Road Smith Diff Oil Change

[bikerbillone]

Posting this here as well as the 'other' forum......Any suggestions on a simple way to change the differential oil on a Road Smith with aux fuel tank? It is tight under there, real tight. 2005 GW with 2012 conversion.

[Gold Rush]

Posting this here as well as the 'other' forum......Any suggestions on a simple way to change the differential oil on a Road Smith with aux fuel tank? It is tight under there, real tight. 2005 GW with 2012 conversion.

Bill, I don't know if your conversion has the same arrangement as my 2015. Roadsmith chassis haven't changed much so hopefully it is. Here is a pix of the access hole at the rear of the trike (see the RED) used to drain/check level/add fluid. You have to use a suction device to remove to old fluid. Your owner manual give you some help/advise/warnings. I hope that helped..

[bikerbillone]

Thanks gold, looks familiar, but the manual I got with my conversion doesn't tell me much except the 9 bolt and the ten bolt rear cover fluid level, one pic showing the 'red' plug, no info on 'when' to change, no 'how to' help. Soon as I get the time, I run it up on the two car racks, get up under there and see if there's a way. If I get it on the racks, I'm thinking that's gonna make the fluid level uneven and that will screw up the drain and add. I may wind up taking it to the Daytona Trike Shop to get it done. I'd rather not do that.

[Phu Cat]

Gold Rush,I'm curious about your changing the oil on your rear end. Does your instruction manual require it? Then by all means, do it. But if not, why change it as oil never wears out. Is there something unique about your type of rear end?

I have a lot of money invest in my bike too and want to give it the best care possible if that's where you're coming from. Sure understand that. If that's the case, change away.

PC

[bikerbillone]

What I've learned so far, since 2009 it's a Ford application differential, for the car the recommendation is change every 50K miles, since the diff is used in a trike, that mileage can be extended. The Trike Shop charges around $60 for that job. From old information I can find, it takes about one quart, hope that's good info, helpful since it's difficult to get your finger down there to figure the 1 inch below the filler hole.

[Gold Rush]

Gold Rush,I'm curious about your changing the oil on your rear end. Does your instruction manual require it? Then by all means, do it. But if not, why change it as oil never wears out. Is there something unique about your type of rear end?

I have a lot of money invest in my bike too and want to give it the best care possible if that's where you're coming from. Sure understand that. If that's the case, change away.

PC

Here is a copy/paste from the owner manual.. You are correct in that it says nothing about replacing. Just checking and associated info.

Differential Fluid

Under normal driving conditions you should check the differential fluid by removing the fill/inspection plug. If the plug is rubber it can be removed with a screw driver.

If it is a metal plug with a “star-slot,” the plug can be removed by inserting the square end of a one-half inch extension for a ratchet wrench. For differentials with a 9-bolt rear cover, the fluid level should be one-half inch below the fill/inspection hole. For differentials with a 10-bolt rear cover, the fluid level should be one inch below the fill hole. (DO NOT overfill the 10-bolt differential – the fluid will leak through the breather vent – these differentials are filled with 1qt of fluid from the factory). This should be checked annually, or if you notice a leak.



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Thanks gold, looks familiar, but the manual I got with my conversion doesn't tell me much except the 9 bolt and the ten bolt rear cover fluid level, one pic showing the 'red' plug, no info on 'when' to change, no 'how to' help. Soon as I get the time, I run it up on the two car racks, get up under there and see if there's a way. If I get it on the racks, I'm thinking that's gonna make the fluid level uneven and that will screw up the drain and add. I may wind up taking it to the Daytona Trike Shop to get it done. I'd rather not do that.

Hey Bill, if you have a small floor jack you can slip it under the front of the engine right where the case halves meet and raise the front to match the rear.... I use that lifting point a lot.

Have since I started riding GL1800s 15 years ago...

[bikerbillone]

Thanks Gold, I have that information in my manual. Good tip and I can raise the front of my trike just not sure I can get to the plugs for drain and fill even if I get my body under there. I might try getting the two rear tires up on a couple two by 4's and raise the rear a bit, then raise the front if I can get jack under the front of the motor. This will probably be a challenge.

[Gold Rush]

Thanks Gold, I have that information in my manual. Good tip and I can raise the front of my trike just not sure I can get to the plugs for drain and fill even if I get my body under there. I might try getting the two rear tires up on a couple two by 4's and raise the rear a bit, then raise the front if I can get jack under the front of the motor. This will probably be a challenge.

Sounds like you need a set of my homemade ramps !

[bikerbillone]

Have I seen them? Made from 3, 2 bys with angle cut of the front?

[Gold Rush]

Have I seen them? Made from 3, 2 bys with angle cut of the front?

YUP. Them is it.... Word GREAT, inexpensive to build, and last a long time. I built mine in 2010 right after I converted my '06 to a Motor Trike Adventure. I've lost track of the many different trikes that have graced their decks.

I built mine entirely out of scrap lumber but even to buy the materials new I'd expect less than $30.