Oil Change - What's all the fuss about??

[Bike-O-Din]

Well, I got tired of paying the dealer to change the oil on my 2011 RT-S SM5. I have read all of the posts here, looked at a bunch of YouTube videos, and thought - Hey, I think I can do this! I have always done this on my other bikes, so why not.

I bought the ATV jack some years ago and Jack stands, but had some fears about undertaking the project. I am not real comfortable with the bike that far in the air on the jack, and letting it down with the reversed way the jack releases pressure is just something I am not comfortable with. I then bought car ramps (which was a real fiasco trying to get the bike onto them). I tried to back onto them, and the rear tire grabbed the ramp and "shot" it under the bike!! Had to use a floor jack to get the bike off the ramp! Not again says I!!

Even at 70 years of age, I am still able to get down on the floor to look under the bike (although getting up is much more of a challenge!!). There seemed to be more than enough room to work under there with a little effort. I tried to find out what was needed to remove the panels that were changed to facilitate the oil changes - there seem to be nothing out there, so I just decided to just give it a go on my own.

I ordered the Amsoil Oil and filter materials from Ron, got a set of Gold Plugs, and started the project. The rest of the tools were in my fairly well equipped shop, so I was ready to go. The panel removal is not a big deal, and only needed to remove the middle side panel and the bottom front side to get to the screw for the splash panel under the bike. At that point, you can get at everything else without too much trouble. Since I have an SM5, I did not need to do anything fancy to get to the transmission filter, so never did have to figure out how to remove the new bottom rear side panel that was installed to make oil changes easier. The tupperware removal is actually easier than what I used to have to do on my Honda ST1300, and at least all of the screws are the same size!!

I did need to use a smaller oil drain pan (actually I used two) because of the limited clearance, but not a big problem since I already had them.

Drained the oil, replaced and torqued the new Gold Plugs, replaced the oil filter and gasket O-ring, and added the oil. Fired up the bike, checked for leaks, checked oil levels, and replaced the panels. Everything very straight forward. Less than two hours start to finish including clean up! It seems that I have thought this was more complicated that it really is!

Now I can figure out how to spend the money I "saved" on farkles!!!!!!!!

[DGoebel]

Well done! There are a few videos showing panel removal but you've got the idea already, no need to remove all the panels as some suggest. I use the cheapo HF ATV lift and basic 3 Ton jack stands and have even got up on the bike with it on the stands it's so stable. Makes slipping the oil pan under easy and since I've got the SE5 I've got to do that extra S@#$% filter.
After you've done two of three of them you'll get down to the 30-40 minute time frame if you want.
BajaRon's filter kits are the best, I buy them in two to three packs due to my normal seasonal mileage. Shoot I've just done my second change since the middle of June due to a 10 day 4800 mile trip.

[daz]

Dgobel is correct. No need to take the other panels off. Just the front one you take off to check the oil. Like him I put the HF jack under the bike to lift it and use jack stands under the front. Then you can put your head under there to see what's going on. Of course I'm way younger than you. I won't be 70 until later this year. Mine is an 2011 RT SM5 as well.

[DGoebel]

Thanks guys, as a sprightly young 60 year old I look forward to changing a Spyder's Oil 10+ years from now!

[wmh9680]

I'm thinking of doing my own oil change this year since I'm retired now and sooo much younger that a few of you guys (just turned 68 lol with 4 knee surgeries and 2 shoulder surgeries), I have a Craftsman lift and once up I put it on 8" by 16" cinder blocks so it is real stable. I have to run her up on a couple of 1x10's screwed together to get her high enuf to get the lift under. Mike

[trikermutha]

Why do you have to jack up the Spyder to change the oil?

I leave it level and remove the drain plugs.

[MaMaBear]

We recently lost our dealer here locally, Can Am wanted them to carry $300K in parts which didn't make sense to them, they sold maybe 1 or 2 Spyders a year! Anyway my husband wants to do the routine maintenance instead of riding 85 miles to a dealer we do NOT trust. He tried last year and was not able to get the oil filter off (way too tight) with a 36mm socket and cheater bar so we took it in to our local dealer when they still carried Spyders and they got it off. He was able to talk them into doing 1 more Spyder oil change last week (even though they can no longer get parts). Well, wouldn't ya know it, the same guy that changed the filter last year was NOT able to get the filter housing off...
My husband has the tools and has done bike maintenance on his own bikes since 1999 and on our cars for decades. He's at a loss as to getting that filter housing off without damage. Any suggestions???
THANKS in advance!!!!!

[Highwayman2013]

We recently lost our dealer here locally, Can Am wanted them to carry $300K in parts which didn't make sense to them, they sold maybe 1 or 2 Spyders a year! Anyway my husband wants to do the routine maintenance instead of riding 85 miles to a dealer we do NOT trust. He tried last year and was not able to get the oil filter off (way too tight) with a 36mm socket and cheater bar so we took it in to our local dealer when they still carried Spyders and they got it off. He was able to talk them into doing 1 more Spyder oil change last week (even though they can no longer get parts). Well, wouldn't ya know it, the same guy that changed the filter last year was NOT able to get the filter housing off...
My husband has the tools and has done bike maintenance on his own bikes since 1999 and on our cars for decades. He's at a loss as to getting that filter housing off without damage. Any suggestions???
THANKS in advance!!!!!

Sounds like it's getting tightened too much. I get the oil filter cap off of my F3L with channellock pliers.

[DGoebel]

...He tried last year and was not able to get the oil filter off (way too tight) with a 36mm socket ...

MaMaBear ... Has he tried a smart rap on the filter cap before trying the long lever breaker bar on the socket? The 1330 oil change is so much nicer than the old 998 changes (at least on the dual filtered SE models)

[burny1970]

so, speaking of oil changes. Has anyone used auto ramps on the front end to ease getting getting to the drain plugs ?

[Zip]

Oil change is no big deal on a 998. Better than paying $300 to dealer to do it.

On ramps.jpg

[BajaRon]

so, speaking of oil changes. Has anyone used auto ramps on the front end to ease getting getting to the drain plugs ?

Very common approach...

RedNeckJack.jpg

[Grandpot]

so, speaking of oil changes. Has anyone used auto ramps on the front end to ease getting getting to the drain plugs ?

I use three ramps set up backwards so I can back up and have all three wheels elevated and the Spyder will be level.

[Cobwebs]

Very common approach...

RedNeckJack.jpg

Warning............nanny algorithm follows for next three weeks

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

MaMaBear ... Has he tried a smart rap on the filter cap before trying the long lever breaker bar on the socket? The 1330 oil change is so much nicer than the old 998 changes (at least on the dual filtered SE models)

...………….. and Rapping the drain plugs to Break the Varnish seal works wonders ….. Good luck ……….. Mike

[stevo62]

Where do you get the BajaRon's filter kits?, I'd like to try changing my oil on my 2012 rt SE5, thx

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Where do you get the BajaRon's filter kits?, I'd like to try changing my oil on my 2012 rt SE5, thx

Go to the Home page …. He has a Banner Ad there …………. click on it and you will find ALL the products He sells ………. Mike

[stevo62]

thank you

[wmh9680]

I used ramps the first time and she wanted to throw the rear ramp across the garage trying to get up

[Gwolf]

If you have a trailer and use 3 ramps to load, you can leave the centre ramp off, run the Spyder front end about half way up the two outer ramps, until it gets to the point where the rear wheel would be just about to go on the centre ramp. Then you just jack the rear up even with the front end. Depending on how high the trailer is, that will put the Spyder a foot or two off the ground and you should have no problem reaching under the ramps work on it. My ramps lock on the rear of the trailer so no chance of them slipping. Couple of tie down straps on the front end will prevent it from rolling back once you have it where you want it. The parking brake should hold long enough to get straps on. It is kind of a round about way to go at it, but it works if you don't have all the jacks and tools you need to raise it up.