Oil Level Check

[Peteg]

Do you check the dip stick based on the screwed in level, or do you take it out wipe it off and dip it in with the threads out?

On another note I'm glad I don't need a new rear tire. That looks like an interesting project.

[Valker]

All projects are interesting the first time, at least. Dipstick wiped off, drop it in, set the bike upright, check the dipstick. Check with it unscrewed. Tires aren't bad. The only normal jobs that are really frustrating are alternator R&R, U-joint boot, and reinstalling the airbox. The rest are usually just turning bolts.

[Chrisj CMA]

Do you check the dip stick based on the screwed in level, or do you take it out wipe it off and dip it in with the threads out?

On another note I'm glad I don't need a new rear tire. That looks like an interesting project.

If you check the oil right after changing and you know you put in 4 qts it matters not how you check it. Check it how you like and do it the same every time. Wherever it hits on the stick is the right place.

[RonW]

On another note I'm glad I don't need a new rear tire. That looks like an interesting project.

Perhaps build a ducky tire changer.

Duckbills are sold separately on ebay. Nylon. There also kits available for the entire assembly but not cheap. But with the price of metal nowadays, they're a good deal. Video here.

[The emperor has no clothes]

On another note I'm glad I don't need a new rear tire. That looks like an interesting project.

Perhaps build a ducky tire changer.

Duckbills are sold separately on ebay. Nylon. There also kits available for the entire assembly but not cheap. But with the price of metal nowadays, they're a good deal. Video here.

He’s probably more concerned with removing and reinstalling the rear wheel. Compared with other bikes of today it seems like a major overhaul. With all the greasing, o-rings, proper tightening procedure, etc.


Peteg, once you’ve done it, it doesn’t seem near as intimidating.

[Jess from VA]

Bike upright, dip dropped in but not screwed in.  And if you changed the filter (you should), it must be run (to fill the filter) then allowed to sit/settle before you can get an accurate reading.  After a hot oil draining (dip out and filler cap off for best venting), 4 quarts always works for me, but that is the proper checking procedure. 

[RonW]

"He’s probably more concerned with removing and reinstalling the rear wheel. Compared with other bikes of today it seems like a major overhaul. With all the greasing, o-rings, proper tightening procedure, etc."


Oh, okay. Yea there's a lot of other things to a tire change on a Valk. Anyways, I sawzall off the old tire.

[hubcapsc]

"He’s probably more concerned with removing and reinstalling the rear wheel. Compared with other bikes of today it seems like a major overhaul. With all the greasing, o-rings, proper tightening procedure, etc."


Oh, okay. Yea there's a lot of other things to a tire change on a Valk. Anyways, I sawzall off the old tire.

I put a steel belted five inch knobby on my CR500 once... I had to sawzall that off!

-Mike

[Challenger]

Checking oil is part of a normal routine, but after a few years it almost seems like a waist of time   Unless you have one of the ultra rare two cycle Valks, the oil level never changes  

[0leman]

I always thought that taking the rear end apart was fairly straight forward and easy.   Putting back together is another issue.   Sometimes everything goes right, and sometimes strange sounds come for the garage.   

[Peteg]

RonW, that duckbill looks cool, I"ll probably buy one in the future. It's funny though I use the HF bar that he says is an absolute P.O.S. I added an adjustable handle to give leverage and keep it from rotating and put a motion pro rim protector under it and tie wrap it to the bar. The rim protector really helps the bar to slide around easily in addition to protecting the rim.

I was referring to wheel removal as a potential  PITA. I like to do a lot of rigging, and I'm having thoughts of the bike with it's rear wheel 2' off the ground some time in the future.

[RonW]

"..... and put a motion pro rim protector under it and tie wrap it to the bar. The rim protector really helps the bar to slide around easily in addition to protecting the rim."


Best thing about Ducky is it's made of solid nylon eliminating the need for rim protectors. Duckies are used on professional tire changer machines but weren't as readily available to the general public.

Watch this video, if you like.

Some notes:

The ducky gets bolted to a mounting plate.




Bar rotated on axle.




Bar rotated on the Side of axle.




Ducky has a curvature molded on it that rides on the wheel's rim.




A problem with rotating the bar on the side of the axle is it makes the ducky un-concentric to the curvature of the wheel's rim (bottom graphic).




Examples of concentric adjusters. You could also slot one of the holes on the mounting plate to pivot the ducky to the proper angle.




A bar that is rotated on the axle will only fit one size wheel if the ducky is welded to the end of the bar. A horizontal adjuster allows it to fit other radius (radii).




Below, combined vertical and horizontal adjusters. The vertical adjuster also serves as a concentric adjuster.




The bar itself requires some offset to clear the brake disc, etc.




The ducky has an offset of its own and probably sufficient unless you plan on changing car tires.




If the bar has to be tilted to clear something, the ducky won't ride plumb around the rim, ducky being bolted 90° to the bar.




Many DIY-ers are utilizing this design that fits over a Harbor Freight center post. It's modeled after the Lucid tire changer attachment.
The Lucid won't work on a HF tire changer with a HF motorbike tire attachment. Graphic.




Lucid tire changer attachment. The ducky is no longer part of the bar. Instead the ducky is essentially bolted to a spoke and the bar is used to rotate the spoke.
Professional tire machines rotate the tire and keep the ducky stationary.




You actually pry the ducky around the rim this way, mostly. Here.




These duckies get attached to a vertical pipe with set screws.

[98valk]

"..... and put a motion pro rim protector under it and tie wrap it to the bar. The rim protector really helps the bar to slide around easily in addition to protecting the rim."


Best thing about Ducky is it's made of solid nylon eliminating the need for rim protectors. Duckies are used on professional tire changer machines but weren't as readily available to the general public.

thanks for info.  can you make this a separate tire changing post?

[-mike-]

You REALLY had to quote the whole post for your single line?

[Knapdog]

Not a lot of oil involved in this thread but, in fairness, lots of threads go off at a tangent.

[98valk]

You REALLY had to quote the whole post for your single line?

are you an anti-scoller?? 


fixed it.

[RonW]

".....thanks for info.  can you make this a separate tire changing post?"

The post was just for conversation and reading material (for the regular readers) stashed in the pages of another thread. Tangent. Anyways, with the price of metal, I doubt if anybody's gonna be building a ducky soon.


Meanwhile, some features of the Ducky.

The notch is what gives a piece of ordinary nylon the shape of a duckbill or duckhead. The notch provides an opening for the tire iron (pics below).




The notch facilitates sticking in a tire iron while the nylon material serves as a rim saver.




The notch also keeps the tire iron from slipping sideways off the ducky giving the tire iron a more positive feel.




Bottom view.




The duckhead is the trailing edge so the ducky is rotated counter-clockwise around the rim.




The duckhead goes under the bead to remove a tire. As the ducky is rotated around the wheel, the duckhead lifts the bead from the rim, the same thing done with tire irons but a bit more civilized.




To install a tire, the duckhead now goes on top of the tire bead. The tire bead gets nudged down into the rim as the ducky is rotated around the wheel.
The direction of rotation is always counter-clockwise whether installing or removing a tire.

[cookiedough]

I think technically oil change is 3.9qts. not 4 qts.  I usually, if I remember to,  sit on the bike while draining and tilt the cycle 3-4 times to the right as far as my right leg can hold it there for 20-30 seconds bike angled to the right and a few more ounces flows out.  Not sure it matters, but does not hurt any to get 2-3 more old ounces out of the crankcase.

[Jess from VA]

Those are dirtiest ounces in the crankcase.  And if you do that (lean it right and hold), then 4 quarts goes in and the the dip reading is dead center.

[98valk]

OIL CAPACITY: 3.7 liters (3.9 US qt, 3.3 Imp qt)
after draining/filter change
4.3 liters (4.5 US qt, 3.8 Imp q.t)
at disassembly
pg 3-10 tech manual

so there is always approx 0.5 qts left in the engine during an oil change.

[cookiedough]

Those are dirtiest ounces in the crankcase.  And if you do that (lean it right and hold), then 4 quarts goes in and the the dip reading is dead center.

well if no center stand,  then sidestand is leaning to the left for the oil crankcase so will always be a few ounces on the left side crankcase sitting if not lean the bike to the right side sitting on it for 20 seconds or so a few times in a row.  Once the 3rd or 4th time doing it rolls around and ONLY get drips out,not running/drizzling out still, then I give up not worth it anymore since by then my right leg holding up an 800lb. cycle at a 20 degree angle gets too weak...

[0leman]

I have a chuck of wood approximately 10X10X12 that allows me to lean over my Valk and set it on the it when changing oil. The crash bar sets on it.   That way I don't have to hold the critter while letting the last few drips to drain.   

[Cracker Jack]

I have a chuck of wood approximately 10X10X12 that allows me to lean over my Valk and set it on the it when changing oil. The crash bar sets on it.   That way I don't have to hold the critter while letting the last few drips to drain.   

I do the same thing except I use a 8x8 concrete block. I put a piece of 2x6 board on top to limit the lean angle and protect the bottom of the crash bar.

[RonW]

Lucid is having a tire changer give-a-way to promote his youtube channel, here. All that's required to enter is subscribe and leave a comment or if you're already subscribed leave a comment on the video link which can be anything like 'hello, how are you.' It's a car tire changer if you have a car. The Lucid won't work on a HF motorbike tire changer attachment. There are only 23 comments at this moment so if you're the 24th, the odds are just 24 to one in your favor.

Btw, Lucid isn't a huge conglomerate. It's instead a one man operation by a metal fabricator. The prize is replete with a ducky, thrust bearings, centering cone, bronze bushings, and other nice things under the Xmas tree, just trying to be jolly.