I have two questions:
1. The prior owner always used AMSOIL synthetic and changed oil faithfully. I put about 700 miles on it and it was time to change oil. He must have really tightened the oil plug with an impact as I about broke my arms getting it loose. I couldn’t get any power tools on it easily as the plow frame is mounted under the nut so you have to come at it from an angle. I did end up breaking it loose, changing filter, oil, getting a few metal shavings out of the nut magnet, and cleaned everything and put it back together with new synthetic oil. I used Castrol edge O-40 as that is what my local retailer had at the moment.
I assume I’m not the only one who fights the issue of changing the oil with the plow frame mounted, and I’m assuming folks don’t remove the plow frame to change the oil and remount it every time?
I’m thinking a swivel adapter and an impact might have helped there but when the socket is coming in on an angle on the nut I hate to use power tools as you can’t feel when it is getting stripped as the socket slides down the nut.
2nd question, front brakes, left side is metal on metal no pads left. Right side has some life yet in pads but I want to change both. I ordered a package deal that has pads and rotors all in one in case the rotor needs to be replaced as well. I watched the youtube video on now to do front brakes and learned a lot there. The one where the guy was able to do it without removing the caliper from its mount was really helpful and saved my trying to break loose those T bolts that hold the caliper box to the rotor mount.
So the question is, how do I get the old rotors off? Does tie rod come off, strut come off, then slide rotor down over axle all the way off? Is it better somehow to pull the axle out of the tranny and slide it off that way? I don’t want to open up those sealed CV boots.
AS a followup question, I note when I ride and when my teen boy rides that we find it natural to grab the front brake lever all the time. I keep forgetting to use the foot brake (rear) I’m sure if I used the rear brake all the time then I would save the fronts. But it is awkward to always have the foot on the rear brake and it seems like in emergency stops the hands seem quicker to grab the brake than the foot is to jump on the foot brake.
Does everyone else use the foot brake all the time and try not to use the hand brakes?
ON my foot brake, even if I push it slowly, the back wheels lock up and I skid which is another reason why I find it harder to control the rear brake.
Why didn’t they just put two hand brakes, one for front and one for rear, or at least tie in the single hand brake lever so that it tries to apply braking to both front and rears?
Thanks in advance for your help!
