Champion s/a fluid change.

[Shimpy]

It's recommended to change the differential fluid every 30,000 miles. I'm coming up on that soon and after looking at it I'm wondering how to get the new fluid in better than squirting it in with an oil can. The filler hole is horizontal with the ground and no way to get a funnel there and pour it in.

I'll use the squirt can unless someone can give me a better idea.

[pcombe]

It's recommended to change the differential fluid every 30,000 miles. I'm coming up on that soon and after looking at it I'm wondering how to get the new fluid in better than squirting it in with an oil can. The filler hole is horizontal with the ground and no way to get a funnel there and pour it in.

I'll use the squirt can unless someone can give me a better idea.

New one on me my Champion differential is grease filled.

[hogcowboy]

It would take two people but get a small funnel and enough tubing that fit the funnel an inside the opening. Making a very long funnel. Then someone hold the tubing in the opening and the other on top pouring in the funnel. Did I make that clear? Seems too wordy but maybe you can get my drift. Make a long funnel is the short form.

[cavie]

New one on me my Champion differential is grease filled.

It's filled with 70 to 90 w gear oil.

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Small cheap pump attached to a drill with some clear hose. This was supposed to ben in a separate post. I have had the hic ups for a few days???

[Solidbob]

I have just installed this in my Roadsmith rear end / just in love with the new Synthetics...... I put a hole thru the bottom of trunk just large enough for the clear tubing that fit the bottle very tightly and let it gravity flow with a little help every once in a while. When I was thru I used one of my bait well snap plugs to close the hole til next time. Oil can would break your fingers as this is 75W-90 and a funnel you'll need a nap.... thankfully on my R/S if you get the hole drilled in the right spot it makes a straighter shot and the plug is under the carpet..... but that's just me..... FYI

Most quality auto parts stores and even Walmart carries this.....

SynPower® Full Synthetic Gear Oil

Formulated for ultimate protection and performance

• Contains additives to assist in protecting gear teeth
• Maintains excellent low temperature fluid protection down to -50°F (-46°C)
• Provides outstanding thermal stability for cleanliness and longer service life
• Contains special additives to reduce chattering in limited-slip differentials
• Recommended for (conventional and limited slip) manual transmissions where an API GL-5 or MT-1 fluid is specified
• Protects parts from rust and corrosion
• Compatible with conventional gear lubricants

[pcombe]

Champion s/a fluid change.

Was the subject of the original post.

perhaps I missed something?

------------------------------------------------------

Taken from champion website, check out item # 4

This is for my trike!

-------------------------------------------------------

TRIKE CONVERSION KIT

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

®

FLH/FLT & SOFTAIL (FLST)

Champion Trikes

(800) 875 0949

www.championtrikes.com

Page 1 of 2 Revision 12 November 2008

Owner’s Maintenance Notes

1.

Tire Pressure and Rotation:

Keep the nominal tire pressure at about 20-25psig. It is not necessary to periodically rotate the trike tires unless you

experience unusual tire wear.

2.

Bearing Lubrication.

Your Swing Arm, external differential and axle bearings are sealed and do not require greasing. However, should you

experience unusual differential or axle bearing noise you should take your trike to a Champion Trike Dealer or to your

motorcycle mechanic for a checkup.

3.

Body Lubrication.

There are no grease fittings on the trike body and no required body lubrication points.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.

Differential lubrication.

Your differential is a sealed unit and comes filled with high-pressure grease.

No maintenance is required.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5.

Brakes.

Check your brake system fluid level every 3,000 miles and top-off as necessary. Inspect rear disc brake pads every 10,000

miles and replace as necessary. Pads are Volkswagen Part # D101P

6.

Drive Train.

Inspect your drive belt as recommended in your motorcycle Owner’s Manual. When properly tensioned after the trike

conversion, the belt should “deflect” about 1/2 to 5/8 inches when pressed with a force of 10 pounds. Do not use

commercial belt dressing compounds on the belt: these compounds are designed for friction, not toothed, belts and can

collect dirt and sand.

7.

Suspension System.

FLH/FLT

: The suspension system retains your two OEM shocks and is designed to give you the best ride with a load

of no more than 500 pounds (passengers plus cargo plus trailer tongue weight). Keep the air pressure in the shocks in the

range of 30-70 psig:

Softail (FLST)

: The suspension system retains your single OEM shock and adds two coil-over “helper” mechanical

shocks. The system is designed to give you the best ride with a load of no more than 500 pounds (passengers plus cargo

plus trailer tongue weight).

There is a pre-load adjuster ring on each new shock that is factory-set at the “lowest” setting,

for the softest ride. Changing this setting will result in a stiffer ride.

8.

EZ-Steer (rake kit):

If your trike is equipped with Champion’s EZ-Steer, the bearings are a wear item. You should follow your motorcycle

manufacturer’s recommended front-end triple-tree maintenance requirements. Generally these call for an initial service at

1,000 miles followed by periodic maintenance at 10,000 mile intervals.

9.

Electrical:

TRIKE CONVERSION KIT

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

®

FLH/FLT & SOFTAIL (FLST)

Champion Trikes

(800) 875 0949

www.championtrikes.com

Page 2 of 2 Revision 12 November 2008

Your trike is pre-wired for a trailer connection.

The harness is just below the trunk door on the underside of the body. The

wiring is as follows: (Please confirm color coding on your Trike)

Old Harness New Universal Harness

(From Mid 2007)

Running lights Confirm by testing BROWN

Brake lights RED RED

Turn signal, right GREEN GREEN

Turn signal, left YELLOW YELLOW

Accessory BLUE BLUE

Ground Confirm by testing

(White or Black) BLACK

10.

Basic Motorcycle Maintenance.

You should follow the periodic maintenance requirements prescribed in your motorcycle Owner’s Manual for those

components and systems not replaced by the Champion Trike Conversion Kit. Your trike kit should be checked by a

professional trike conversion company every 5,000 miles. Every 10,000 miles you should check the trike kit fasteners for

tightness.

11.

Specifications

Overall Length: 66”

Body Length: 92”

Wheel Base: 53”

Load Capacity: 620 Lb

Tire Size (15”): 205 / 70 / R15

Wheel Size (15”) (4 lug) Offset +35 mm 15x7JJ 4x4.5 – (Current Installations – Alum Rear End)

Wheel Size (15”) (5 lug) Offset +35 mm 15x7JJ 5x4.5 – (Later Installations – Black Rear End)

Tire Size (16”) 215 / 60 / R16

Wheel Size (16”) (5 lug) Offset +40 mm 16x7JJ 5x4.5 – (First Installations – Black Rear End)

Tire Pressure: 20 PSI

Suspension: See paragraph 7 above

Rear Differential: Custom-built rear differential utilizing OEM drive belt.

Brakes: Original front plus 2 high performance disc brakes at rear.

Storage Capacity: 3.75 cubic feet. 2 full-face helmets and additional storage.

[cavie]

The difference is Honda VS Harley. Different rear ends. Drive shaft VS belt

[pcombe]

The difference is Honda VS Harley. Different rear ends. Drive shaft VS belt

That makes sense, I guess I just never had a reason to consider it before? I've worked on other trikes but never a Honda. Thanks for the education Cavie.

Tell me? does anyone make a greased filled differential and marry it to a drive shaft housing? It sticks in my mind I may have heard of one before but I cant bring it to mind at the moment? Perhaps it was a nightmare?

I would think its possible and a body would only have to service the drive line and housing, much easier I would think?

I did a repair on the shaft housing on a 1700 Kawasaki trike but don't remember the particulars except it was a real bugger because the guy who built it didn't torque any bolts or use lock tight and the whole setup pulled out and stripped the bolts and housing threads.

[Shimpy]

It's filled with 70 to 90 w gear oil.- Updated - - -

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??

My Champion kit is a 2010 or 2011 and I was told it was a Nisson by installer.

My instructions that came with the kit from Champion called for 85w140 api GL-6 gear oil to be changed every 30,000 to 35,000 miles. Just try to find GL-6 gear oil. GL-5 is the highest wear rating available anywhere that I looked. After googling it I learned that GL-6 is mostly discontinued and is the highest wear rating made. I was able to buy a quart on the internet called TORCO GL-6 racing and high performance oil. Putting it in looks like going to be a pita though.

[Mick]

If you could go to a 80-140 this might be another option. With my trike I get one of those pumps for the tops of the bottles with a hose and just pump it in while laying underneath her while shes jacked up. Not the easiest but I figure every few years or so,no biggie. But the part that doesnt make sense to me is owning cars and trucks and vans all these years I can only remember changing out rear end fluid once in over 40 something years. I cant imagine our trikes overstressing the oil on those gears.

Red Line Synthetic Gear Oil





Brand: Red Line Synthetic Oil

RedLine Gear Oils protect gears under much higher temperatures than any petroleum oil can. They can even reduce differential temperatures by 10 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while improving driveline efficiency.

• 75W85 Gear Oil (formerly LightWeight) is light enough to reduce frictional power losses in racing or street differentials. It is not recommended for synchro transmissions due to extreme slipperiness. Meets GL-5 specifications. 75W85 is suitable for use in FF1600 and FF2000 dog-ring transaxles.
  
• 75W90 Gear Oil is recommended for most street and racing differentials including limited-slip units.
  
  Contains friction modifiers for smooth operation of limited-slip differentials. It is not recommended for synchro transmissions due to extreme slipperiness. Meets GL-5+ and GL-6 protection ratings. Replaces BMW SAF-XO and SAFX-LS differential fluids for non-LSD.
  
• 75W110 Gear Oil is a new intermediate viscosity offering better film strength and noise reduction compared to 75W90 without the increased drag of 75W140. Developed on the racetrack, but also popular in light trucks. Meets GL-5+ specifications. Not recommended for synchro transmissions due to extreme slipperiness. Suitable for clutch-type LSD.
  
• 75W140 Gear Oil is an excellent all-weather gear oil for cars and light trucks. It is not recommended for synchro transmissions due to extreme slipperiness. Meets GL-5 and GL-6 specifications.
  
  Replaces BMW SAF-XJ differential fluid for non-LSD.
  
• 80W140 Gear Oil is similar to 75W90 but is suitable for heavily-loaded and low-speed differentials. It is not recommended for synchro transmissions due to extreme slipperiness. Meets GL-5+ and GL-6 ratings.
  
• MTL Manual Transmission Lubricant is a 75W80 gear oil suitable for use in street and racing transmissions. Balanced friction speeds synchro engagement for faster shifting when warm; low temperature flow similar to an ATF improves cold shifting. Excellent protection for synchros, gears, and bushings. Meets GL-4 specifications. Use in place of 75W, 80W, or 75W80 gear oil; SAE 30, 10W30, or 5W30 motor oil; or ATF in manual gearboxes. Red Line MT-90 (Part No. 3344) is similar to MTL, but rated as a 75W90 gear lube; Red Line MT-85 (Part No. RL016) is rated as a 75W85 gear lube.
  

[Solidbob]

I have just installed this in my Roadsmith rear end / just in love with the new Synthetics...... I put a hole thru the bottom of trunk just large enough for the clear tubing that fit the bottle very tightly and let it gravity flow with a little help every once in a while. When I was thru I used one of my bait well snap plugs to close the hole til next time. Oil can would break your fingers as this is 75W-90 and a funnel you'll need a nap.... thankfully on my R/S if you get the hole drilled in the right spot it makes a straighter shot and the plug is under the carpet..... but that's just me..... FYI

Most quality auto parts stores and even Walmart carries this.....

SynPower® Full Synthetic Gear Oil

Formulated for ultimate protection and performance

• Contains additives to assist in protecting gear teeth
• Maintains excellent low temperature fluid protection down to -50°F (-46°C)
• Provides outstanding thermal stability for cleanliness and longer service life
• Contains special additives to reduce chattering in limited-slip differentials
• Recommended for (conventional and limited slip) manual transmissions where an API GL-5 or MT-1 fluid is specified
• Protects parts from rust and corrosion
• Compatible with conventional gear lubricants

For Roadsmith owners your only required to check fluid level annually, mine hit 75K this year, its spring and cool still, so I decided a change was happening... should be good for a long time now.... if no noticable leaks will check in a few years... Valvoline also make GL6 75w-140 in Synthetic

[Judge Judy]

It's recommended to change the differential fluid every 30,000 miles. I'm coming up on that soon and after looking at it I'm wondering how to get the new fluid in better than squirting it in with an oil can. The filler hole is horizontal with the ground and no way to get a funnel there and pour it in.
I'll use the squirt can unless someone can give me a better idea.

I really have no idea what I am talking about, but would something like this work? Just trying to help...

http://t.harborfreight.com/gear-oil-....google.com%2F

[pcombe]

I really have no idea what I am talking about, but would something like this work? Just trying to help...

http://t.harborfreight.com/gear-oil-....google.com%2F

Use a suction gun?
It looks like a grease gun but will suck up oil and squirt it back out. Cheap to buy.

[Shimpy]

I really have no idea what I am talking about, but would something like this work? Just trying to help...

http://t.harborfreight.com/gear-oil-....google.com%2F

Great idea. I'll be going to Harbor Freight Monday to check it out. Thanks.

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Use a suction gun?
It looks like a grease gun but will suck up oil and squirt it back out. Cheap to buy.

I'll be looking into that Monday at Harbor Freight. Thanks

[bikerbillone]

I have just installed this in my Roadsmith rear end / just in love with the new Synthetics...... I put a hole thru the bottom of trunk just large enough for the clear tubing that fit the bottle very tightly and let it gravity flow with a little help every once in a while. When I was thru I used one of my bait well snap plugs to close the hole til next time. Oil can would break your fingers as this is 75W-90 and a funnel you'll need a nap.... thankfully on my R/S if you get the hole drilled in the right spot it makes a straighter shot and the plug is under the carpet..... but that's just me..... FYI

Most quality auto parts stores and even Walmart carries this.....

SynPower® Full Synthetic Gear Oil

Formulated for ultimate protection and performance

• Contains additives to assist in protecting gear teeth
• Maintains excellent low temperature fluid protection down to -50°F (-46°C)
• Provides outstanding thermal stability for cleanliness and longer service life
• Contains special additives to reduce chattering in limited-slip differentials
• Recommended for (conventional and limited slip) manual transmissions where an API GL-5 or MT-1 fluid is specified
• Protects parts from rust and corrosion
• Compatible with conventional gear lubricants

Bob, now that's a very good idea, I'll be thinking on that. I've been trying to figure out how I'm gonna get that done on my RS. Not being a fisherman, that bait well snap plug confuses me, where do I get that thing? At how many miles did you do the change?

[cavie]

I really have no idea what I am talking about, but would something like this work? Just trying to help...

http://t.harborfreight.com/gear-oil-....google.com%2F

yep, that will do it. I have the red version shown on the upper right.

[Mick]

Great idea. I'll be going to Harbor Freight Monday to check it out. Thanks.

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I'll be looking into that Monday at Harbor Freight. Thanks

Thats the same kind of pump I use for the differential,except I got mine at Advance auto. Works like a charm.

[Shimpy]

PROBLEM SOLVED..........Thanks everyone for suggestions. This site is the gold standard for trike info.

[Solidbob]

Bob, now that's a very good idea, I'll be thinking on that. I've been trying to figure out how I'm gonna get that done on my RS. Not being a fisherman, that bait well snap plug confuses me, where do I get that thing? At how many miles did you do the change?

Could have probally done more miles but I wanted to see if the Synthetic would quiet down the rear end... what noise there was is now gone..... 75,000 was where I planned to do it and did.
Academy sports or any fishing boating store. There's a few on this page.... depends on the size of clear tubing you use, I made it snug so it would also hold the tubing in place.... Leaves a little bump under the carpet but I seem to carry nothing flat anyway.

http://www.academy.com/shop/browse/b.../_/N-635907666

[bikerbillone]

Thanks Bob, and shimpy, how did you solve your problem, just curious.