2010 450F Oil Change with Works Connection Full Skid Plate - Pain in the A**

[jeff_wsu]

I performed my first oil change after break in tonight. I installed a Works Connection Full Skid plate to protect my water pump before riding and man.... what a pain the the butt it was to just change the oil! There was only access to the top drain bolt but the bottom one was impossible to get to without removing the skid plate. This was a pain in the butt and putting it back on is a challenge as well since there isn't any room to grab the brackets and get the screws in. It almost takes an act of god. So I have a few questions and I'm hoping someone can help:

#1 - Do I have to remove both those bolts on the right hand side to drain the oil or is it okay just to remove the upper one? Why is there two anyway? That just seems strange.

#2 - Does anyone have a magic trick for installing those skid plates easier? Getting those brackets to slid up the rail and then aligning them with the screws is a major difficulty. I almost want to tack them onto the frame somehow so they'll be in the same position every time.

If anyone has ideas and knows what I'm talking about please give me a helping hand :-) If this is the way it's gonna be I'll be selling this skid pate and buying one without the full protection to the side. That will be a bummer since I want the case fully protected for woods riding.

Thanks! ?

[rickallen124]

To answer question #1, yes you do need to remove both drain bolts. The upper bolt drains the resevoir tank and the bottom bolt drains the crankcase. If you don't do both you will not be able to remove all of the oil. One poster on here has the WC skid plate and talked about removing some material from the skid plate by the bottom bolt to facilitate removing the bolt without taking the skid plate off. Hopefully he will chim in. I went with the Lightspeed full coverage skid plate because it just uses the stock three bolts which makes it easy.

[09speeddemon]

Just drill a hole right under the bottom bolt with a hole saw?? you will lose a little protection but it will save you a ton of time and frustration! Just a thought.

[Steel Panther]

I have an 09 but i take the skid plate off when I change the oil anyways, its a good time to clean out the foam and get rid of any sneaky rocks and mud. Its only 3 bolts, which adds to about maybe another 5 min of work if you clean it all out.

[Swiss_Dirtrider]

I have the same skidplate on my '10. And first oilchange was pain in the a** too!! So i can feel with you ?

I take the skidplate off every time now, because, as somebody already mentioned, it's a good opportunity to clean down there!

The "magic trick" i've figured out for the brackets its called zip-tie... I zipped the brackets with one thick tie to the frame. Now it's pretty easy to mount the plate compared to before. They are lasting since 4 oilchanges now, and they are cheap, so have a try!

Regards

Oliver

[grayracer513]

To answer question #1, yes you do need to remove both drain bolts. The upper bolt drains the resevoir tank and the bottom bolt drains the crankcase. If you don't do both you will not be able to remove all of the oil.

True. Read more:

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5221903#post5221903

If this is the way it's gonna be I'll be selling this skid pate and buying one without the full protection to the side. That will be a bummer since I want the case fully protected for woods riding.

You might take an approach like this with yours:

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8776187

[WB450]

I have an 09 but i take the skid plate off when I change the oil anyways, its a good time to clean out the foam and get rid of any sneaky rocks and mud. Its only 3 bolts, which adds to about maybe another 5 min of work if you clean it all out.

+1 on my 07.?

[APlusAutoParts]

like they all said i remove mine also but i have dont it so many times it only adds 5 extra mins to the whole procedure.

[Scrubba]

get the bubba stewart lightspeed plate. it costs more but benefits outweigh the price.

lighter weight

thick carbon fiber

full protection for engine and pump

i think there is only one bolt stock holding it on.

bling

zing

ring-a-ding-ding

[CaptainKnobby]

I have the same skidplate on my '10. And first oilchange was pain in the a** too!! So i can feel with you ?

I take the skidplate off every time now, because, as somebody already mentioned, it's a good opportunity to clean down there!

The "magic trick" i've figured out for the brackets its called zip-tie... I zipped the brackets with one thick tie to the frame. Now it's pretty easy to mount the plate compared to before. They are lasting since 4 oilchanges now, and they are cheap, so have a try!

Regards

Oliver

I have the works connection skid plate on mine also and as the OP stated "it was a little hard at first" but now since after about my 5th oil change it just only takes me about an extra 5 minutes to take the plate off and that includes putting it back on.

The zip-ty trick is a good idea by the way. I will zip-ty mine the next oil change and it will be even easier to put back on next time.

One thing i do now when I'm putting the plate back on is.........I take that piece of foam and put it under the motor and scoot it up toward the water pump cover at about where the clamps set at on the frame for the plate and the foam will stay tucked under the case pretty well (long enough) to at least push up against the clamps to hold them still enough the get the allen bolts started.

Hope this helped ya!

[smithjeb]

get the bubba stewart lightspeed plate. it costs more but benefits outweigh the price.

lighter weight

thick carbon fiber

full protection for engine and pump

i think there is only one bolt stock holding it on.

bling

zing

ring-a-ding-ding

you are right, except for bolts --- there are three. easy to remove for oil changes - i have one on my '10.

[andy250]

you are right, except for bolts --- there are three. easy to remove for oil changes - i have one on my '10.

Does the lightspeed glide plate use only the stock mounting tabs? No clamps/brackets needed? It looks like it from the pictures I've seen, but it's difficult to tell for sure. Thanks...

[drewbbie]

i got the gytr full skid plate same exact problem every time i do a oil change i have to take the 4 bolts out and drop the plate

i tryd the hole zip tye idea but with a big hit they brake off and your left with a hanging hunk of mettle hanging down

i think the only sultion like every one has said is to deal with it and take the time to clean it

[CaptainKnobby]

i got the gytr full skid plate same exact problem every time i do a oil change i have to take the 4 bolts out and drop the plate

i tryd the hole zip tye idea but with a big hit they brake off and your left with a hanging hunk of mettle hanging down

i think the only sultion like every one has said is to deal with it and take the time to clean it

I believe he ment to take the zip ties and zip tie the aluminum clamp to the frame of the bike. The clamps are what moves on you and can make it difficult to get the screw started in the plate.

The next time I change the oil in mine I'm going to zip tie the clamps on so they wont move when I go to put the screws in.

[drewbbie]

clamps ??? im confused maybe the works plate has them but my gytr one just has 4 bolts 3 on the bottom and one by the water pump would some one please explane this hole clamps?

[rickallen124]

Does the lightspeed glide plate use only the stock mounting tabs? No clamps/brackets needed? It looks like it from the pictures I've seen, but it's difficult to tell for sure. Thanks...

Yeah, just the stock three skidplate bolts.

[CaptainKnobby]

clamps ??? im confused maybe the works plate has them but my gytr one just has 4 bolts 3 on the bottom and one by the water pump would some one please explane this hole clamps?

Clamp might not be the right word. I guess a better word would be Bracket, its the aluminum bracket that is shaped like a U but shorter. It fits on the frame of the bike and has a hole drilled in to it and is threaded.

When these brackets are in place on the frame you just put your plate up against them and line up the holes in the plate with the holes in the brackets and insert your screws through the plate and in to the bracket.

[drewbbie]

ahhh gotcha thanks for explaining it

think im glad i got the gytr plane stock mounting tabs (Y)