Hi guys.

...been doing some serious thinking of starting to do all the "simple" wrenching myself.
96 EVO fatboy, so basic maintenance shouldn't be a problem.
But now I'll have to go change the stator, clutch adjustment then new front/rear tire incl.brakepad, front end clunk, and so on and so on.
Got the manual, getting some (expensive) extra (non metric) tools n other stuff...
It seems like one big adventure to me, pricy to start with but rockcheap when you do the math.

Having the stator/regulator changed at the dealer would set me back for 600Euros, while the parts needed only cost me 340!!...you know the deal...

So.. to all you DIY wrenchin' people out there:

What were your pitfalls.

What went wrong the first times you took to wrenching on your own bike?
Are there some experiences you are too ashamed of to talk about in the pub?
Did you ever mess it up, having to call in help from a pro?
What did you not think of before it was too late?
..succes stories are welcome too...

Hey....you can tell us?
No mockery here.... :-)


also...What tools would you advise to a rookie?

Thx guys, really appreciate your help n tips.

 

Biggest pitfall- no ride for awhile... I've got more no-running projects than running... I've learned to keep one bike untouched.

I tend to take too many things off at once and get distracted so its a chore to figure out where the heck I was going. Never called in the calvary tho.

Buy common tools a few at a time, specialty ones as you need- I found out the local auto parts store will loan you some things...

 

Make sure you have a friend to cover your *** when you screw up. And you will screw up.

 

I do all my own work on my bike. Make sure you have a good manual and ask lots of questions if you are unsure. I have done everything from tire balancing to engine replacement but something like dyno tuneups you have to go to the shop for. I just put in an altima el bruto 113 into my fxr and the forums help a lot.

 

Reverse engineering is the way to get it al back in the right place.
Mark parts,take pictures if you need to.
Cheers HTH.

 

I find that I tend to forget exactly which bolt went where, etc. So a big work table is one of my favorite tools and I lay out the parts in the order that they came off. This has saved me many a times.
Never use the wrong tool that "sort of works." YOu'll screw yourself.
And most importantly, whenever you go to the store, buy a case of good brew and give it to your neighbor named Fuzzy who used to be in the HA and can wrench anything. Because you will need help. Eventually.

 

The manual you need is the genuine factory service manual, above all others. And the factory parts book is also great, with exploded diagrams showing every component in your bike. Get the correct year for both!

 

I've had to rework things several times over in order to get it right. It is very frustrating and time consuming. Oftentimes, I've had to ask for advice after the 3rd or 4th attempt at fixing the problem. However; after it's been fixed and everything is fine, there is a tremendous satisfaction in being able to do it myself.

 

Don't be afraid to ask for help, or walk away when necessary. Believe it or not my wife, who can barely use a screwdriver without breaking something has helped a couple of times by looking at something and offering a suggestion.

Already mentioned, but taking pictures as you disassemble is very helpful when you go to reassemble. I went to the dollar store and bought a bunch of clear plastic containers in different sizes, I label all bolts and pieces as they come off and place them in containers so when i go to reassemble I know all the pieces for specific components are together. My friend who has a larger work area lays them out on cardboard or rolls out brown paper and labels them for easy reference.

 

Taking it apart, fixing what is broke and putting it back together is the easy part. Figuring out what is broke and needs fixing (diagnostics) is usually the more difficult part.

That said, the HD manual is really required but don't think that it will tell you everything you need to know. They skip over things like make sure you install this before you bolt this back on and things like that. Also you run across things that only someone who has been there before will know. One example was that I had a motor that was losing primary oil although there were no leaks at all. HD was the last one who reassembled everything on a Harley reman. Someone on the forum here popped up and said, check behind the two bolts that hold the wiring harness in place behind the stator. The holes are drilled all the way through and they can leak primary oil into your engine. Sure enough, one of the screws was loose. Added some anaerobic Permatex to the holes and tightened them back up and no more lost oil. This forum can really help you out, especially here in the Evo section.