Changing the primary fluid on Lilia, my 2018 Sportster Iron. Easier than I expected. Mostly.
The brick trick
The bike has to be straight up, not leaning on the kickstand, so the fluid is level when you refill.
I wanted to use my stand to lift the bike, put her in first, and lock the forks. The stand wouldn't go low enough under the bike.
So: a typical brick under the kickstand. Stand the bike up, then let it back down onto the brick. That's straight enough to do the primary change.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Draining the primary
Oil pan right under the primary. Down there is a 16mm bolt. That's the primary drain bolt.
Socket and ratchet. Make sure you're turning the right way. I almost tightened it. Give it a heave and it breaks loose.
Metal shavings on the drain plug?
The magnetic drain plug had what looked like metal shavings on it.
Is that just part of the oil, or is she eating herself alive? I cleaned it off for a better look and said I'd keep a closer eye on it. With the number of problems I've had with this Sportster, it wouldn't have surprised me.
Update: I asked my brother, who's fluent in Harley. He said it's normal. Carry on.
Refilling
Plug back in, tightened.
To fill, you use the smaller filler cover, not the big primary cover. I used a driver with a nice handle for leverage. There are little O-rings under it. Keep track of those.
Under there you can see the primary chain and clutch area. You need a funnel.
I used 20W50, about a quart and a half. Call me paranoid, I don't always trust recommended specs. Don't overfill it, or it'll cavitate and make bubbles.
Lube the O-rings, cover back on, off the brick.
