The screen idea I like; for protection against stones and other sizeable debris, I might suggest using a piece of expanded steel. Provides ventilation, and protection from stones and other road hazards.
I have a 2019 Softail Slim. I added a screen to the front of the oil cooler some time ago. I snipped it to size and used high temp adhesive to glue it to the back side of the oil cooler's decorative surround. It's been through 10's of thousands of miles. So far so good.....
I used a section of black gutter screen from Home Depot, Trim it with sheet meatal cutters. I used four small zip ties at each corner on the oil cooler and then installed the original plastic cover. Easy to do, does not block air flow or impede operation of the cooler and it works. First time I did this was before a trip to Canada on my 2018 Ultra. The cooler took a good hit from a rock or something, but the gutter screen took the hit not the cooler. Set up looks clean too. Most people would think its stock
Doc, so far I’ve done nothing to protect the oil cooler however I do know it’s a problem. Inspecting the cooler has been routine for me. Concerned a screen gets clogged with bugs and debri and may have same effect on over-heating. I think a better solution may be relocating the cooler higher on the frame or installing a mud-flap on the front fender. The oil cooler on my 1970 FLH is installed top side of front of frame. Never been an issue with that one. Thanks for the video.
1 have a 2011 ultra limited and i went to home depot a purchase a piece of leaf gutter and cut it to fit inside the cover. No glue needed. It is steel .07 thick and comes painted black. Black metal mesh. $3.48 Per piece.
I think Harley Davidson should think long and hard about providing oil cooler protection as standard with the price these bikes cost..most japanese bikes have them fitted? How much extra would a piece of mesh cost?
I don't think a screen offers sufficient protection from an object contacting an oil cooler. I would think that a guard with pencil sized ribs would be more protective!
Welcome back Doc, this is a really good subject as Harley has been able to keep their air-cooled motors due to having large oil coolers. Oil coolers as well as radiators are very vulnerable to damage due to location. Liquid cooled motorcycles have had the problems for years which is why many of us have flocked ti air cooled motors, many of which have had hidden(&protected) oil coolers. Harley said NO to oil coolers for years before finally installing them due to EPA regulations & yes, a simple screen can do wonders to protect them, FYI they can be damaged on the reverse side too...
Wow. Thanks Doc. That is a sleeper area for damage I never thought of. Ordered some Klock Werks mesh screens right after your video for my Softail and Road King. Thank you for all the great content.
I punctured the oil cooler on my new Low Rider S at 800 miles. I made a turn onto a side road and the rear tire kicked out but i kept it up. I then noticed my jeans were wet. I looked down and they were covered in oil. I tried to stop but my brakes were coverd in oil. I coasted to a stop and shut it off. After inspection i noticed I was missing wheel weights on the front tire. 3 of them came off and one fit perfect in the hole in the cooler. HD warranted it. The entire bike was covered. Brakes and tires. lucky i didnt go down. I bought a Harrys Custom screen for the cooler and put Dyna Beads in the tires.
Doc - starting about 12 years ago I had put HD oil coolers on both my 2009 Ultra, and my 2006 Dyna. They were on about a a day before (being as I am) I looked a them and said "what if a rock hits them? There is NO protection" So I went to the home center and bought some "Woven Wire Mesh / Woven Screen" that had larger holes (diamond shaped) to let air in, but offered enough protection to deflect and Rocks (hopefully) - I cut it to the size of my coolers, trimmed off the sharp edges, painted it black and inserted it between the outer chrome Oil cooler "framed" and the Oil Cooler Radiator. Been great for years!
Hello Doc, I have a question regarding about my oil cooler. I recently installed a cooler fan on my 2019 Street Glide Special and went to the dealer to have the ECM flashed. Now I was told that it has an open somewhere with a P 1693 code. And they could not get it to work. I power probed the fan and it works fine and there was no code before going to the dealer. When I start it, it has red light and goes out about 30mph but I’m not able to clear the code. I paid them for something that didn’t work and the research I have done shows the code P1693 is a right cooler fan circuit low/open. Can you please shed some light on this issue. I don’t mind paying but I don’t like paying for something that has a code that I can’t even clear that wasn’t there before. Thanks for all your videos and advice you give.
Sure brings up a lot of questions. The HD fan use to be a plug and play but HD found when the fan came on it was too much load. So they. Highly suggest the accessory wire harness with relay. I could see without this harness the BCM getting upset and throwing codes…..Doc
if that was a bike under factory warranty, would the warranty cover ALL damage? not just the oil cooler, but the subsequent engine damage? just curious. and BTW - for what I paid for my 2023 street bob, it should have come with an oil cooler protector. thanks.
Hello Doc, good to see you! I have a 2010 SG , with a aftermarket oilcooler (brand is Jagg i think..),, what do i have to do ? Is there an accessory for that to protect? Or do I have to install a kind of mudguard just below at the fender? Cheers from Tim (The Netherlands)
That’s the idea of this video. Everyone contributes to ideas on how to protect our oil coolers. Stay tuned. Someone might have the seed of inspiration for you….Doc
Doc, I have a 2018 Ultra that I purchased used with 5k miles on it and it passed Harley's used certified inspection. My question is when braking hard at low speeds I hear a now "clunking" noise or chatter from the rear brake. Can you tell me if this is the ABS engaging or something else? My 2007 Road King does not do this which does not have ABS as you know. One other item is that it is hard to slowly apply the rear brake with out it grabbing too hard and lunging me forward. Brake fluid has been flushed manually. Thanks for your time. Gordon
ABS has its quirks. The rear brake definitely grabs sooner than the older 2007. I am concerned about Manually flushed brake fluid. All ABS should have final bled with computer in my opinion…Doc
STUFF on the highway can be very very unforgiving. I hit a piece of metal that i did not see and punctured my block on my 96. Blew oil everywhere. case was toast and the numbered side. it had 85k on it so i went with the SE 110. very happy. Now screening is good BUT too small of holes will cut air flow. I would use expandible metal screen with larger diamond shaped holes to not cut air flow as much.
Great topic doc. I think the insert screen should maybe stick out further than the oil cooler, that way if something hits it, the screen takes the impact first. Also it gives room for dirt and debris to be washed away. It's off to the drawing board.
Owner of Billet Craft Designs here, ours is offset about 1/4” from the face of the oil cooler for just this reason! Please let me know if there’s anything I can assist with, thank you!
Warning about any aftermarket covers... Make sure it does not touch the cooler hoses. I had the chrome Kuryakyn cooler cover and the edge of it rested slightly against the black supply hose. The vibration of the motor caused the cover to wear a hole through the hose. Caught it in time and junked the cover. Thanks for the vid.
Hey Doc, I found a company in Mississippi called DK Customs and they make an oil cooler relocation kit that moves the cooler from behind the front wheel and moves it to the left side of the frame. And it comes with the option of moving your oil filter as well for easier and cleaner access. I really like it and now my engine runs alot cooler and doing an oil change is so much cleaner as well.
I purchased the HD Chrome and Black oil cooler cover, 1 week after I picked up my bike I took a rock to the oil cooler, no leaks but poor location design, this should come standard from HD but once again had to spend the extra for extra protection, well worth it. I don't think a mesh screen is going to give you the right protection, get the OEM one, problem solved.
Hi Doc, my cooler has been peppered with road grit (small pebbles all sorts of road muck) inbedded in the grill with the fin's all crushed and bent. My salutation was I made a mud guard.using 3mm thick cowhide I installed on the fender. The cooler is free of anything being thrown up at it from the tire now. I'd send a pic of the guard but not sure how to go about it.
Dang. From the comments this is a real issue. Shouldn’t have to worry about this. The oil cooler is on my mind as after my 5k service this week the gigantic bug and it’s emptied guts are still on the cooler…begs the question, what else did the Tech not do?
I was thinking of getting some screen material to make vent screens for my fxlrst. After seeing this, maybe not a bad idea to use any scrap to make a small cover.
Location in vulnerable area. Definitely recommend substantial protection. Should be up below steering head. My machines get cooler/ radiator protection immediately. Look better it done correctly and bent fins are not nice looking. Front fender extension is highly recommend for functionality and they look good. You don’t want engine oil dripping on to contact patch and engine will soon seize with potential loss of control. Not what you need in traffic.
The screen looks like a great idea to protect against small objects. However, it won’t protect the oil cooler from larger objects. Maybe some type of grill can be invented to protect against lager objects.
I'm installing a brand new oil cooler on my 2012 Ultra Limited after installing cams, cam plate, oil pump, new rings, and ported heads. I'm redoing the bike and have eliminated the lower fairings, lifted the tank about 1.5", and will be installing a Bad Dad Classic Chin Spoiler with double vents to protect the oil cooler / front of the motor area and it looks pretty cool too.
Thanks doc for bringing this to my attention. As this incident that you have with a customer is what I've been fearing for a long time knowing how exposed the oil cooler is to road hazards. But I did a simple search on Amazon for stainless steel louver and I believe I have found one that looks like it could be modified to work for me and maybe others as well. As I have a 2011 Ultra CVO which the oil cooler was standard. With a chrome cover. Which I could make that louver work for better protection to the oil cooler coil. I also did a search for perforated stainless steel. Which gave a lot of options also. So I need to get down on my garage and get a few measurements to see which one I think would work the best. As I'll be ripping down my bike soon to put new lifters in. As I am hearing about the lifters in the 110 motors are failing. So this would be a good time for me to replace my lifters and do a little custom modifications on the oil cooler. So thanks doc for bringing this to my concern that I had to get up and do something about it now before it's too late. But hopefully this will help others of what I came up with so far
You could try using something like amplimesh or crimsafe which is what we use on our entry screens or Windows here in Australia. Has reasonable size gaps in it to still allow good air flow.
Doc, I bought a used FXSTDI with about 10k on the motor and an aftermarket oil cooler that had a tiny leak all those miles... I degreased the entire bike, ripped that thing off, and bought a temp-reading dipstick. Now, I have peace of mind without all those points of failure. But, if I were to keep it, I would install a low oil press/hi oil temp warning light - I wouldn't impede airflow flo through it with screens and whatnot. My 0.02$. Cheers! 3:41
I do a lot of touring and added the Harley-Davidson chrome cover for exactly the reason your video showed. A hole in the oil filter at the start of a 200 mile ride and even a small hole will empty the engine.
I recently installed the Oil Bud cooler on my softail, it fits up under the bike between the frame so you can still use a lift and access anything under the bike, it also doesn’t restrict airflow to the cylinders.
After 500 miles of riding with the Oil Bud cooler, I found oil temperatures substantially cooler, the unit is thermostatically controlled.and is virtually invisible on the bike. A bonus is it moves the oil filter over about an inch and a half, making more accessible. I highly recommend this unit.
Isn’t there a red oil light that should of lite up between the time he lost his oil and before the engine got damaged so badly.Thanks Doc for all the info.
There is one. The guy pulled over the not because something hit the motorcycle, but because the motorcycle simply couldn't keep up the speed anymore. And yes, he has ignored the red oil lamp until the bike died. Don't do this.
I have a 2020 Street Bob. I used the black screen from a desk top folder holder, 50¢ at a thrift store. Pulled off the plastic frame and inserted a piece of the screen. Looks like it should be there. I live off a dirt road and knew it wasn't if, but when. Don't waste money on something that costs over a $100, when you can do it fast and cheap. Night time here. If anyone is interested, I'll post a picture.
I don't have a fancy oil cover on my 2010 Limited but IF I did and wanted to install a metal screen I would use a metal grill that is used on PA speakers that has 51% openings or you could order a 24x24 18 awg sheet from McMaster Carr and you could cut to fit to the inside of that cover.... BTW Happy St Paddy Day!!!!!
I'd ask CHP police motor officer units if they've had problems, or if they've had to protect their coolers. Those guys put lots of high speed highway miles on their bikes. I bet they have some advice to share.
Wow! Please be very careful with a cover. I had a customer who installed a cover over his oil cooler for the colder weather riding. He forgot to remove the cover in spring. The oil got so hot it melted the original plastic accent side cover…..Doc
I worked in the service department (and later in parts) for our local HD dealership and we saw this frequently because in the oilfield part of the country, rocks fly off truck tires all the time. The cooler is an easy target, and mosquito screen won't protect a cooler from a rock that is 1/2" in diameter and moving 70+ mph. I had to replace the cooler on my 2019 Ultra Classic, and tried to get a protector for it. No such thing. I think the motor company needs to revise the protector to have a "waterfall grille" design. The "teeth" need to extend from the protector at least 1/2" and maybe have cross ties to ensure a rock doesn't break the protector. Yes, we will lose some airflow with such a design, but a cooler with no oil in it is not effective in protecting the engine, as your video accurately details. BTW, I loved working at the HD dealership and need a job ... 😁
On my BMW GS the oil cooler has a sort of grille with louvres in front. Its a Touratech part aimed at protecting the cooler from debris without lowering the cooling efficiency. It also makes it easier to clean off smashed bugs
Good Morning, I own Billet Craft Designs. We offer a fully CNC Machined, Billet Aluminum bolt on oil cooler guard to resolve this exact problem. We utilize slots rather than holes to allow max air flow while still blocking any large road debris that could be damaging to the oil coolers. We aren’t a large company, very small family owned and operated, but we do high level precision work. I believe one of our customers commented already on here, and while ours are a little pricy, they are fully machined from 6061 aluminum and are guaranteed for life. We offer them in various colored powder coats including gloss black to match the frame and factory Harley bronze for the ST lines. We went with powder coat over anodize like most after market companies use due to the much higher durability and zero fading. I would love to send you out an oil cooler guard for free that you can review as a sequel to this video! Thanks!
I will add....not only are they extremely functional it's probably one of the best looking parts I've added to my bike. Unfortunately I don't think they've been designed for touring models...yet...maybe in the works?
I apologize for the late reply, we are working on a touring model currently. The mounting points are completely different for the touring bikes but it is in the works!
I have a 2018 heritage, and work in a sheet metal shop had some woven stainless steel with 1/4" square hole . Cut to size and put over my oil cooler. Worked great
Go to a off road rally car fabricator and they will provide you with a ‘stand off’ grid with diamond shaped perforations which are angled away from direct debris hits but are fluted to direct airflow onto radiator fin area…..simples 👍🚀
First thing I did on my LRST. I got the oil cooler trim from HD and inserted a car grill mesh I bought on Amazon that I cut to size. I used silicone to hold it in place, and sandwiched it between the trim and radiator. It works perfect.
I've always believed that was a bad place to put an oil cooler. Sooner or later it will get hit. I don't think the screen is the answer either because they block off so much air. They should be mounted on the down tube. May not be as pretty but it's allot safer.
Good video Doc. On my 87 dresser I have it up higher on the frame down tube. I have had it there for years nothing even comes close to hitting it. Stay safe.
Great video Doc. Yes always protect that oil cooler. Added 304 stainless steel woven wire to both of mine. Cut and shape to fit in the oem abs cooler trim piece held in place with clear epoxy inside the frame. Have an extra one now after swapping out for the chrome grill style from Harley. My fabricated one saved the oil cooler on a long trip when I hit a chunk of metal on the road.
I just bought a Billet Craft Designs cover for my 2018 softail. Prior to that I was using the Klok Works screen. Very happy HD started using oil coolers kinda hidden between the down tubes but have always been concerned how exposed it is behind the front tire. These Billet Craft guards are a little pricey but very nice quality and in my opinion cheap insurance....thanks Doc!
Hate to say this, dump the stock mediocre HD oil cooler. Buy an "Ultra Cool" oil cooler problem solved. Can be mounted in the stock location or to the left side. Front grill is rock proof. I know it is a lot of money to spend for the average joe trying to make a living. Some people say it looks butt ugly. Ugly or beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not trying to impress anyone. Works for me.
Well Doc, now I know I have to come with something. Because now that Im thinking about it- I know my luck- if I dont get something Ill have a disaster in no time! :)
Rebel. All I can do is tell the story direct from the owner. And if you think about 80 on highway at that rpm. Oil pump feed side doing it job. How short of a period of time does it take to realize something is wrong, pull over to the slow lane and stop, while the motor is pumping oil out and not to internal parts?…..Doc
Hi Doc, I just sent you an email with some photos for the oil, cooler protector that I made. I was worried about reducing airflow by putting a piece of mesh against the cooler, so had the idea of forming the mesh around a piece of wood to provide a three-quarter inch gap. Works really well. Hope you can see the photos. Cheers from England.
What is your take on the relocated radiators on the "24 Road Glides? It looks like that could happen to them along with mud and road debris clogging the radiator. My '19 RGU's radiators really vent some heat where I've gotten burns and blisters on my inner shins. That happens in 90 to 100 degree heat on road trips to FL and Sturgis.
I have a Road Glide ST and I like the look of the short front fender, but this is giving me a second reason to get a much longer one. The first was the fact that when I ride up here in Idaho when the melting snow is running across the road, the front tire throws water all over, even up on the gas tank. And that mucky water isn’t doing the oil cooler any good.
Any road debris capable of damaging the oil cooler is not going to be stopped by a mesh screen. An ounce of prevention i.e. immediately pulling over after a road debris impact is worth a pound of cure. Unless the oil cooler can be located away from any hazards.
Owner of Billet Craft Designs here, the screen inserts will help a little bit but I completely agree, if it’s something big enough to puncture the oil cooler, it will go right through any screen mesh. We offer one that is fully cnc machined out of 6061 aluminum and will stop just about anything from going through it. It’s also spaced about 1/4” from the face of the oil cooler so the guard takes the impact without touching the oil cooler while still being flush with the frame allowing any brand aftermarket crash bars. If there is anything I can assist with, please let me know, thanks!
Hey Doc thanks for the great video. After watching it I went out to my shop and looked for something that would work to protect my oil cooler. What I found was a leftover piece of gutter guard aluminum mesh. With some tin snips and black paint I made a guard that looks like some I saw on line for 49.95. The gutter guard is about 3 dollars for 3 feet so I could have made 4 at least for $ 3.00.
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Bought a stone guard from a company in Australia. Emery-accessories on eBay. Love it. Looks awesome too!
The screen idea I like; for protection against stones and other sizeable debris, I might suggest using a piece of expanded steel. Provides ventilation, and protection from stones and other road hazards.
I have a 2019 Softail Slim. I added a screen to the front of the oil cooler some time ago. I snipped it to size and used high temp adhesive to glue it to the back side of the oil cooler's decorative surround. It's been through 10's of thousands of miles. So far so good.....
Thanks for sharing…Doc
Did the same. Actually looks good also
Got the oil cooler on my 2018 street glide punctured 3 months after I bought it. Had the oil cooler replace and the chrome HD cover installed.
I used a section of black gutter screen from Home Depot, Trim it with sheet meatal cutters. I used four small zip ties at each corner on the oil cooler and then installed the original plastic cover. Easy to do, does not block air flow or impede operation of the cooler and it works. First time I did this was before a trip to Canada on my 2018 Ultra. The cooler took a good hit from a rock or something, but the gutter screen took the hit not the cooler. Set up looks clean too. Most people would think its stock
You have to be careful with window screen type screens. The holes are to small and will restrict a lot of air going through the screen.
Doc, so far I’ve done nothing to protect the oil cooler however I do know it’s a problem. Inspecting the cooler has been routine for me. Concerned a screen gets clogged with bugs and debri and may have same effect on over-heating. I think a better solution may be relocating the cooler higher on the frame or installing a mud-flap on the front fender. The oil cooler on my 1970 FLH is installed top side of front of frame. Never been an issue with that one. Thanks for the video.
I remember those mud flaps👍….Doc
thank goodness. i have not seen you on a vid. in a while. thanks for educating us.
1 have a 2011 ultra limited and i went to home depot a purchase a piece of leaf gutter and cut it to fit inside the cover. No glue needed. It is steel .07 thick and comes painted black.
Black metal mesh. $3.48 Per piece.
Great. Thanks for posting….Doc
I think Harley Davidson should think long and hard about providing oil cooler protection as standard with the price these bikes cost..most japanese bikes have them fitted? How much extra would a piece of mesh cost?
Look at Evotech oil cooler guards ... just as an inspiration
I don't think a screen offers sufficient protection from an object contacting an oil cooler. I would think that a guard with pencil sized ribs would be more protective!
Rad Guard in Coffs Harbour NSW Australia have been making a oil cooler guard for Harley’s for years now , got one on my Fatboy & roadking works great
Ride safe in the Land Down Under. Mate
Welcome back Doc, this is a really good subject as Harley has been able to keep their air-cooled motors due to having large oil coolers. Oil coolers as well as radiators are very vulnerable to damage due to location. Liquid cooled motorcycles have had the problems for years which is why many of us have flocked ti air cooled motors, many of which have had hidden(&protected) oil coolers. Harley said NO to oil coolers for years before finally installing them due to EPA regulations & yes, a simple screen can do wonders to protect them, FYI they can be damaged on the reverse side too...
Wow. Thanks Doc. That is a sleeper area for damage I never thought of. Ordered some Klock Werks mesh screens right after your video for my Softail and Road King. Thank you for all the great content.
I punctured the oil cooler on my new Low Rider S at 800 miles. I made a turn onto a side road and the rear tire kicked out but i kept it up. I then noticed my jeans were wet. I looked down and they were covered in oil. I tried to stop but my brakes were coverd in oil. I coasted to a stop and shut it off. After inspection i noticed I was missing wheel weights on the front tire. 3 of them came off and one fit perfect in the hole in the cooler. HD warranted it. The entire bike was covered. Brakes and tires. lucky i didnt go down. I bought a Harrys Custom screen for the cooler and put Dyna Beads in the tires.
What a story! Glad you are ok….Doc
Doc - starting about 12 years ago I had put HD oil coolers on both my 2009 Ultra, and my 2006 Dyna. They were on about a a day before (being as I am) I looked a them and said "what if a rock hits them? There is NO protection" So I went to the home center and bought some "Woven Wire Mesh / Woven Screen" that had larger holes (diamond shaped) to let air in, but offered enough protection to deflect and Rocks (hopefully) - I cut it to the size of my coolers, trimmed off the sharp edges, painted it black and inserted it between the outer chrome Oil cooler "framed" and the Oil Cooler Radiator. Been great for years!
Well done Jim…..Doc
Hello Doc,
I have a question regarding about my oil cooler. I recently installed a cooler fan on my 2019 Street Glide Special and went to the dealer to have the ECM flashed. Now I was told that it has an open somewhere with a P 1693 code. And they could not get it to work. I power probed the fan and it works fine and there was no code before going to the dealer. When I start it, it has red light and goes out about 30mph but I’m not able to clear the code. I paid them for something that didn’t work and the research I have done shows the code P1693 is a right cooler fan circuit low/open. Can you please shed some light on this issue. I don’t mind paying but I don’t like paying for something that has a code that I can’t even clear that wasn’t there before. Thanks for all your videos and advice you give.
Sure brings up a lot of questions. The HD fan use to be a plug and play but HD found when the fan came on it was too much load. So they. Highly suggest the accessory wire harness with relay. I could see without this harness the BCM getting upset and throwing codes…..Doc
if that was a bike under factory warranty, would the warranty cover ALL damage? not just the oil cooler, but the subsequent engine damage? just curious. and BTW - for what I paid for my 2023 street bob, it should have come with an oil cooler protector. thanks.
You have to ask the question, “ was this damage caused by a manufacturing defect?”…..Doc
Hello Doc, good to see you! I have a 2010 SG , with a aftermarket oilcooler (brand is Jagg i think..),, what do i have to do ? Is there an accessory for that to protect? Or do I have to install a kind of mudguard just below at the fender? Cheers from Tim (The Netherlands)
That’s the idea of this video. Everyone contributes to ideas on how to protect our oil coolers. Stay tuned. Someone might have the seed of inspiration for you….Doc
Doc, I have a 2018 Ultra that I purchased used with 5k miles on it and it passed Harley's used certified inspection. My question is when braking hard at low speeds I hear a now "clunking" noise or chatter from the rear brake. Can you tell me if this is the ABS engaging or something else? My 2007 Road King does not do this which does not have ABS as you know. One other item is that it is hard to slowly apply the rear brake with out it grabbing too hard and lunging me forward. Brake fluid has been flushed manually. Thanks for your time. Gordon
ABS has its quirks. The rear brake definitely grabs sooner than the older 2007. I am concerned about Manually flushed brake fluid. All ABS should have final bled with computer in my opinion…Doc
Hey Doc , there's a lot of fabricators out there, sure to get some good ideas. Good to see you friend
First thing i bought for my m8
Purchased the FLTRX IN 2018, that Harley cover was one of my first accessory purchases. 42k later and still no issues. Worth the money Doc..
STUFF on the highway can be very very unforgiving. I hit a piece of metal that i did not see and punctured my block on my 96. Blew oil everywhere. case was toast and the numbered side. it had 85k on it so i went with the SE 110. very happy.
Now screening is good BUT too small of holes will cut air flow. I would use expandible metal screen with larger diamond shaped holes to not cut air flow as much.
I would be asking why Harley doesn't put something on the bikes that come with oil coolers?
🤔….Doc
not screen , louvers close together pointing down .
Great topic doc.
I think the insert screen should maybe stick out further than the oil cooler, that way if something hits it, the screen takes the impact first. Also it gives room for dirt and debris to be washed away.
It's off to the drawing board.
I like your train of thought….Doc
Owner of Billet Craft Designs here, ours is offset about 1/4” from the face of the oil cooler for just this reason! Please let me know if there’s anything I can assist with, thank you!
@@andrewmiller7447 do you have them to fit the 2011 version, like on the Tri Glide?
If he has full coverage on his insurance, they should cover it for a road hazard
Warning about any aftermarket covers... Make sure it does not touch the cooler hoses.
I had the chrome Kuryakyn cooler cover and the edge of it rested slightly against the black supply hose. The vibration of the motor caused the cover to wear a hole through the hose. Caught it in time and junked the cover.
Thanks for the vid.
Thanks for your advice 👍….Doc
Why does Harley not put them on before it leaves the factory
They do on a CVO….Doc
Hey Doc, I found a company in Mississippi called DK Customs and they make an oil cooler relocation kit that moves the cooler from behind the front wheel and moves it to the left side of the frame. And it comes with the option of moving your oil filter as well for easier and cleaner access. I really like it and now my engine runs alot cooler and doing an oil change is so much cleaner as well.
Does the oil cooler have a protective cover?…..Doc
@@LowCountryHarleyDavidson No, but it attaches higher up on the frame. But if you have lowers it is protected by them.
I purchased the HD Chrome and Black oil cooler cover, 1 week after I picked up my bike I took a rock to the oil cooler, no leaks but poor location design, this should come standard from HD but once again had to spend the extra for extra protection, well worth it. I don't think a mesh screen is going to give you the right protection, get the OEM one, problem solved.
Hi Doc, my cooler has been peppered with road grit (small pebbles all sorts of road muck) inbedded in the grill with the fin's all crushed and bent. My salutation was I made a mud guard.using 3mm thick cowhide I installed on the fender. The cooler is free of anything being thrown up at it from the tire now. I'd send a pic of the guard but not sure how to go about it.
Thanks for sharing…..Doc
Can you use ac condenser coil cleaner to clean the oil cooler fins?
I have never tried that…..Doc
Dang. From the comments this is a real issue. Shouldn’t have to worry about this. The oil cooler is on my mind as after my 5k service this week the gigantic bug and it’s emptied guts are still on the cooler…begs the question, what else did the Tech not do?
It’s the Tech’s job to clean your bike?….Doc
I thought “clean and inspect oil cooler” was in the list of 5k service. My bad. @@LowCountryHarleyDavidson
I was thinking of getting some screen material to make vent screens for my fxlrst.
After seeing this, maybe not a bad idea to use any scrap to make a small cover.
I have a 2019 street glide special. It has 96k. Once in a while I think about my oil cooler getting hit. Now you got me thinking.
Location in vulnerable area. Definitely recommend substantial protection.
Should be up below steering head.
My machines get cooler/ radiator protection immediately. Look better it done correctly and bent fins are not nice looking.
Front fender extension is highly recommend for functionality and they look good.
You don’t want engine oil dripping on to contact patch and engine will soon seize with potential loss of control.
Not what you need in traffic.
The screen looks like a great idea to protect against small objects. However, it won’t protect the oil cooler from larger objects. Maybe some type of grill can be invented to protect against lager objects.
I'm installing a brand new oil cooler on my 2012 Ultra Limited after installing cams, cam plate, oil pump, new rings, and ported heads. I'm redoing the bike and have eliminated the lower fairings, lifted the tank about 1.5", and will be installing a Bad Dad Classic Chin Spoiler with double vents to protect the oil cooler / front of the motor area and it looks pretty cool too.
I have the CVO style chin spoiler on my 22 SGS,, looks good and has a screen in front of the cooler
Radguard 20004-BLK
$170 shipped (for FXLRS/ST) …insurance and a peace of mind somewhat I suppose.
I thought about adding a rock crusher screen or expanded metal to mine.
Thanks doc for bringing this to my attention.
As this incident that you have with a customer is what I've been fearing for a long time knowing how exposed the oil cooler is to road hazards.
But I did a simple search on Amazon for stainless steel louver and I believe I have found one that looks like it could be modified to work for me and maybe others as well.
As I have a 2011 Ultra CVO which the oil cooler was standard. With a chrome cover. Which I could make that louver work for better protection to the oil cooler coil.
I also did a search for perforated stainless steel. Which gave a lot of options also.
So I need to get down on my garage and get a few measurements to see which one I think would work the best.
As I'll be ripping down my bike soon to put new lifters in. As I am hearing about the lifters in the 110 motors are failing. So this would be a good time for me to replace my lifters and do a little custom modifications on the oil cooler.
So thanks doc for bringing this to my concern that I had to get up and do something about it now before it's too late.
But hopefully this will help others of what I came up with so far
You could try using something like amplimesh or crimsafe which is what we use on our entry screens or Windows here in Australia. Has reasonable size gaps in it to still allow good air flow.
I saw another youtuber mention a cover on Amazon. But now after watching this one, I'm definitely going to be doing something.
I live on a gravel road and always go slow cuz I’ve been worried about rocks hitting it. Definitely need a cover
😎👍
Big thumbs up for the channel...
Wow, wonder how long he rode before pulling over. Hope his insurance pays for some of that!
I’ve been doing this for years on sport bikes. Great tip Doc!!
Doc, I bought a used FXSTDI with about 10k on the motor and an aftermarket oil cooler that had a tiny leak all those miles... I degreased the entire bike, ripped that thing off, and bought a temp-reading dipstick.
Now, I have peace of mind without all those points of failure.
But, if I were to keep it, I would install a low oil press/hi oil temp warning light - I wouldn't impede airflow flo through it with screens and whatnot. My 0.02$. Cheers! 3:41
Thanks for sharing…..Doc
I do a lot of touring and added the Harley-Davidson chrome cover for exactly the reason your video showed. A hole in the oil filter at the start of a 200 mile ride and even a small hole will empty the engine.
Thanks Doc! I never thought about this until watching the video.
I recently installed the Oil Bud cooler on my softail, it fits up under the bike between the frame so you can still use a lift and access anything under the bike, it also doesn’t restrict airflow to the cylinders.
I have often wondered about that unit…..Doc
@@LowCountryHarleyDavidson Ill let you know as soon as riding weather comes back in the north country
After 500 miles of riding with the Oil Bud cooler, I found oil temperatures substantially cooler, the unit is thermostatically controlled.and is virtually invisible on the bike. A bonus is it moves the oil filter over about an inch and a half, making more accessible.
I highly recommend this unit.
Isn’t there a red oil light that should of lite up between the time he lost his oil and before the engine got damaged so badly.Thanks Doc for all the info.
There is one. The guy pulled over the not because something hit the motorcycle, but because the motorcycle simply couldn't keep up the speed anymore. And yes, he has ignored the red oil lamp until the bike died. Don't do this.
Ok now it’s clear red light stop IMMEDIATELY
I think debris would go right through the screen.
I have a 2020 Street Bob. I used the black screen from a desk top folder holder, 50¢ at a thrift store. Pulled off the plastic frame and inserted a piece of the screen. Looks like it should be there. I live off a dirt road and knew it wasn't if, but when. Don't waste money on something that costs over a $100, when you can do it fast and cheap. Night time here. If anyone is interested, I'll post a picture.
Thanks for sharing…..Doc
I don't have a fancy oil cover on my 2010 Limited but IF I did and wanted to install a metal screen I would use a metal grill that is used on PA speakers that has 51% openings or you could order a 24x24 18 awg sheet from McMaster Carr and you could cut to fit to the inside of that cover.... BTW Happy St Paddy Day!!!!!
Thank you 🍀….Doc
I'd ask CHP police motor officer units if they've had problems, or if they've had to protect their coolers. Those guys put lots of high speed highway miles on their bikes. I bet they have some advice to share.
Cool thought 👍….Doc
Bought an in expensive cover on eBay for $35.. It arrived quickly and is actually a nice quality and fit..
Wow! Please be very careful with a cover. I had a customer who installed a cover over his oil cooler for the colder weather riding. He forgot to remove the cover in spring. The oil got so hot it melted the original plastic accent side cover…..Doc
I worked in the service department (and later in parts) for our local HD dealership and we saw this frequently because in the oilfield part of the country, rocks fly off truck tires all the time. The cooler is an easy target, and mosquito screen won't protect a cooler from a rock that is 1/2" in diameter and moving 70+ mph. I had to replace the cooler on my 2019 Ultra Classic, and tried to get a protector for it. No such thing.
I think the motor company needs to revise the protector to have a "waterfall grille" design. The "teeth" need to extend from the protector at least 1/2" and maybe have cross ties to ensure a rock doesn't break the protector. Yes, we will lose some airflow with such a design, but a cooler with no oil in it is not effective in protecting the engine, as your video accurately details.
BTW, I loved working at the HD dealership and need a job ... 😁
We are always accepting applications….Doc
On my BMW GS the oil cooler has a sort of grille with louvres in front. Its a Touratech part aimed at protecting the cooler from debris without lowering the cooling efficiency. It also makes it easier to clean off smashed bugs
Thanks for the post….Doc
Good Morning, I own Billet Craft Designs. We offer a fully CNC Machined, Billet Aluminum bolt on oil cooler guard to resolve this exact problem. We utilize slots rather than holes to allow max air flow while still blocking any large road debris that could be damaging to the oil coolers. We aren’t a large company, very small family owned and operated, but we do high level precision work. I believe one of our customers commented already on here, and while ours are a little pricy, they are fully machined from 6061 aluminum and are guaranteed for life. We offer them in various colored powder coats including gloss black to match the frame and factory Harley bronze for the ST lines. We went with powder coat over anodize like most after market companies use due to the much higher durability and zero fading. I would love to send you out an oil cooler guard for free that you can review as a sequel to this video! Thanks!
I will look you up. Always welcome products for review…..Doc
Do you carry any for touring models?
I will add....not only are they extremely functional it's probably one of the best looking parts I've added to my bike. Unfortunately I don't think they've been designed for touring models...yet...maybe in the works?
I apologize for the late reply, we are working on a touring model currently. The mounting points are completely different for the touring bikes but it is in the works!
I have a 2018 heritage, and work in a sheet metal shop had some woven stainless steel with 1/4" square hole . Cut to size and put over my oil cooler. Worked great
Go to a off road rally car fabricator and they will provide you with a ‘stand off’ grid with diamond shaped perforations which are angled away from direct debris hits but are fluted to direct airflow onto radiator fin area…..simples 👍🚀
Thanks for the tip!….Doc
First thing I did on my LRST. I got the oil cooler trim from HD and inserted a car grill mesh I bought on Amazon that I cut to size. I used silicone to hold it in place, and sandwiched it between the trim and radiator. It works perfect.
Great tip!….Doc
I put the Harley chrome one on.
I've always believed that was a bad place to put an oil cooler. Sooner or later it will get hit. I don't think the screen is the answer either because they block off so much air. They should be mounted on the down tube. May not be as pretty but it's allot safer.
Interesting…..Doc
One thing Harley can do is get it out from behind the exposed front tire. The short fender on the old Dyna's don't really give you many options
Not a lot of options….Doc
Good video Doc. On my 87 dresser I have it up higher on the frame down tube. I have had it there for years nothing even comes close to hitting it. Stay safe.
Thanks for sharing…..Doc
Expanded metal cut to fit
Great video Doc. Yes always protect that oil cooler. Added 304 stainless steel woven wire to both of mine. Cut and shape to fit in the oem abs cooler trim piece held in place with clear epoxy inside the frame. Have an extra one now after swapping out for the chrome grill style from Harley. My fabricated one saved the oil cooler on a long trip when I hit a chunk of metal on the road.
Great 👍…..Doc
I vote for the 131...😁
Some type slotted metal connected to bottom front tire fender ,to help with deflection
🤔…..Doc
Rat wire would work, you wouldn't have no air restriction and it's tough.
Not familiar with Rat wire….Doc
I just bought a Billet Craft Designs cover for my 2018 softail. Prior to that I was using the Klok Works screen. Very happy HD started using oil coolers kinda hidden between the down tubes but have always been concerned how exposed it is behind the front tire. These Billet Craft guards are a little pricey but very nice quality and in my opinion cheap insurance....thanks Doc!
Hi Doc, Harley only offers the protector, for my 2022 Street Bob, in chrome. I bought mine from Klock Werks because they offered black.
Hate to say this, dump the stock mediocre HD oil cooler. Buy an "Ultra Cool" oil cooler problem solved. Can be mounted in the stock location or to the left side. Front grill is rock proof. I know it is a lot of money to spend for the average joe trying to make a living. Some people say it looks butt ugly. Ugly or beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not trying to impress anyone. Works for me.
I bought a kuryakyn chin spoiler that's got a screen and looks good
No way of posting a picture though
Well Doc, now I know I have to come with something. Because now that Im thinking about it- I know my luck- if I dont get something Ill have a disaster in no time! :)
I used perforated stainless steel sheet inside original softail surrounding cover. painted it with etch primer black paint, works well - looks good.
By using common sense and ingenuity, a trip to Home Depot can fix and protect your oil coolers. Metal screens are sold and can be cut to size.
I watched a video on someone who actually did a DYI on there’s i don’t remember his name but definitely worth a watch
There is no way this story is true. I mean if you stop after the impact the engine won't do that. This dude rode the bike without oil for a while.
Rebel. All I can do is tell the story direct from the owner. And if you think about 80 on highway at that rpm. Oil pump feed side doing it job. How short of a period of time does it take to realize something is wrong, pull over to the slow lane and stop, while the motor is pumping oil out and not to internal parts?…..Doc
@@LowCountryHarleyDavidsonSomething to think about for sure. Thank you for replying.
Thx Doc ⚡️
I bought one for my 2023 Softail for about $30 on Amazon
Good show 👏 I use the H D cover on my 03 Softail just for that reason
I really had not thought about that happening but some protection for the oil cooler is a great idea . Thanks for the tip !
Why didn't the driver see the low oil press lite ??
Hi Doc, I just sent you an email with some photos for the oil, cooler protector that I made. I was worried about reducing airflow by putting a piece of mesh against the cooler, so had the idea of forming the mesh around a piece of wood to provide a three-quarter inch gap. Works really well. Hope you can see the photos. Cheers from England.
I received. You did a great job. Well Done 👍….Doc
@@LowCountryHarleyDavidson Can you share that photo, somehow?
@@gregrose6915 I don't mind Low Countrty sharing. I don't think I can place photos up here..?
@@ren4870 no you can't
What is your take on the relocated radiators on the "24 Road Glides? It looks like that could happen to them along with mud and road debris clogging the radiator. My '19 RGU's radiators really vent some heat where I've gotten burns and blisters on my inner shins. That happens in 90 to 100 degree heat on road trips to FL and Sturgis.
I have wondered why the CVO only has the screen protector 🤷♂️….Doc
I have a Road Glide ST and I like the look of the short front fender, but this is giving me a second reason to get a much longer one. The first was the fact that when I ride up here in Idaho when the melting snow is running across the road, the front tire throws water all over, even up on the gas tank. And that mucky water isn’t doing the oil cooler any good.
I agree….Doc
Thanks
Welcome….Doc
Thanks
Welcome. Thanks CJ for watching….Doc
1/4” hardware cloth painted black works great.
Cloth? Really?…..Doc
@@LowCountryHarleyDavidson the "cloth" is actually galvanized
I have nothing over mine when i get back from dyno monday
I will look into it.at 170 hp i need all the cooling i can get great video doc
❤❤❤❤
Any road debris capable of damaging the oil cooler is not going to be stopped by a mesh screen. An ounce of prevention i.e. immediately pulling over after a road debris impact is worth a pound of cure. Unless the oil cooler can be located away from any hazards.
Owner of Billet Craft Designs here, the screen inserts will help a little bit but I completely agree, if it’s something big enough to puncture the oil cooler, it will go right through any screen mesh. We offer one that is fully cnc machined out of 6061 aluminum and will stop just about anything from going through it. It’s also spaced about 1/4” from the face of the oil cooler so the guard takes the impact without touching the oil cooler while still being flush with the frame allowing any brand aftermarket crash bars. If there is anything I can assist with, please let me know, thanks!
Hey Doc thanks for the great video. After watching it I went out to my shop and looked for something that would work to protect my oil cooler. What I found was a leftover piece of gutter guard aluminum mesh. With some tin snips and black paint I made a guard that looks like some I saw on line for 49.95. The gutter guard is about 3 dollars for 3 feet so I could have made 4 at least for $ 3.00.
The Best of DIY👍
I used 1/8” stainless steel mesh on my oil cooler and side vents on my Roadglide. Picked up the mesh from McMaster Carr. Pretty sturdy material.
Hard to work with? I like Stainless 👍….Doc
Cutting straight lines was no problem. Cutting the inside radius for the vent was hard to make look good. One side I had to do twice.