Did the 1k service on my Ultra tonight. Everything went fine except for one thing; changing out the oil filter. Can someone please, Please, PLEASE tell me what the trick is to removing an oil filter without making a bloody mess?!?!? Between this bike and my old Road King, I've done four oil changes. Each time, I end up dumping oil all over the voltage regulator and onto the garage floor.

BAHHH!!

 

I swear no matter how careful you try not to make a mess it is inevitable. Someone makes a plastic drain tray that diverts it around the v/r. I forgot who sells them, J&P, Drag, Dennis Kirk, even HD. But what works well and is cheap is take some aluminum foil and lay it under the filter and head, form a trough so the oil runs into the catch can. THEN take a long punch (screwdriver works too) punch a hole in the lowest portion of the filter and let it drain for 5-10 mins. Then when you spin off the filter there is nothing in it to make a mess. Any spilled oil can be cleaned up with brake clean.

 

Cut a 1 liter/quart diet Pepsi bottle in half and slip it under the filter...Works great you spill a drop...

 

a piece of tin foil work excelent! you can shape it and channel it anyway you like. Plus it slips under the oil filter and filter housing.
I slip the tin foil under mine, punch a hole in the bottom part of the filter, let it drain for a bit, R&R the oil filter and not one spilled drop of oil.

 

Be sure and don't use regular Pepsi or a Mnt Dew bottle!! (Sorry, couldn't resist

 

This is what I do. I loosen the filter, then take one of the small zip lock bags and slide it over the filter and finsih removing it. After the filter comes off I hold the bag there for a minute or so to catch the oil. Then I zip it closed filter oil and all.

 

I jam a piece of cardboard in there before removing the oil filter. I like the tin foil idea too.

 

I used to do it that way until I bought the little black plastic tray thing that goes right under the filter. Where there is a will there is a way....you can get it done without spilling oil all over the bike.

 

Do you have a picture of this black tray so I know what it looks like?

 

2 plastic supermarket bags completely over filter before you spin it off. Take bags and filter off all together to cath the drippings. Spin filter off with right hand while I wipe any drippage with my left then install new filter. No mess so far....tried the tinfoil and other ways; this is quicker and works well for me...