Rear Drive Oil Change

[sonny]

I have read some post here that talk about changing the rear drive oil. Any info on 'how to, when to, and what to use' will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your time.

[sonny]

Oh yea, it is an '01 carbed 1500.
Thanks for your time

[ringadingh]

Use 75-85 hypoid gear oil, it holds 200ml. Some change it every oil Change I change it a couple times a season.
Best way is to put a 2x4 under the sidestand, drain out old oil and refill until it starts to leak out of the top filler plug. Thats it.

[Cajunrider]

Sonny, just to add a little to what Ring said, take the bike for a short ride (5 miles or so) to warm up the final drive oil before you drain it. Remove the left saddlebag and wipe away all dirt and grime from around the fill and drain plug. Remove the drain plug and be careful not to let the small gasket fall into the drain pan (experience talking). Remove the fill plug to allow air into the case to drain it completely. Oh, don't forget that the muffler can will be hot. Drain the oil without the 2x4 under the sidestand. Again, make certain the little drain plug gasket is on the plug before screwing it back in. Fill with gear oil until it wants to drain from the bottom of the threads on the fill plug. All shops down here say to fill it with the bike straight up. We all fill it with the sidestand on a 2x4 laying flat just to prevent overfilling. Snug up your fill plug and ride.

[macmac]

To add to both replies a few woodem blocks are handy to have on hand to hold the muffler if youb have no help. I get my wife out to sit on the pillon seat, and I place a knee on the saddle bag frame and can sneak out the drain bolt with out otherwise loosening any exhaust parts at all.

I use 2 drain pans and start with the finbal oil, and deal with it last, each engine oil change. Same method on a 2x4. Do not do this with the bike straight up like the book says. The book is wrong.

OT: I am working on a chevy K 1500 4x4 and the final drive there has a friggin sign saying the fluid level should be 15mm to 40mm lower than the damned plug! Talk about getting it wrong!

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I would use a full synthetic such as Mobil 1 75'W-90 in it. Mine '08 1600 calls for 90 weight. Not sure if yours is different or not but by using the 75W-90 you will be safe. Like they said once you have drained place the bike sidestand on the flat side of a 2X4 and fill until it runs out the filler hole.

[Top Cat]

Ut-Oh, I just changed mine and refilled until fluid started running out the filler hole. BUT, I didn't put the bike on a 2x4.
Should I put it on a 2x4 and fill it the rest of the way.
Oh, I didn't have to loosen the exhaust at all. It is possible to work around it.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Yep TC I think you should place it on the 2X4 and add more until it runs out.

[macmac]

TC was the bike dead straight up or down on the side stand as normally parked?

Normally parked is ok, the 2x4 gets a bit more oil, being closer to straight up, but straight up tends to be a blown pinion seal......

If it was dead straight up I would drain some from the filler cap, either on the block or just parked.

[Top Cat]

Mac, the bike was down on the sidestand as normaly parked.
You think I should be OK?

[AlabamaNomadRider]

TC you can do the fill on the sidestand flat on the ground or place it on the flat side of the the 2 by. I was just giving you a hard time in the above post. Like Mac said it will give you a little more rear oil in it by placing on the 2 by without having too much in it. I want to get as much as I possibly can in it without having too much. Probably not a half ounce difference between sidestand on the ground or on the 2 by.

[ringadingh]

You should be fine Tim, the way you did it will only be a couple spoonfulls different anyways.

[redjay]

Next time someone does a rear drive oil change fill it with the sidestand on a 2 by 4 and then remove the 2 by 4 and see how much comes out. My guess is it aint much.

[macmac]

yes TC that will be fine. Some guys want every possible last drop of oil in there, but you don't need to be. You could be 15mm low apx 9/16" low and that would be fine.

IMO straight up and full is too much. On the side stand or that on a 2x4 is plenty high enough. They goofed. it happens.

I bet hot that oil raises up too high and it's hot. The oil expands and creates a over full condition when done straight up.

The area is small and it has to be to take a so called 6.2 oz of oil, and i see this same thing in my antique oil lamps. When I goof and over fill then light them pretty soon the trays are filling with split oil, running down the lamps, and they only hold 1 qt cold and do not heat close to what final gears get.

[redjay]

When I change my final drive oil at 5,000 kms intervals it looks exactly like it did when I put it in, no discolouration at all. I use Belray.