Harley Davidson Softail Motorcycles

Although checking your oil level should be a simple matter it is often not when it comes to motorcycles and many questions are raised for example, should the oil be hot or cold, is the oil level checked in the crankcase or in a separate reservoir, should the dipstick be fully screwed in or not, must the bike be on the side stand or level and does the bike have a dipstick or a sight glass? The best way to answer these questions will be to check the manufacturers handbook very carefully as you should find the answers to all these questions there. An under filled crankcase can be disastrous while an overfilled one may flood you air cleaner with oil. you should also be able to find out from the handbook the difference between low level and high level and when the bike is over full.

The following are general points, which cover most motorcycles

The bike should be level as possible; except for some that are checked on the side stand your handbook will advise on this.

The oil should not inspected cold and is therefore best done after warming up the engine for a few mins.

Do not allow any foreign matter or dirt to fall into the sump while inspecting the motorcycle

With threaded dipsticks do not screw the dipstick in when taking a reading

High temperatures, time, speed, heavy traffic, short trips and dust quickly destroy the quality of your oil

Motorcycles can use the same oil as cars although the motorcycle specific oils contain additives for better oil performance in them. Special synthetic motorcycle oils are available for sports bikes that are ridden hard. Note that synthetic oils are not recommended if your bike has a wet clutch (a clutch that runs inside the oil in your crankcase) In most instances a semi-synthetic oil graded as SAE 20 W-50 is usually fine, a lot of people have gone back to the Harley Davidson oil for this, it's been tried and proven for many years.

Tools and Items Needed

New oil
Oil collection pan
Socket wrench
Paper towels
Newspapers
Cardboard
Funnel
Jack stand
New oil filter (optional)

Preparing Your Motorcycle

Begin by mounting the bike up on its kick stand. If you have a separate jack stand that you can use to mount the rear of the bike up so tat you can better access the oil, this is a good idea as well. Place a set of newspapers around on the ground where you'll be working, as the oil can sometimes shoot out and cause a mess. Wait until the engine has cooled down significantly but not until it's completely cool before you continue.

Drain the Old Oil
The first thing you need to do is to drain the old oil from the Softail. Unscrew the filler cap by hand. This will cause the oil to settle at the bottom of the oil pan in the motorcycle, which in turn will make it drain more easily. Then place the oil collection pan underneath the oil container so that you'll be able to collect the oil in one place. Unscrew the drain plug by hand, but be cautious and go slowly. The oil will begin to drip into the collection pan. Use a piece of cardboard to channel the oil into the pan. Allow the oil to drain completely over several minutes.

Check and Change the Filter, (Optional)
Remove the oil filter. Use a socket wrench to unscrew it, then allow it to drain into the pan as well. Examine the filter for signs of damage and corrosion. If there are any signs that it is damaged or worn, replace it with a new filter. Otherwise, place the oil filter back onto the motorcycle. There are some filters that will not need to be changed as often as the oil in your bike, but it's good practice to check on them every time you change the oil.

Replace the Oil
Replace the drain plug and make sure that the oil container is secure. Place the funnel in the top of the oil container and then pour in new oil into the container. Be sure to follow the instructions in your Harley Davidson owner's manual to determine exactly how much oil will be necessary for your motorcycle.

The Harley Davidson Softail relies, like other motorcycles, on brake pads to help it stop in a controlled and efficient fashion. Without proper brake pads that function well, your Softail will not be safe to ride. In order to maintain the safety of your vehicle, plan to replace the brake pads every 2000 or 3000 miles, or whenever the brakes become sluggish and unresponsive. You can change the brake pads at home in a short period of time and for little money by following these steps.

Tools and Items Needed

New brake pads
Allen wrench
Screwdriver
Cleaning spray
Pliers

Preparing Your Motorcycle

If you've recently had the engine of your Softail on, allow it to cool for several hours before you attempt to remove the brake pads. Working with heated brake pads can cause injury and make the process unnecessarily difficult. Once the engine has cooled, mount the bike so that you'll have access to both sides of it.

Remove the Caliper Bolts

Use the Allen wrench to unscrew the caliper bolts so that they can be removed. Set them aside so that you can replace them later. if your Softail has retaining clips to hold the calipers in place instead of standard caliper bolts, turn the retaining clips around until the ends of the clips jut out. Pull out the clips by the ends using the set of pliers, then set the clips aside so that you can replace them later also.

Remove and Clean the Calipers

Pull out the calipers by hand or by using a screwdriver to pry them out. Examine them for signs of cracks, or other damage. If they do show signs of damage, remove them completely and throw them away replacing them with new ones. If not, use the cleaning spray to clean off any dirt or debris that may be in the way of the calipers.

Remove the Pads and Clean the Pistons

Take out the brake pads on either side by hand. Depress the brake pedal on the Softail so that all of the air is forced out of the brake caliper pistons. Once the pistons have fully expelled the air out of the system, use the cleaning spray to clean both the pistons and the spring sets as well. Having accomplished that, next push the pistons back into the brake calipers using the screwdriver tip.

Replace the Pads

Place the new brake pads into the set position in the brake system. Fit the calipers back over them and fix the calipers in place by tightening the caliper bolts once again with the Allen wrench, or by attaching the retaining pins and turning them so that they're secure. Before you attempt to start up your Softail once again, depress the brake pedal to make sure that it will work properly. Then remove the motorcycle from the mount and test drive it slowly in a careful way and a safe area to be sure that the brakes work