What oil do you recommend? Not really! Oil change Pro Tip.

[LSHD]

Most of us have skid plates on our off road bikes. It can make changing oil a mess. I use a clear plastic hose and don't spill a drop. Nothing fancy. You can get it at Lowes or HD. Just put it through the skid plate hole and up against the bottom of the case, centered around the drain plug. Use a socket on an extension and remove the drain plug through the hose.

On my EE skid plate this 1" hose fits tight enough to stay in place on its own. So clean and easy.

 

No need for a perfect fit, as you can see below. Not a drop of oil spills onto the skid plate.

Edited January 13, 2018 by LSHD

[LRB]

Cool idea!

I don’t think it’d work on my specific skid plate, but now I’m gonna check!

 

[S.O.A.N.Z]

so instead you get oil all over the tools - even less mess removing the bash plate - 1 bolt on mine 

[ColeTrickle]

Yeah, heaven forbid you lubricate your tools! 

[BOAB]

I don't have that problem.  I can drain both drain plugs with no mess.  The main one is on the frame downtube right in front of the skidplate, drains right into a pan.  The other one is on the clutch cover, I put the bike on a stand and put a piece of 2x4 under the left side of the skid plate, again drains right into a pan and misses the skidplate.

Your results may differ. ?

[LSHD]

EE and many plates are not easy to remove, so for me this is a great alternative. Keeps my socket and extension all nice and lubed too. Pull off ratchet after bolt is loosened and it doesn't get oily. Actually if you pull the bolt with the oil cap left on, not much oil comes out at first. So your tools barely get oil on them at all.

Not for everyone, but great for me.

[BOAB]

7 minutes ago, LSHD said:

EE and many plates are not easy to remove, so for me this is a great alternative. Keeps my socket and extension all nice and lubed too. Pull off ratchet after bolt is loosened and it doesn't get oily. Actually if you pull the bolt with the oil cap left on, not much oil comes out at first. So your tools barely get oil on them at all.

Not for everyone, but great for me.

And invest in a box of nitrile gloves.

[LSHD]

10 boxes. Actually with the oil cap on I can pull the extension out without getting my hands wet. Socket and tip of extension gets a little oil on it. HUGE difference from trying to drain it through the oil pan.

Edited January 13, 2018 by LSHD

[crypto666]

No, it will void your skidplate warranty.  

[Tom Russell]

Great suggestion. I will use this. Thanks!

[SabbathHead]

1 bolt on my 4stroke and 2 bolts on my 2 stroke, so an extra 2 minutes added to the job

[The Inquisitor]

3 hours ago, LSHD said:

EE and many plates are not easy to remove, so for me this is a great alternative. Keeps my socket and extension all nice and lubed too. Pull off ratchet after bolt is loosened and it doesn't get oily. Actually if you pull the bolt with the oil cap left on, not much oil comes out at first. So your tools barely get oil on them at all.

Not for everyone, but great for me.

Ya I was wondering about leaving the cap on ?

Otherwise when I do an oil/filter change I usually wash the bike before hand and like removing my skid plate before washing.

I've drilled holes in my plate to move some of the mounts so you COULD drill or enlarge the hole to get at the oil drain bolt easier if needed.

The other thing is that I change my tranny oil every oil change and this also might work for bikes like the CFR250's etc.

 

[William1]

Good 'helpful hint from Heloise'.?

I've always remove the skid plate. A pain in the arse to do on all bikes. You idea will work on many. Sadly, not on mine as the drain bolts are on the side of the crankcase and squirts on a frame tube then dribbles and runs along the cases.

[Yz.250]

Most of us have skid plates on our off road bikes. It can make changing oil a mess. I use a clear plastic hose and don't spill a drop. Nothing fancy. You can get it at Lowes or HD. Just put it through the skid plate hole and up against the bottom of the case, centered around the drain plug. Use a socket on an extension and remove the drain plug through the hose.

On my EE skid plate this 1" hose fits tight enough to stay in place on its own. So clean and easy.

 

No need for a perfect fit, as you can see below. Not a drop of oil spills onto the skid plate.

You are a saint for thinking and sharing this!

[DEATH_INC.]

Meh, oil on the bashplate is the least of my worries, i get it on the tools, frame, stand, garage floor, and anything I touch for the next hour ?

[William1]

12 minutes ago, DEATH_INC. said:

Meh, oil on the bashplate is the least of my worries, i get it on the tools, frame, stand, garage floor, and anything I touch for the next hour ?

Back in the early 1970's, I had long hair (down to may butt). Came home one night after a lot of partying. While quite wasted, I bent over to look under my car to confirm no drips after an oil change earlier in the day. I laid my hair right in the drain pan full of oil. 4AM. IIRC, I wrapped Saran Wrap around my head and went to bed. I think it pretty much worked.......

To this day, I rarely am able to make a clean change and typically spill a little. It is sad when I am proud of myself for not screwing up!

[Piney Woods]

Looking at that pan I am wondering why you are dumping perfectly good oil?

[Beta300REcat]

I don't worry about the small amount of oil on the skid plate. After every oil change I hit the skid and lower cases with engine cleaner and hose it off. Keeps sand from accumulating on the oil accumulating near the shift lever under the case. ?

[Beta300REcat]

4 hours ago, YHGEORGE said:

Looking at that pan I am wondering why you are dumping perfectly good oil?

Because like me, he changes his oil while it is still in excellent shape. Keeps the engine in excellent shape. ?

[Beta300REcat]

4 hours ago, William1 said:

Back in the early 1970's, I had long hair (down to may butt). Came home one night after a lot of partying. While quite wasted, I bent over to look under my car to confirm no drips after an oil change earlier in the day. I laid my hair right in the drain pan full of oil. 4AM. IIRC, I wrapped Saran Wrap around my head and went to bed. I think it pretty much worked.......

To this day, I rarely am able to make a clean change and typically spill a little. It is sad when I am proud of myself for not screwing up!

Awesome story