Changing final drive oil on the VTX 1800

Preface
This is a basic walk-through for changing the oil on the VTX 1800. I have to say thanks to David from the VTXOA for snapping these pics and doing the initial write-up which served as a template for this write-up.
This is a simple job which only requires a few basic tools. As always undertake this project at your own risk, but with a little common sense this isn't very hard to do. I hope this helps.

Preparation/supplies

1 new crush washer available from HDL

Torque wrench capable of 9ft/lbs to 14 ft/lbs

17mm socket

Funnel

Drain pan (whatever your choice is for draining oil into)

4.1 ounces of your favorite gear oil

Process
I always start my oil changes with a quick trip around the block. I ride for about 2-3 minutes just to get the oil warmed up and moving. By doing this I get all the "junk" that settles mixed into the oil so that when I drain it comes out too. Plus warm oil flows better than cold oil so it should drain faster. I try to get my tools together before I make this trip so that as soon as I get back I can drain almost immediately. I know a couple of minutes won't make a huge difference, but I'm pretty anal about getting the old oil and as much "junk" out of there as possible.

So with the bike ready to drain on it's side stand slide the drain pan under the final drive, use the 17mm socket to remove the fill plug and then the drain plug:

Now we wait... While the oil is draining check out the crush washer on the drain bolt and the O-ring on the fill plug. If there is no crush washer there it may have fallen into the oil. Fish it out of the drain pan, give it a close inspection, make sure there are no big nicks or flaws in it. The service manual recommends replacing these with each oil change but if they still look ok then there's no reason you can't re-use it. If there is any doubt about the condition of the washer replace it, your safety isn't worth the $.50 or so to replace it. Also closely inspect the O-ring on the fill plug for any flaws, nicks, etc. If there is any doubt about this replace it as well (OEM# 91302-001-020). I try to keep a few crush washers on hand just in case I find myself needing to replace one at night or on a Sunday when I can't get one. I will say that in a pinch I have been able to find a replacement at the 24 hour AutoZone near my house, I just brought in the original for comparison - but they charged me an arm and a leg for it!
Also don't forget - the drain plug in the final drive is a magnetic one so get some old rags/towels and make sure you clean off all the garbage that is collected on there. It should be a very fine sludge, like grease - if there are any large chunks of metal on the plug then there may be a problem with your final drive and you should investigate further.

Anyways, the service manual recommends rotating the wheel to make sure you drain everything out of the final drive, I can attest that this isn't necessary. Just leave it to drain for about 15 minutes or so and you'll be fine. Once the oil stops dripping replace the drain bolt and washer and tighten it to 14 ft/lbs. With the drain bolt/crush washer replaced and torqued down we are now ready to add our 4.1 ounces of oil. Oil is a very personal choice so you can decide on what you want to run, I run Amsoil 75W-90 gear oil. If you want to try Amsoil you can order it from David Vain who is an outstanding dealer to work with. You can contact him at synthetics@vainenterprises.com or call him at 985-788-0554. If you're uncertain about your oil decision then maybe you should read Tapper's big oil article, it has given me a wealth of information regarding oil from someone who's done his homework.

Anyways, now it's time to replace the oil in the final drive. I have a little setup I use that is made up of a 60cc plastic syringe and a piece of rubber hose like this:

I know that 4.1 ounces is approximately 120cc's so 2 full syringes is sufficient for what I need. If you know anyone who works in a hospital or veterinarian's office they may be able to help you acquire one of these for yourself. I also recently found out that you can buy these at many farm supply stores (like a TSC) for about $2. If you can't find one then you'll need a funnel and a piece of hose to fill the drive as the bike needs to be filled on it's sidestand and there's no other way to get the oil in that I know of. The drive is full when oil starts coming back out of the fill hole when the bike is on the stand on level ground.

With the drive full put a small dab of fresh oil on the O-ring for the fill plug and reinstall it to 9 ft/lbs. If you're worried you may have overfilled don't beat yourself up over it. If you have a little too much oil in there it may spray some out of the vent on the top of the drive (little chrome cap above the axle). If after the change you notice a little oil there don't sweat it, it's merely the final drive venting a little unnecessary extra oil.

That's it - you're done - congratulations!

Afterthoughts
This is a relatively simple process that even the most inexperienced rider can do with the right tools. It will make you feel more comfortable and knowledgable about your bike, you know it's getting serviced right, and you don't pay the highway robbery prices of the stealership. As with all these DIY projects, the money you save can be spent on more accessories!