Servi-car rear end oil.

[len dowe]

Hello,
Could sombody please tell me or explain on what i need to do to get oil and what weight in my 41 servi-car rear end. I tried to look it up and i found nothing as far as oiling in the rear bell housing of a servi-car(am i missing something in palmers book?). It makes sense to me that the differential gears need oiling. But i'm confused on the bell housing window towards the front that it would blow out the oil. Servi-car reference is very limited to say the least and too try to find any information is extremely hard to come by. Am i missing something here? Probly a dumb question, but i figured it's better to ask than mess things up. Thanks, len.
p.s. I was asking questions in the flathead section on my servi but seen the three wheel section and so i posted here.

[chibobber]

Len,No lube in rear end.Uses grease.Fittings are on the housing.
Bob
Did you get my PM?

[Chris Haynes]

There is a grease fitting on the differntial housing left half. This is inside the axle housing. During Assembly four ounces of Harley-Davidson Grease-All grease was pumped in. There is no mention of servicing it in the Service Manual. It is found in the Riders Handbook. The grease gun would reach this fitting through the window. It recommends greasing it once a year. There are also four grease fittings on the rear axle for the axle bearings and another for the speedometer drive.
Best to buy a Service Manual and Riders Handbook when you pick up a new bike.

[chibobber]

Part # for 59 to 71 servi-car is 99486-71. most would apply to yours. Some say you can do a search using the part #.
Chris is right on again.
Bob

[len dowe]

Thank you Bob and Chris, i greatly appreciate the advice. Chris, on the window for the bell housing, if i move the wheels around, would the grease zerk show itself? I do have the 1940-58 45" and Servi-car service manual and i'm guessing(hoping) that it's there, is that correct? The manual does not show the zerk inside the housing. And also please, if you could be so kind as to tell me what riders manual the information you mentioned is in? Sorry, but all i can find is information on 45" service and servi-cars are in the back and not very much to speak of. Could i be able to get that off of the AMCA archive list and download it? I have been working on this Servi-car for a very long time and Servi-cars are new to me and this is my first one. So it's been a learning experience from the begining and i try to do things right. Again, all the help is appreciated, len.

[servicardenise]

Len,
They do have the grease fittings but I am pretty sure that mine is oiled and everything sort of sloshes back. I at least thought that was part of the oiling process. That's why they have that nice enclosed chain guard that always wants to lose it's screws, all one million of them. I knew mine got oil because it would slop all around and then when the exhaust got hot it would bake on the chain guard and smoke the mosquitoes away. You gotta love those servicars.
Denise

[len dowe]

Thank you denise so much. I will do some more checking on this and hopefully i can find out what i can do...I hope chris or anybody else get's back with the questions i asked and then i'll call hagel in kentucky. He builds servi-cars all the time and maybe he can shed some light on the subject. I just want to make sure that what i do is what needs to be done in the correct way....I should just put oil in it ? I'm confused now..... By the way, did you get my email on the siren? I would be happy to send some pictures your way of the setup as i mentioned before. Len.
P.S. What year is your servi-car? I have extra from my build if i could help in anyway.

[Chris Haynes]

The factory Service Manual says to use grease. Try to find a Servi-car Owners Manual. They show up on eBay now and then. Mine is a 1973 version.
http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/pp209/hd36knuck/Servi-Carrearendlubeinstructions.jpg

[servicardenise]

Len, I thought I sent a p m back to you. Let me know if you got it on the pm. My servicar is a bit of this and that. My axle is with the later years because I wanted juice brakes. I had the earlier model with the spoke rear wheels and sold them, I had two. Denise

[len dowe]

Hi Denise and Bob,
I sent a P M to you both. Thank you so much, Len.

[len dowe]

Chris,
Thank you so much for the time and trouble you spent to show me this. It was a wealth of information.. I proceeded as the manual said(thanks to you) and i didn't see a grease fitting in there. I looked and looked and looked and looked again. Could it be possibly be that the early servi's might not have one? Uhmm, i'll keep my eye's open for manuel and hopfully pick an early one up. I did on the other hand, grease my zerks really well on the rear end and hopefully i can cross that off the list. This build has been a long time project and i'm dying to get it off the lift. So thank you for your paitence with me and i really do appreciate all the advice and help,,
Len.

[len dowe]

Ok!! I found my grease zerk. Yea!! .It's in the back window of the bell housing..There is a front and rear window and i didn't know that,,Duhhh!! Not that anybody mentioned it was in the back window!! Gezz, why do i always learn the hard way. Now i'm confident my whole rear end is greased!! Have at it guys. LOL
P.s. Hope this helps you Denise...The rear does need grease. ;)

[Chris Haynes]

It only took you a year and a half to find the grease fitting? :D

[len dowe]

Not to bad huh? Considering i know a guy that has been trying to assemble a bike for over 20yrs ;)

[Robert Luland]

Touche! You go boy!

[Chris Haynes]

If I only had 20 years searching for correct parts for my '36 I would be happy. I have been gathering parts for it since around 1986 when I found a set of cases. I am still looking for a few items. A EX front cylinder, seat T, kickstand bracket, one side gas tank, I can't remember which right now. All that early '36 stuff is as rare as hens teeth.

[servicardenise]

Wow, yep it was always getting oil. That's why I couldn't find anything, now I need to see where to put this grease. I need to get on this because my doggone chain guard keeps breaking the bracket that fits up to the rear end top. So, I probably lost one zillion screws and now I need to reweld the bracket to keep it from bouncing around. I am in dire straights for working on her, the headlight switch needs replaced too. I guess that is the price for riding her back and forth to work. Maybe tomorrow I will do it again, loose parts and all. The ones that fall off can go in the box.The plight of this old stuff, you gotta work on them. I need to get greasy and be one with the machine.