| Author | Message | ||
     Sslowmo |
now, i bought some plugs from harley. they are pre-gapped. i thought cool. but i check anyways. dam, they were right on. now, the problem came when i tried to put them in. how and the hell do you get to them. maybe get the front plug if i had a bendi tool. but the back plug, s%#t that looks impossible. so i look it up in the good book, and it doesn't show or say how? unless i missed it somewhere! it did say the little gap between the seat and the body work is where to get it from. WOW, that sucks. please, if anyone knows the secret, do tell....thanks. Aaron | ||
| U4euh |
Aaron, don't sweat it, real easy! for the rear- Get yourself a 9 inch wobble extension for a ratchet wrench. Put your plug socket on the end and voila! It may take a couple tries the first time, but once you see how it works it is easy! For the front cylinder, you have to use a different method. Open end box wrench works, BUT, if you have an AutoZone near you, go in and look at their tool aisle. Duralasts tool section get the flex head ratcheting 5/8 inch box end. Makes it real easy to change the front. | ||
| Midknyte |
The front cylinder can be threaded by hand. Use a length rubber fuel hose to start the rear cylinder (stick the plug into one end of the hose and snake it down thru the frame...) Please do not use the wobble or extension to start the plug so you do not cross thread them... | ||
| Midknyte |
and pick up some anti-seize & put a light coating on the plug threads... | ||
| Punkid8888 |
I just did it. the front plug is a not a big deal once the scoop is removed. just wrench it. The rear plug is horrible tho. I think most people will say its easy, and it really is but for your first time it will suck. I spent the better half of an hour and almost a six pack just getting the plug wire off. once thats done then sending the wobble and extention through the hole is not as bad as it seams As it was said tho do not use the wobble to start the plug, use a piece of hose. It will take a fews beers but you will get through it. | ||
| Sslowmo |
does taking off the air box and the base to it help? thought maybe you can get to the plugs better. | ||
| Punkid8888 |
it does to help get the wire off and it gives you a little bit more visability. But its still a Pain | ||
| Midknyte |
Taking off the airbox base is not necessary and does not really help. Don't waste the effort. | ||
| Etennuly |
The anti-sieze is REAL important. It is an aluminum head and a steel spark plug. Not only will it keep them from friction welding together, but it is a lubricant to help you screw them in by hand to make sure they don't cross thread or start badly. If you can't find a spark plug socket with a soft internal retainer to hold the plug just place a piece of masking tape across the opening of the socket. It will tighten the hex part of the plug in the socket so that it doesn't slide out. The wobble end extensions allow for about 30 degrees of side movement and makes removing the rear plug easy. The rear plug wire can be removed with a long pair of needle nose pliers. Just don't squeeze them any harder than necessary to pull the boot and wire off of the plug. Give it a little twist as you pull. The air box lower plate will be harder to reinstall than the whole plug job altogether. Don't remove it unless you really need to. Drink the beer after you do this job for the first time! | ||
| No_rice |
get a pair of the spark plug boot pliers. the best couple bucks i spent on XB tools. the plugs are not hard compared to getting the plug wires. i did the needle nose plier thing the first few times, and always ripped the boot trying to get the wire back on. the first time i used the spark plug boot pliers they paid for them self in the time and aggrevation it saved me | ||
| Etennuly |
No_rice, You are correct, I just happen to have a really long pair that are kind of more like a flat nose type. The boot pliers are the way to go. | ||
| Irideabuell |
I was able to get my hand under the frame to start the rear cylinder plug. Granted, I have small hands, but it sure was nice in the interest of not cross-threading it. I used the 3/8" hose to start it however and did take off the air box. It really wan't that big a deal. I used the Buell "race" plugs last time. Maybe it's in my head, but they seem to be an improvement. Has anyone else tried these plugs and noticed this? | ||
| Glitch |
Use a length rubber fuel hose to start the rear cylinder (stick the plug into one end of the hose and snake it down thru the frame... Nice tip! | ||
| Ccryder |
1: The 5/8" flex box end ratchet is a great idea (just make sure that your replacement plugs are also 5/8", if they are not 5/8", then they are 18mm, real hard to find!) Yes removal of the LSS is required. 2: The wobble extension still needs a universal, unless you hold your head just wrong, easier with the U-joint. (refer to comment on #1) 3: Don't forget the anti-seize, keep it off the tip but, don't forget the washer. A little goes a long ways. 4: Rubber hose to start the plug is a GREAT idea for us pudgy fingered Buelligans. 5: Remove the plug wire on the rear cylinder from the plug and coil, you can see better that way. 6: 9" 45deg long nose pliers are your friend. Use carefully to avoid tearing anything up. (Tubers were sooo much easier to change but, they had a few other down sides ;+} ) Time2Work Neil S. p.s. thanks for all the great help! | ||
| Peeping_jon |
where did you guys get your spark plug boot plires. my dad had these many moons ago but i have not been able to find any at local parts stores. thanks | ||
| Hdbobwithabuell |
I go ahead and remove the airbox base mainly to inspect all of the cable housings wires and anything else that can "rub together" for wear. | ||
| Aldaytona |
And if you remove the air box bottom you don't need that wobbly thingy...........  | ||
| Yohinan |
This is like a tech book for something so simple. It takes all of 10 minutes to remove and replace both plugs. Follow Ccryder's post and you should be good. In his case he uses a universal socket at the end of his wobble extension. I have never found the need for it and have changed plugs on all models of XB's countless times and never found the need for the universal. If your not a gigantic guy then you should be able to re-thread the rear plug just using the wobble extension and socket and guiding the plug by hand from underneath the frame. I guess a lot of guys here don't like to re-thread with the wobble but the countless times I have done it has never caused a mis-thread. If your not confident in your wobble skillz then don't use it for reinstalling. I don't use a spark plug boot plier either. I use the same tool as Ccryder, 9" 45 degree long nose pliers to remove the rear plug wire. Whatever you do please don't go through the trouble of removing the air box bottom. That is a ton more work than is required. I guess different strokes for different folks. | ||
| Treadmarks |
I go ahead and remove the airbox base mainly to inspect all of the cable housings wires and anything else that can "rub together" for wear. +1 on the inspection. Remove the airbox base (it only takes a couple of minutes). Check where your spark plug wires rub the frame, and where your idle adjustment cable rubs the cyl head. Make sure your spark plug wire is pushed all the way in the coil and look for carbon track where your wires were arching to the frame/motor mount. I went through 2 sets of plugs before I pulled the air box base and found the front cylinder plug wire was not all the way in the coil and my wires were rubbed through and arching to the frame. After replacing the stock wires with magnacors and a fresh set of plugs, the bike ran better than when new. | ||
| Sslowmo |
i love this place. thanks guys for all the info. will be doing the job this weekend. got all the suggested tools. | ||
| Rootintootin |
I don't remember the first time being that bad, but the rear plug seemed to be getting harder every time I pulled it. Pulling the plug end connector off a brand new wire was the last straw. I finally broke down and got a fancy set of plug boot pliers. Now I can give my inventory of cuss words a break. Treadmarks, Are the Magnecor wires longer than stock? Stock wires are too short for the inductive pick up on the dyno without removing the boot. A little extra length would make it easier. I had a set on my last bike, an EVO BT. Which flavor did you get? I plan to order a set today, probably their 8 mm. | ||
| Treadmarks |
Treadmarks, Are the Magnecor wires longer than stock? Stock wires are too short for the inductive pick up on the dyno without removing the boot. A little extra length would make it easier. I had a set on my last bike, an EVO BT. Which flavor did you get? I plan to order a set today, probably their 8 mm. Root, The difference in the wires is night and day. Better and longer wire with better clips and boots.   | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Where do you get them, and how much do they cost? Do I go with the fattest I can get? | ||
| Treadmarks |
http://www.magnecor.com/ bout 35 buckaroonies I went with 8mm | ||
| Sslowmo |
well, it's done . plugs job went smooth. front very nice with long needle nose pliers and box end flex ratchet. i bought the spark plug pliers but didn't use them. back plug was where all the time went. but used 9" bent at the end pliers. and i was able to start to tread the plug with my fingers. as soon as it was started, used wobble. finally got it and boot, air scoop reinstall about 1 hour. so, then i went for the brakes. brakes (Lyndall gold plus) took all of maybe half hour. and i was moving slow. can't wait to try them out. thanks to all those out there that has been there already. Aaron |
