3 Hole Question ?

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Oct 20, 2009 | 11:28 PM

#11

roadkingsaddlebrooke

Cruiser

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 177

Likes: 0

From: Tucson, Arizona

Oil changes

The '05 Softail owners manuel shows all three every 5k, but the '08 Touring manuel says engine every 5k, primary every 10K, and the transmission every 20K. I've gone to those figures.

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Oct 21, 2009 | 07:10 AM

#12

tk353

Ultimate HDF Member

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 5,257

Likes: 6

From: Leander Texas

i change the oil 5k and the trans at 10k and the primary at 20k as my user manual says

Jun 15, 2010 | 04:56 PM

#13

sgod1100

Road Captain

Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 646

Likes: 1

From: Rockford, IL

Considering i live in Illinois, I change my oil around every 3k and everything else BEFORE i store the bike. I then drive it around for a few minutes right after I change all the fluids to make sure everything is coated with clean oil!! In my opinion its the best way to go.

Jun 15, 2010 | 05:44 PM

#14

Skeezmachine

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 2,054

Likes: 26

From: Florida

Do you have a service manual? It should tell you how often to change each and the only one that gets changed at every 5k service interval is the engine oil. At least that is true for 08 softails.

Jun 15, 2010 | 05:49 PM

#15

jimsflh

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 3,078

Likes: 6

From: Michigan

As cheap as oil is...... 2k on engine oil, trans and primary every other time or 4k. Am I wasting money? Probably. But I'd rather change it early than late.

Jun 15, 2010 | 10:05 PM

#16

rdoucet

Cruiser

Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 127

Likes: 1

From: Plainfield, Illinois

I change all three fluids every time; even with the synthetic oil, gasket and filter - still costs me less than just an oil change at the dealer.

Jun 15, 2010 | 10:13 PM

#17

Tucson_Tim

Tourer

Joined: May 2010

Posts: 426

Likes: 0

From: Tucson, AZ

The primary will usually get a little dirtier than the transmission due to the clutch. The clutch plates are slowly wearing down, the wear speed depends on how you use your clutch. These particles get into the oil.

I change all three at the same time. Oil is still a pretty cheap thing compared to other items we spend money on and I like to tinker almost as much as ride (I know, that's sad and demented

). I keep extra primary cover gaskets and drain plug o-rings on hand, just in case, but only change them if they look bad -- which they seem to never do.

There are plenty of oil threads (too many

) with hundreds of opinions on which oil to use. (I guess this is another oil thread.)

Last edited by Tucson_Tim; Jun 15, 2010 at 10:16 PM.