Okay folks, I finally completed my 10K service for my 05 deuce. Yeah, it took me about a month, but not because it was all that difficult, mainly because I have spent a bunch of time driving back & forth to WV. Family stuff to deal with, but I finally got the bike completed.
I don't want to mislead you all, I don't break any records on speed when I work on the bike, but I probably only worked on it 2 afternoons. I got the checklist off the forum, (the same one that is in the manual, but easier to print). I can now print it from my manual on CD I got from Gary12850. I read over the list, then looked every thing up on the forum & in the manual to make sure I wanted to try this.
I started the project on a warm day, got the ride in & did the oil changes first. I then methodically started working through the check list. Now this is where I would really screw up the dealers allotted time for the job. Most of the stuff is basic, and some of the stuff really scared me. I would get to something new to me, & I would read the service manual, then look on the forum. Yes, I had my computer in the shop, air card plugged in & HDTimeline pulled up to refresh.
I will give you all the quick run down here. Oil changes went okay, I have done that before. Basic stuff like checking the air and all was okay. I had a bad case of fear with the clutch adjustment. Mine was working okay, so I was scared to mess with it. But, I watched the videos in the self help forum a half dozen times, then dove in. It went well, (we'll say so far, :s) but I did learn a trick about loosening the nut on the clutch plate, for the tough ones, a good wallop on the handle of the ratchet will usually break it loose; for those of us with tender hands, a 'soft' hammer will work. I used one of hubbies plastic hammers. After that, follow the directions in the self help section & on the video. You'll be fine.
My other scare was when I got to the fork oil. Having the deuce, I of course had to remove the front wheel. I got a little spooked there. I had to talk to my consultant to get through that. :s So I got the wheel off and did the fork oil change. I could have used that frozen fastener tool for those drain screws. I didn't chew mine up too bad, but I will replace them next time around. The problem I had was that they were so tight that even though I was pushing the screwdriver in very firm, when I would try to turn it, the metal in the screw head would twist, it just made the edges kind of rough on the head. I was lucky that I didn't strip the heads out, (hubby isn't here to save me, & the HD shop is of course closed). But, the fork oil wasn't too bad, once I got the oil drained, the rest was relatively easy.
So, when I put the wheel back on, all looked well, so I lowered the bike, getting ready to run it into the wall, yep, a little birdie Glided by & told me to leave the slider cap screws loose and put the front wheel against the wall and bounce the front as hard as I can, no brakes, then torque the slider cap nuts to spec. This makes the front forks parallel with each other and keeps the front end from binding. :s Thanks Glider!
So, those were the 2 toughest parts for me. The rest was fairly straight forward. Just kind of time consuming, for me at least, since my bike looks so cool & all, for me to get to most of the nuts & bolts, I had to take off all those stupid covers......:newsmile070: I bet the 'real' mechanics hate those stupid things! I put them back on though, what can I say, I like the looks.
I was surprised at how easy changing the spark plugs was though. :s I didn't even have to ask for help on that.
And, the best news was, that after it was all said & done, the old girl fired right up! I didn't have to use the choke or anything. :newsmile01: I was thrilled. I was a bit worried about that, the battery tender was in the front garage & the bike was in the back. Now both bikes are in the toy box with the battery tenders waiting on warm weather.
I ran the bike for about 15 minutes tonight and the night I changed the oils, I also added some Seafoam in the tank. Hopefully this spring I won't have to take it in to my local wrench for the 'real' 10K service, it only has 9K on it now, this was a practice. If it didn't work, I was going to pay the pros this spring.
So, now with the money I saved, I may have to look into getting that speedo/tach I'm eyeballing; or maybe the chrome rear swing arm, but I think the tach would be more 'practical'.
Next up!
I don't want to mislead you all, I don't break any records on speed when I work on the bike, but I probably only worked on it 2 afternoons. I got the checklist off the forum, (the same one that is in the manual, but easier to print). I can now print it from my manual on CD I got from Gary12850. I read over the list, then looked every thing up on the forum & in the manual to make sure I wanted to try this.
I started the project on a warm day, got the ride in & did the oil changes first. I then methodically started working through the check list. Now this is where I would really screw up the dealers allotted time for the job. Most of the stuff is basic, and some of the stuff really scared me. I would get to something new to me, & I would read the service manual, then look on the forum. Yes, I had my computer in the shop, air card plugged in & HDTimeline pulled up to refresh.
I will give you all the quick run down here. Oil changes went okay, I have done that before. Basic stuff like checking the air and all was okay. I had a bad case of fear with the clutch adjustment. Mine was working okay, so I was scared to mess with it. But, I watched the videos in the self help forum a half dozen times, then dove in. It went well, (we'll say so far, :s) but I did learn a trick about loosening the nut on the clutch plate, for the tough ones, a good wallop on the handle of the ratchet will usually break it loose; for those of us with tender hands, a 'soft' hammer will work. I used one of hubbies plastic hammers. After that, follow the directions in the self help section & on the video. You'll be fine.
My other scare was when I got to the fork oil. Having the deuce, I of course had to remove the front wheel. I got a little spooked there. I had to talk to my consultant to get through that. :s So I got the wheel off and did the fork oil change. I could have used that frozen fastener tool for those drain screws. I didn't chew mine up too bad, but I will replace them next time around. The problem I had was that they were so tight that even though I was pushing the screwdriver in very firm, when I would try to turn it, the metal in the screw head would twist, it just made the edges kind of rough on the head. I was lucky that I didn't strip the heads out, (hubby isn't here to save me, & the HD shop is of course closed). But, the fork oil wasn't too bad, once I got the oil drained, the rest was relatively easy.
So, when I put the wheel back on, all looked well, so I lowered the bike, getting ready to run it into the wall, yep, a little birdie Glided by & told me to leave the slider cap screws loose and put the front wheel against the wall and bounce the front as hard as I can, no brakes, then torque the slider cap nuts to spec. This makes the front forks parallel with each other and keeps the front end from binding. :s Thanks Glider!
So, those were the 2 toughest parts for me. The rest was fairly straight forward. Just kind of time consuming, for me at least, since my bike looks so cool & all, for me to get to most of the nuts & bolts, I had to take off all those stupid covers......:newsmile070: I bet the 'real' mechanics hate those stupid things! I put them back on though, what can I say, I like the looks.
I was surprised at how easy changing the spark plugs was though. :s I didn't even have to ask for help on that.
And, the best news was, that after it was all said & done, the old girl fired right up! I didn't have to use the choke or anything. :newsmile01: I was thrilled. I was a bit worried about that, the battery tender was in the front garage & the bike was in the back. Now both bikes are in the toy box with the battery tenders waiting on warm weather.
I ran the bike for about 15 minutes tonight and the night I changed the oils, I also added some Seafoam in the tank. Hopefully this spring I won't have to take it in to my local wrench for the 'real' 10K service, it only has 9K on it now, this was a practice. If it didn't work, I was going to pay the pros this spring.
So, now with the money I saved, I may have to look into getting that speedo/tach I'm eyeballing; or maybe the chrome rear swing arm, but I think the tach would be more 'practical'.
Next up!
