Detailing

[deputy5211]

I had the LT's exterior detailed the day I picked it up. I've been tinkering with some stuff "under the hood" such as intercom upgrade, adding front running lights, LED conversion, and so on. It's really dirty in there and would like to really clean it well. Maybe it's the H-D owner in me. dunno.

Anyone here detail the "interior" of their bikes? Anything to watch out for?

TIA

[Dick]

I had the LT's exterior detailed the day I picked it up. I've been tinkering with some stuff "under the hood" such as intercom upgrade, adding front running lights, LED conversion, and so on. It's really dirty in there and would like to really clean it well. Maybe it's the H-D owner in me. dunno.

Anyone here detail the "interior" of their bikes? Anything to watch out for?

TIA
Tony -

The Deacon, Channing Fell, recently rode back to Austin from the Bayous and mentioned in a post how he detailed the bike when he got back. It wuz while he wuz doing some work on it, IIRC. Had some good hints on what he wuz using. I'll see if a search'll find his post, and letcha know.

[grifscoots]

Be sure to dielectric grease every plug you can get your meathook's on.

[deputy5211]

I picked up some dielectric grease the other day, and I got some plastic safe contact cleaner today. I'm going to make it a practice to clean and grease every contact I come across as I start learning about this bike (of course, I've got to get over my fear of removing tupperware first!).

I'm thinking of a marking system to identify what I've already done. Anyone see any problems with wrapping a colored zip-tie around the individual bundles.

Also, how often should this be done? I can use one color for this go around, and another color when it's time to do it again.

[D.Kinsey]

Zip-lock bags with all the goodies(clips,screws etc.) marked and stowed with the appropriate pnl. Do your grease thing and protect the vulnerable electronics,S-100(you're a HD guy right?),rinse,blow dry,Bombardier/Sea-Doo makes some killer WD-40 type spray for the water-craft that leaves everything nice and shiny plus lubed and protected against elements. Then the fun part...putting it back together.

[Zotter]

When I first pulled the tuperwear off, I was concerned about remembering where all the fasteners went. So, I took a few sheets of construction paper and after drawing a rough outline for each panel on the paper, poked holes for each fastener. I then layed out each sheet of paper with it's panel's fasteners poked through it with each panel. Made it way easy to not only know where they all were and go, but ensured I had everything too.

I've made new sheets for each time I take 'er apart. But been toying with the idea of making re-usable sheets from wood or plastic.

[deputy5211]

I was planning on ziploc-ing everything, and I bought a 32 compartment tray today to make it easier. Your suggestion about keeping it with the panels is a good one, and leads me back to ziploc.

I have plenty of S100, as you guessed. Also use a similar product called "Pig Spit" that is good for the painted surfaces. I'll hit the Bombardier dealer in town and get their WD40-ish spray. Thanks for that, too.

[deputy5211]

When I first pulled the tuperwear off, I was concerned about remembering where all the fasteners went. So, I took a few sheets of construction paper and after drawing a rough outline for each panel on the paper, poked holes for each fastener. I then layed out each sheet of paper with it's panel's fasteners poked through it with each panel. Made it way easy to not only know where they all were and go, but ensured I had everything too.

I've made new sheets for each time I take 'er apart. But been toying with the idea of making re-usable sheets from wood or plastic.

Interesting idea. Home Depot sells Plexi/Lexan in various sizes. I imagine it could be cut to shape with a roto-zip or similar.

[Jim]

This is a handy little diagram. It is a few years old, but I imagine that it still applies to the newer bikes.

[jayjacobson]

Anyone here detail the "interior" of their bikes? Anything to watch out for?

I use heavy duty freezer, one quart size, ziplock bags for storing nuts and bolts and other small items. Brother P-Touch for marking bags and connectors and special grease for waterproofing the contacts and connectors.

I avoid spraying the electronics and connectors with the pressure washer.

Other than that, a washer with at least 1500 psi and some warm water with a little detergent does a great job. BTW, that Mr. Clean no wipe stuff is decent, also.

[Morley]

I just got done reassembling my LT after doing the air filter change & fuel QD install. I used something like this to hold the screws http://www.sealersandsupplies.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SAS&Product_Code=CBS&Category_Code=CBS

Put the screws in the bag, pull the drawstrings and put a knot in the ends of them then feed through a hole in the panel and loop the bag through the hole. All screws accounted for and with their respective panel/part.

[grifscoots]

I just got done reassembling my LT after doing the air filter change & fuel QD install. I used something like this to hold the screws http://www.sealersandsupplies.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SAS&Product_Code=CBS&Category_Code=CBS

Put the screws in the bag, pull the drawstrings and put a knot in the ends of them then feed through a hole in the panel and loop the bag through the hole. All screws accounted for and with their respective panel/part.

After you do it awhile, you'll end up just throwing them in a bin. Or, if you have a gearageful of LT's during a tech session and you don't want 8 folks spending the night. Though, I do have a bud, who's torn his LT down many, many times and knows what he's doing, is an engineer and still tapes every screw to the the proper hole. Very strange. Mayhap's that's why I likes him so.

[jayjacobson]

I do have a bud, who's torn his LT down many, many times and knows what he's doing, is an engineer and still tapes every screw to the the proper hole....

Yup, typical engineer! God bless them! Make the world go around.

[alstrickland55]

I have been sloppy and taken the tupperware off the LT without paying attention where the long and short screws go. I know I have the all mixed up now. Does anyone know where I can get diagrams showing which ones go where?

[jayjacobson]

I have been sloppy and taken the tupperware off the LT without paying attention where the long and short screws go. I know I have the all mixed up now. Does anyone know where I can get diagrams showing which ones go where?
Al, the engineers are going to freak! Can you imagine not labeling and tagging every screw, nut and bolt......

[Dick]

I have been sloppy and taken the tupperware off the LT without paying attention where the long and short screws go. I know I have the all mixed up now. Does anyone know where I can get diagrams showing which ones go where?
Post number 8 by Jim, in this thread, has a diagram of where what goes when!!

[gulfxray]

I have been sloppy and taken the tupperware off the LT without paying attention where the long and short screws go. I know I have the all mixed up now. Does anyone know where I can get diagrams showing which ones go where?

Don't feel bad - you aren't the only ones...

Someone here (I wish I could remember who it was) put out the rule of thumb that if you are going through one tupperware tab, then it is a short , if two a long...

At a minimum, that'll shrink you pile of where-do-these-go screws go...

[alstrickland55]

Don't feel bad - you aren't the only ones...

Someone here (I wish I could remember who it was) put out the rule of thumb that if you are going through one tupperware tab, then it is a short , if two a long...

At a minimum, that'll shrink you pile of where-do-these-go screws go...


I dropped a couple of bolts down in the bike that went who knows where... The BMW dealer only had long bolts in stock, so I used them in places I am sure there were short ones originally. Is this going to cause any problems?