Final Drive Case oil change procedure

[julianop]

The Concours holy book - aka service manual - says to add a new aluminum gasket (I suppose it's OK to use an aluminium one if you're in the UK) when refitting the drain plug. Is this unconditionally necessary, and is it a purchased part or is a piece of kitchen foil sufficient?

[Outback_Jon]

I didn't even notice that there was one.  I just replaced the plug after draining.  It's not leaking, so I guess I didn't need to replace the gasket.

[2fast]

I wouldn't sweat it. There is no pressure and I have used mine over since 1986 so far.

[MetrickMetal]

The Concours holy book - aka service manual - says to add a new aluminum gasket (I suppose it's OK to use an aluminium one if you're in the UK) when refitting the drain plug. Is this unconditionally necessary, and is it a purchased part or is a piece of kitchen foil sufficient?

I use aluminum drain plug washers over and over again on both my bikes and cars, and as long as the face on the drain plug is smooth it won't mark the surface of the washer and they don't leak, and even if the washer gets a little step on it from the drain plug after repeated use, I'll just take the washer and carefully give it a few strokes against a piece of 320 grit wet & dry placed on my blanchard ground steel lapping plate I have, and its good as new again. 

[Nosmo]

I have reused my aluminumm gasket several times now. Pushing 60,000 miles and no issues.  One note though:  Be very careful when tightening the drain plug and the filler plug.  The threads are easily stripped and diffcult to repair.

[julianop]

Sounds like I'm over-thinking it, as usual ;-)

[Strawboss]

What everybody elde said. Watch the torque spec. inch pounds! I think the guys in the UK use Goober Newtons.

[julianop]

What everybody elde said. Watch the torque spec. inch pounds! I think the guys in the UK use Goober Newtons.

Yes, and milliFerkins and gnats-whatsits for valve clearances...

[Boomer]

Make sure that the final drive is warm.
Take her for a 30 minute ride before draining.
Remove filler cap first
Remove drain bolt.
Once all oil is out refit drain bolt.
Refill until it starts overflowing. DO NOT rotate the wheel whilst doing this as that can lead to overfilling.
Refit the filler cap and relax for another 18k miles. Ah the joys of shaft-drive. 

As for torque, I use BST,...... Boomer Standard Torque. ("guddentight" in American)
In the UK we use any damned unit we like since we invented most of them.
We don't like to use Metric as the French invented it, but the EU says we gotta. 

[Strawboss]

I would not use the guddentight method as you will most likely strip those threads as they seem to be the most fragile of anything else on the bike I've found. Its a small bolt going into an aluminum case, very easy to strip. Just be careful and follow the torque specs.

[tweeter55]

Tight is Tight & Broke is Broke.

[Strawboss]

I read that in a fortune cookie once.

[julianop]

Tight is Tight & Broke is Broke.

So what is gutentight?  Oh yes, that's a German vir... never mind 

I agree, Boomer, we are responsible for many atrocities meted out upon an unsuspecting world; but the Scots hold the cup for haggis: there's nothing worse than that, not even pub pork pies, which would outlast Twinkies and nuclear war.