how hard is it to replace the engine covers on an 06 636. im thinking about going with the blackwoodcraft ones with a red skid plate. oh and from looking at the pictures i couldn't really tell. There is still a little window for the engine oil right?? and an engine oil cap?

 

this is what it's looking like

 

nice bike bro

 

The replacement cover are usually the LH alternator cover and the RH Ignitor cover and you will have to remove your lower & mid fairings. Make sure to buy new gaskets just incase you mess up the ones when removing the stock covers. Best bet is to loosen the bolts a turn, then tap the covers with a malletfromthe front & back to loosen the gasket from the covers. Also make sure to put a drain pan because it is an oilwet cavity.

 

I think the woodcraft ones come with a new gasket. ill make sure before i order them... ok so it sounds pretty easy. I will be needing to replace the lost oil while changing the covers?? will i lose all the oil or just some?

 

lol, I would say start fresh oil and filter on a change like that. Never hurts to be cautious.

 

just lay your bike on its side and take the covers off just kidding, dont do that

 

You actually can lay the bike on its side to do that. I have done it before, 15 minutes prior to a race (no time to drain the oil). I would suggest that you drain all the oil before you take the covers off otherwise it is going to get messy (as said before, never hurts to do an oil change! might as well do the filter too).
Like speed said, use a mallet... not a hammer... a rubber or leather faced mallet.
Another best practice would be to loosen the bolts abit at a time in a criss cross pattern, as if you were removing the engine head. Tighten them back up in the same fashion with a torque wrench (i can get you the torque spec if you need it). The criss cross pattern is probably over doing it, but in theory, that is the best possible way to do it and if you're anything like the guys around here, you will want to take THE BEST POSSIBLE ROUTE!
I highly suggest the torque wrench as i have heard many stories of new mechanics pulling the threads out of their engine blocks.Its not the end of the world but it is more money out of your pocket and even worse, more time off of you bike. Invest in a torque wrench if you don't have one already. If you have to, tell the wife that it was supposed to come with the bike but they screwed up or somthing... ... .. what do girls have against tools anyways... anyone?

 

my general rule of thumb for putting the bikes together is that if the bolt shaft is less than 1/4" diameter and its going into aluminum then i don't use anything bigger than a 1/4" drive socket wrench which has about a 4" handle onit - this limits your torque naturally and minizes the risk of overtightening.

 

A nice set of Motion Pro T handles, can't live without them and the torque-r.