, oil or a new battery, just post up a question as to which is best.
Take care.
Also, you are not to oil the drive belt with motor oil, there are specific lubricants for this. While at Walmart, look for Permatex belt dressing, if you cannot locate it, Marvel Mystery Oil will suffice.
You'll also need a bike jack, the added height, will allow for a greater gravitational pull on the oil when draining, so your oil change will go much quicker.
Also pick up a bag of kitty litter, if you spill any oil, drop some of the kitty litter on the oil and crush it up with your foot. You can then reuse the kitty litter in the litter box. You'll be surprised how well the scent of oil in the litter box will have even your dog using the box.
Take your time, it isn't rocket science, if my brother in law Phil can change his, you can too. You'll save $ by doing this yourself.
BTW Welcome aboard, you'll find the guys/gals around here are a real helpful bunch and the knowledge base is bar none, you just need to give them time to chime in. If you are in need of tires, oil or a new battery, just post up a question as to which is best.
Take care.
The jack is a great tip also.
I also use a piece of cardboard under the bike so if oil spills and it will happen, to keep my shop floor clean. Another tip is to take a piece of cardboard wrap it with some cellophane, bend it in half and place it under the oil filter. Punch a hole in the filter rotate it 180 degrees to allow it to drain. From my own mistake allow the bike to drain over night