Changing Final Gear Oil

As a new Nomad owner, I was reading MOM and saw that at 600 miles the engine oil and the final gear oil should be changed. I know how to change the engine oil, but I've never changed final gear oil. How is that done?, and what gear oil do you recommend ? Thanks for you help.

[rlfaubion]

Gawd I hate being first, cuz you can miss somethin. There's a lower plug on the bottom of your gear housing. Leave it on the kickstand, remove the plug and drain into a small pan. There isn't much in there. Close it up, and open the larger top plug (big slot) to refill using a small funnel or rolled up tin foil. I refill with Kawasaki Gear Oil - SAE 80W-90

[blowndodge]

left rear end of the bike. You remove the bottom screw where the driveshaft meets the center of the wheel. Not much will come out. like maybe a half cup. Replace screw. remove the top screw above the one that you took out to drain and refill, with bike level read; straight up and down, and add you favorite blend of 70/90 or 80/90 wt hypoid gear oil until it starts to overflow out the hole and replace screw. Done. Disgard used oil at your recycling center..

That sounds easy enough. I'm going to do my own 600 mile check up. It's too easy to change the oil(s). Besides, I'm a cheapskate, and can't see paying $ 100.00 + for the check up. Thanks for your help.

[rlfaubion]

Yep, knew I'd forget sumthin. Refill bike straight up.....

[flightdoc]

BD, I changed mine over this past weekend. I did not have the bike straight up/level when I refilled the housing. It really has to be level?

thanks.

vin

[Todd]

BD, I changed mine over this past weekend. I did not have the bike straight up/level when I refilled the housing. It really has to be level?

thanks.

vin

my thoughts.....

you're a little low if it was on the stand....not a tremendous amount, but, it only holds a few ounces anyway.

[blowndodge]

yes, it has to be level and todds right. If it makes you feel better (it does me) level the bike and add a little more until it starts to come back out. Replace plug and drive...

[flightdoc]

thanks boys.

I know this is an old thread, but I bumped it back up because I disagree with one thing:

I do not think the bike should be level when you fill the gear oil. Everyone that fills it up that way eventually finds it leaking out the front (pinion) seal.

I'd leave the level down just a little, as if filling it on the sidestand, and this will help to prevent leakage.

Also, I think that oil should be changed frequently, particularly in hot environments. I change mine every time I change the engine oil.

Thank you, thank you , CaddmanQ for bringing back this thread. I will follow your instructions implicitly !

[blowndodge]

I guess I haven't had the experience of filling up my 2006 according to the manual and had it leak yet. Until I do, I will remain level during fill up. Which seem to coincide with the manual on how much the differential holds. 200ML or 6.76oz.

[VulcanE]

When I refill mine , I have the bike level, take a straw and stick it on the tip of the gear oil bottle, and slowly squirt it into the back of the housing. When it gets to the threads of the fill hole, I cut it off. Its not running out over the threads, just coming up to them.

[ringadingh]

I always filled mine with the bike level in the past, this year I replaced the leaking pinion seal as well.Now I don't level it anymore. we'll see if this makes a difference. Mind you the bike didn't leak until it was in the sixth season.

You might want to discuss this with Gadget. I'm pretty sure he's the one that brought this issue to my attention about 4 years ago. The factory level is just a tad too high, and (as Mac would say) it drowns the seal.

Perhaps the 1600's are different, but I'm pretty sure John's 1500 did this. Mine did, Mac's did, and a number of guys on the Vulcan Rider's reported this also. It's not going to be a huge leak, and unless you let the acorn nuts on the final gearcase get loose you won't see it (well perhaps a tiny seepage) as it leaks into the driveshaft tube and stays there. I didn't see mine until I first greased the driveshaft.

Anyhow, if you check the oil and it's a bit lower than when you filled it, just crack those 4 acorn nuts loose. If gear oil comes out the joint, it's leaked.