What's behind the derby cover? If I take it off, am I going to get fluid on the ground? I geuss it probably explains everything in the service manual. I'm gonna buy one right now.

Stand your bike up as much as possible. You shouldn't get to much of a leak. It should be below the bottom edge.

changed mine Saint, just little oil comes out. Like Barry said stand it upright if ya can and it will be a snap :D

Thanks guys!

Make sure you buy the manual though, It's full of valuable info. Almost as much as this place.

Make sure you buy the manual though, It's full of valuable info. Almost as much as this place.

Took care of that! Thanks!

I would just like to mention, make sure you follow the torque spec's. The manual doenst call for much and if you over tighten you will be sorry. Just a heads up for someone that hasnt done this before

I would just like to mention, make sure you follow the torque spec's. The manual doenst call for much and if you over tighten you will be sorry. Just a heads up for someone that hasnt done this before

My 05 manual states the torque setting at 80inch/lbs. I broke 2 torx bits and stripped the head out of one screw before I even got to 20inch/lbs. I then gave up and hand tightened them with one finger, no leaks or missing screws after 500km!! I now have a torx screw to remove before the next oil change :frownthre

The o-ring will prevent any leaks with moderate tightening. I've heard so many stories of folks striping threads on their derby cover when they were just going by the manual. Just tighten them till they feel snug and you'll be fine.

BTW: The service manual tells you that you should remove the derby cover to set the right level for the primary fluid. It's a whole lot easier and safer to leave the derby cover alone when you change your primary fluid. Just drain the old fluid, then add 28 ounces of oil through the chain inspection cover. It will be close enough to the correct level and you don't have to worry about stripping any threads or unseating the o-ring.

Gary

You probably were torquing to ft/lbsand not inch/lbs. 7 ft/lbs(is about 80 inch pounds) is not very much but 80 ft pounds almost requires an extension on the wrench to get that much torque. We used 80 ft/lbs on airplane props with a 4 ft extension. It is sometimes nice to know which tool you have in your hand.

Manual Smanual!
I don't torque the small Derby or any small bolts. I just snug them with reasonable pressure, one across from the other, uniformly. I don't put loctite on them suckers either. They have never loosened, and I never have problems removing them. I've heard too many stories regarding stripped small torx bolts on covers. That reminds me! I need to call Harley Davidson in the morning and tell them to forget about all this small bolt torqing mumbo jumbo! It just adds a lot of extra reading pages in the manual. By Gawd!
Billy Ain'ttorqenthesmallstuff

Have to agree with the general consencious... Tighten them just snugly!!

My drby cover on my Buell chop had been torqued like hell by the previous owner and it was a major bee-atch to get off, stripped 2 bolts, etc. etc.

Also, good measure would be to replace the rubber o-ring, and have the bike upright when you rmove it, like on a lift, then you shouldn't get any primary fluid out.

One last note, the new Harley synthetic oil can be used as primary fluid and works great. Good luck mate,

Walt