Lifting/Replacing battery in 2018 RTL

[Flamewinger]

I was noticing that my RT wasn't starting like it should after a week or two of not riding. I found I had to plug in the Battery Tender JR to bring it back which took a day or a bit more before the LED turned green. When I first got the bike I could leave it in the garage for 2-3 weeks and the bike would start fine, no problems, but lately 4-5 days and it wouldn't start and recently, after 7 days, I turned the key and the lights were very weak. So . . . I figured the dealer didn't prep the battery right and I need to replace it. ( the bike has 7200 miles since the beginning of Feb. So I ride a bit and and do use the charger mostly in winter when its cooler.

Got new battery from Amazon $92. I also noticed the difficulty in getting the battery out once it was disconnected. It's heavy and makes for a pain to remove. I got a rubber tie down strap and bunched it up to form a handle and hooked the metal hooks into the battery terminals (ONE AT A TIME) and was able to pull the battery out easy. Helps in lifting it also.

 

[Flamewinger]

Why my images are upside down, I don't know. Tried flipping the images and re-uploading them and they still show up wrong.

 

[Arion]

Seems to be a good idea to me, even though the photos are upside down. Makes it look like you have a floating battery.

 

[UtahPete]

I was noticing that my RT wasn't starting like it should after a week or two of not riding. I found I had to plug in the Battery Tender JR to bring it back which took a day or a bit more before the LED turned green. When I first got the bike I could leave it in the garage for 2-3 weeks and the bike would start fine, no problems, but lately 4-5 days and it wouldn't start and recently, after 7 days, I turned the key and the lights were very weak. So . . . I figured the dealer didn't prep the battery right and I need to replace it. ( the bike has 7200 miles since the beginning of Feb. So I ride a bit and and do use the charger mostly in winter when its cooler.

Got new battery from Amazon $92. I also noticed the difficulty in getting the battery out once it was disconnected. It's heavy and makes for a pain to remove. I got a rubber tie down strap and bunched it up to form a handle and hooked the metal hooks into the battery terminals (ONE AT A TIME) and was able to pull the battery out easy. Helps in lifting it also.

View attachment 167203 View attachment 167204

good idea

 

[JP58]

BRP would have replaced your battery under warranty. Less than a year old.

 

[Flamewinger]

Not my local dealer and it's 2 hours to the one I do go to. My local wanted the battery to be dead and me stuck on the road and not at home. When I bought it they had a Can Am tech but lost her and now they might be getting her back but their service management is not good.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Why my images are upside down, I don't know. Tried flipping the images and re-uploading them and they still show up wrong.

Did you take your pictures holding your camera upside down? If so, that's the problem. Phones and other devices and many, if not most, photo programs will show a picture in correct orientation regardless of its real orientation. What you have to do is on your computer open the picture in a photo program, orient it correctly, and do a save as to force the file copy to retain the correct orientation info. I don't mess with any kind of photo manipulation on my phone or tablet so can't say what has to be done to correct the embedded orientation.

 

[Flamewinger]

I did try flipping it and they still showed up wrong. Even flipping them back didn't work. Weird.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I did try flipping it and they still showed up wrong. Even flipping them back didn't work. Weird.

What program did you use to flip them? Did you save it as new file, not just simply hitting save?

 

[Flamewinger]

What program did you use to flip them? Did you save it as new file, not just simply hitting save?

I use a MacBook and the Photos app.

 

[Bfromla]

:roflblack: updated servers/site & pictures are still the most confusing thing:banghead::bdh:
Congrats by the way, *& EVERYONE please remember lift with your legs NOT your back!:yikes:nojoke

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I use a MacBook and the Photos app.

See my thread here: http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?116645-Photo-orientation-issue

 

[Flamewinger]

Wonder if this works.

 

[cptjam]

No. The terminals are very soft, and lifting by them will probably ruin it. I have done lots of Batteries, and have seen plenty of broken terminals. Maybe yanking our a bad one that is headed to the trash, but a new one, never!

 

[Flamewinger]

I didn't "Yank". I carefully pulled it out and after watching other try to get the very heavy battery out made me think of this. It worked great and I was able to drop the new one in just fine. You come up with a better way to get the battery up and out!

 

[Nobodyjj]

Using a Apple I pad make sure your home button is on the right then your pics will be right side up.

 

[trikermutha]

Just be careful those hooks can bend and cause injury / damage.

 

[Flamewinger]

No. The terminals are very soft, and lifting by them will probably ruin it. I have done lots of Batteries, and have seen plenty of broken terminals. Maybe yanking our a bad one that is headed to the trash, but a new one, never!

Look closely, do these terminals look damaged? This is the battery I took out.

 

[cptjam]

Yes! The left one looks terrible! More importantly, in the instructions, it says do not handle by the terminals! If you still have the old one laying around, smack that terminal with a ball peen hammer. It will crush. Go ahead, it is junk anyway. You will see how soft the terminals are. I just don’t want anyone to ruin a brand new battery, or worse, get hurt. It worked for you, once. I believe you are lucky. In fact, I know you are! Me, not so much. Removing the battery properly does not require hooking a strap to the terminals. A slight change in the terminal might make the connection difficult. Worse, ruin a new battery. YMMV! Joe

 

[Flamewinger]

Yes! The left one looks terrible! More importantly, in the instructions, it says do not handle by the terminals! If you still have the old one laying around, smack that terminal with a ball peen hammer. It will crush. Go ahead, it is junk anyway. You will see how soft the terminals are. I just don’t want anyone to ruin a brand new battery, or worse, get hurt. It worked for you, once. I believe you are lucky. In fact, I know you are! Me, not so much. Removing the battery properly does not require hooking a strap to the terminals. A slight change in the terminal might make the connection difficult. Worse, ruin a new battery. YMMV! Joe

The left one looks just like the right one and this IS THE OLD ONE that I took out using the tarp strap with the metal hooks inside each terminal. As I said, come up with a better way to get it up and out.