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2018 FatBoy Tranny Fluid Change Procedure!!!

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  #1  
Old 09-21-2018, 06:48 PM
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Default 2018 FatBoy Tranny Fluid Change Procedure!!!

Oh my God, they have GOT to be kidding!!!!!!!.................................
 
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Old 09-21-2018, 10:13 PM
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Enlighten us, Jedi Master.......
 
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  #3  
Old 09-22-2018, 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by TORQUEY
Oh my God, they have GOT to be kidding!!!!!!!.................................
Care to explain yourself?
 
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  #4  
Old 09-22-2018, 06:53 PM
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What the hell are you excited about?
 
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Old 09-22-2018, 09:30 PM
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It's easier now on Softails. Before the drain plug was up between the two rear shocks.
 
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Old 09-23-2018, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by PA1195
It's easier now on Softails. Before the drain plug was up between the two rear shocks.
And it was somewhere else before that...
 
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Old 09-23-2018, 03:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan89FLSTC
And it was somewhere else before that...
Yup. Bottom of the right side trapdoor on Evo Softails. On mine that means removing the exhaust pipe bracket to gain access to the drain plug and tipping the bike toward the right.

So what were we talking about again?
 

Last edited by Uncle G.; 09-23-2018 at 03:25 PM.
  #8  
Old 10-03-2018, 11:25 AM
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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!!!...
 

Last edited by TORQUEY; 10-03-2018 at 11:27 AM.
  #9  
Old 10-05-2018, 07:18 AM
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Originally Posted by TORQUEY
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!!!...
I completely agree, what a pain it is. Based on the service manual I went in thinking it was a one beer job, wrong! Two beers!



 
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Old 10-05-2018, 07:22 AM
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Purposefully designed to send you to the dealer for all future trans service.
 
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