| Author | Message | ||
     Preybird1 |
Well i dont like the dealer ship either but it is cheaper for them to to the work on my forks after i take them off! Than it is for me to buy the tools to do it. Also they said they would install the oil pump drive gear for $55 and the forks for $75. I am considering doing this but i was unsure and wanted a couple opinion's | ||
| Tazmania720 |
My take is do everything you are sure you can do yourself. If you are not sure, take it in. | ||
| Jramsey |
$55.00 to do the oil pump drive gear? Are you sure that's not just the price of the gear? Most stealerships charge $80.00+ per hour. | ||
| Preybird1 |
Yeah i know the tech out there and i know the service manager there as well. So i get a discount because they tried to rip me off for a exhaust valve job a long time ago! | ||
| Buellistic |
Two of the most DANGEROUS thing in the BUELL WORLD: 1. A HARLEY-DAVIDSON "technician" working on your BUELL !!! 2. A HARLEY-DAVIDSON "ORIENTATED" person giving you advise on your BUELL !!! Dealers are independent from the factory and they(factory) will even tell you to take your BUELL to another Dealer if said dealer can not/will not fix your BUELL ... | ||
| Ratbuell |
Just to be the other side of the coin - not all dealers are "stealers". There are quite a few out there (and here on BadWeb) who will do the job right, and take care of your Buell like it was their own. Like anything else in life - use common sense, do your research, and make an EDUCATED decision. | ||
| Fullauto |
From personal experience, do 'em yourself. I thought the oil pump drive gear would be a bit tiresome but it wasn't and it was an education. My forks are just about to come out for a service and oil change ( bought all the front fork parts a while ago ) and maybe the seal driver is all I'll need. | ||
| Court |
Precisely my experience. | ||
| Ducxl |
but it is cheaper for them to to the work on my forks after i take them off! Than it is for me to buy the tools to do it. I used to do my own(with a little ingenuity,no special tools).Then I found GMD Computrack.Worth the $220 each set.I quoted a price of $600. for all of the needed tools from Motion-Pro recently.But without a useful solvent tank to clean the parts it seemed prohibitively expensive.Even considering i have 3 sets of forks. On a whim,i spent the $75 a dealer charged two years ago.They F@$ked up.THey jack hammered(impact driven) the caps back on. That right there is a no-no. Two weeks ago,GMD Computrack(whilst doing service)had to replace those caps. They were so tight that the hex became rounded from removal.THey're supposed to have VERY VERY low torque,no impacting to install.Dum-Dums the dealer was.I'm not so angry with my dealer,but i discretely let them know about it (Message edited by ducxl on February 28, 2009) | ||
| Eshardball |
Do the work yourself. You may take longer but you will know that it was done right if you take your time. If speciatly tools are needed, they may be available for loan from some of our fellow Bad webbers since they comprise some of the best people on the planet. Make what ever tools that you can. | ||
| Kyrocket |
I enjoy doing my own work. Planning on splitting my cases today. Not only will you have a greater working knowledge of what you are riding, more experience to diagnose future problems and an overall greater respect for the bike but you will also have a bunch of cool tools in your toolbox. I take much longer than a dealer but my personal experiences locally have been much less than stellar but if things are scratched I know I did it but I also know things were done right and not rushed to get to lunch or the weekend. If you're mechanically inclined and have a FSM then these things aren't that hard. | ||
| Ducxl |
I agree with doing your own work. Like cutting my pistons  I geeked a fork tube once and became shy to working on forks.Cost me $120. to replace the outer tube due to incompetence.I'm learning | ||
| Thunderhead |
wouldnt a guy be able to make his own seal driver using some pvc cut in the right places? i am wondering because i want to replace the seals and lower the forks as well before i burn my bike to the ground.i at least want it all ok before i have my buell burning party. | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
I have used PVC and fence pipe. Both work but the fence piping work very good with some duct tape for scratch protection and hose clamps for rigidity. Work it up and down  Done. Also I'm going to tackle my Oil Pump gear myself. Just ordered the upgraded pump today from chicagoharley.com $150.44 That's with a 20% discount no tax and under $10 for shipping Now I just have to wait 2 weeks for it to come in. Good thing it's 25 degrees and snow is on the way! No hurry here | ||
| Dave_02_1200 |
I dislike the word "stealership". We need good dealers who can sell us new bikes and stock parts and give us quality service when we need it. The bikes and parts are the same wherever you buy them but the service is another matter. Find out which dealers have good service and support them. A good service department is what makes all the difference between a good ownership experience and an expensive nightmare. The service department is key from new bike set-up to ongoing maintenance and later with big repairs if needed. That said, I do most of my own service but, if the need arises, I will go to a reputable dealer with a Buell-oriented service department and gladly pay a fair price for a quality job. | ||
| Xodot |
I have a nasty habit of figuring I can tackle any job so I start out with confidence and a new tool or two just for the job. I will get advice (like from the guys on this site) and I'll study the manual real close. Sometimes it works like a charm and I save a bundle and feel good. Then I'll snap a bolt and I'll pay $+++ to get my incompetence corrected. For me the rule has become: know your limit, wrench within it! | ||
| Jramsey |
Preybird, I called Topeka H-D over the weekend and for the oil pump drive gear replacement for a 1200 Sportster I was quoted 4-1/2 hrs. labor at $70.00 per hr. plus parts, provided the cams didn't fall out, and if that happens they cut the pushrods and tubes out and replace with adjustables at your expense. | ||
| Ducxl |
and if that happens they cut the pushrods and tubes out and replace with adjustables at your expense. HACK JOBS .EVERYONE knows the proper way is to remove the lower rockerboxes.But to do that,the stealership would add labor(and parts) cost. And what's the added cost of adjustable pushrods? If my cams "fell out" i'd EXPECT lower rocker box removal. ...IF i were paying someone to do the job | ||
| Kyrocket |
I hate to be a pessimist but I would wager a bet that not many cams stay put. | ||
| Preybird1 |
LOL cut push rods and tubes??? That is the stupidest think i have ever heard of. I would just do what AL at American Sport Bike said to do. When the cover is loosened and before you pull it off all the way get a putty knife and slide the cams back onto the motor side so they don't fall out. The stealership would say they fell out even if they didn't! Cutting things is retarded and you have to take the lower rocker boxes off to install new pushrod's and tubes anyways so why not do it the correct way and just not let the cam's fall out. Or tear down the rocker's. I would not want to do the rocker's unless absolutely necessary. | ||
| Eboos |
I may be wrong, but the length of time for that quote seems like how long it would take with the rocker box removal, in which case you wouldn't need to worry about having to cut the tubes and rods. I suggest taking it to another dealer. | ||
| Court |
Unless something has changed dramatically you'll have to travel a long way to find a better dealership than Topeka Harley-Davidson Buell. Bruce, Mike and staff were deep into the Buell scene years (as in 20 years) ago and have a fabulous staff of mechanics. P.S. - Topeka has more Bar & Shield Awards than any other Harley-Davidson dealership in the world. (Message edited by court on March 02, 2009) | ||
| Buellistic |
Cut the push rod covers and push rods !!! Replace the OEM "LIGHT PUSH RODS" with "HEAVIER ADJUSTABLE PUSH RODS" ??? Just more HARLEY-DAVIDSON technician "BUELLschitte" !!! | ||
| Creature_x1 |
cutting pushrods is the quickest way to do cams on a twin cam. It is very safe if you know what you are doing, and cost effective because of the saving in labor (don't have to remove rockers, they are "quick install"). BUT there are no quick install pushrods available for Buell or sporty motors! That means that they would cut your pushrods, and then say "OOPS!" Then they would still sell you the adjustable AND still have to remove the rocker boxes, charging you for the labor too. (Message edited by creature_x1 on March 04, 2009) | ||
| Sportyeric |
My main riding buddy has pushrods that can be removed. He's paranoid about lifter failure. Not sure the brand. Most don't clear, though. With adjustable pushrods, you then need collapsible tubes. Seems like the cost of the parts would be more than the cost of just re and re-ing the rockerboxes. If you needed to. | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
Why can't you install adjustable pushrod if you replace the stock tubes with a collapsible style kit from lets say Zippers??? I checked the price and it's almost even between labor or Zippers pushrod tubes | ||
| Firemanjim |
Come on guys, rocker box removal on a tuber is dead easy--unlike an XB-- so why screw up a perfectly good set of pushrods and tubes with a cutter? And I just did a cam cover on an X-1 and it was simple to retain the cams--just use a slim blade to keep them in and be gentle. And remember to take the timing cup out as it is firmly attached to one of the cams. | ||
| Buellistic |
Friemanjim :  |
