2018 FatBoy Tranny Fluid Change Procedure!!!
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Upstate New York
Last edited by Uncle G.; Sep 23, 2018 at 03:25 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: East Coast
Draining the oil is not the problem. I've had a 96" Twin Can "B" engined Softail and a 103 "A" engined Road Glide, so the routines are very similar as far as draining is concerned. However, at least on my '18 FatBoy 114, one must first remove that hunk of metal on the right side which is supposed to replicate the old style oil reservoir. Once done and ONLY then can one see (but not properly access) the fill plug which needs to be removed. HOWEVER, the hand adjustment for the rear shock is directly on top of the fill plug and must also be removed. No real biggie, except for two things: it should NEVER have been designed that way and eventually could stress the screw or receiving threads for the adjuster bracket.... I change my oils quite early routinely, but on this bike, I will admittedly NEVER check the tranny fluid between services.
...and worse yet, I cannot imagine if someone who refilled the tranny forgot to reinstall the fill plug and began to remount the rear shock adjuster. Since the assembly is virtually on top of the fill hole, it would be INCREDIBLY easy to drop a screw down into the tranny!!
Don't get me wrong, the rear suspension on the new FatBoy is fabulous and long (decades) overdue, but come on now!!!...
...and worse yet, I cannot imagine if someone who refilled the tranny forgot to reinstall the fill plug and began to remount the rear shock adjuster. Since the assembly is virtually on top of the fill hole, it would be INCREDIBLY easy to drop a screw down into the tranny!!
Don't get me wrong, the rear suspension on the new FatBoy is fabulous and long (decades) overdue, but come on now!!!...
Last edited by TORQUEY; Oct 3, 2018 at 11:27 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 115
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, New York
Draining the oil is not the problem. I've had a 96" Twin Can "B" engined Softail and a 103 "A" engined Road Glide, so the routines are very similar as far as draining is concerned. However, at least on my '18 FatBoy 114, one must first remove that hunk of metal on the right side which is supposed to replicate the old style oil reservoir. Once done and ONLY then can one see (but not properly access) the fill plug which needs to be removed. HOWEVER, the hand adjustment for the rear shock is directly on top of the fill plug and must also be removed. No real biggie, except for two things: it should NEVER have been designed that way and eventually could stress the screw or receiving threads for the adjuster bracket.... I change my oils quite early routinely, but on this bike, I will admittedly NEVER check the tranny fluid between services.
...and worse yet, I cannot imagine if someone who refilled the tranny forgot to reinstall the fill plug and began to remount the rear shock adjuster. Since the assembly is virtually on top of the fill hole, it would be INCREDIBLY easy to drop a screw down into the tranny!!
Don't get me wrong, the rear suspension on the new FatBoy is fabulous and long (decades) overdue, but come on now!!!...
...and worse yet, I cannot imagine if someone who refilled the tranny forgot to reinstall the fill plug and began to remount the rear shock adjuster. Since the assembly is virtually on top of the fill hole, it would be INCREDIBLY easy to drop a screw down into the tranny!!
Don't get me wrong, the rear suspension on the new FatBoy is fabulous and long (decades) overdue, but come on now!!!...
