Putting lower fairing back on after oilchange

[Clair]

Like, how the hell to do it?????

Okay, did my first oil change today on my '01 ST1100. Not being sure of when the previous owner changed it, I wanted to make sure I knew were things stood. I also have the CLYMER manual for the bike and was using that to do the oil change.

So, the instructions say to remove the lower fairing. Okay, no problem. Three screws on the left side, two in front, four on the right. Easy. I also use an old egg carton for this so each screw got it's own little compartment so I knew who went were. Yay Me. Fairing comes off and I change the oil ... making a mess of it but now I know how far forward oil shoots out when you pull the bolt out !!! LOL Anyway, do all the oil stuff and get all that back together. Now it's time to put that lower fairing back on.

How the hell to do it??? My sticking point was the front section. I jsut couldn't seem to get that front part to go back like it was. How do you do it? I couldn't get it to sit right no matter what I tried.

So, I gave up. I could get the two front screws in even though the front piece wasn't flush like it was, but after an hour of trying I didn't care. I got the lower fairing back on and it's secure and frankly nobody would notice that the front is not exactly right. But ...

How do you get that front part to go back on ????

[Highrider]

Make sure the front panel is loose and the right and left lowers are seperate from each other. Slip each side lower panel in place and maneuver the lower, front and upper fairing together at the same time, snap to where the 3 parts intersect at the corner and fit properly. After everything is snapped together, install the screws and join the RH and LH lowers underneath. You may want to start the screws behind the footpegs during this process to keep the lowers close to position. When everything is snapped together and in position - install and tighten the side screws. The first time you go through this exercise is a little rough - it gets easy once you figure the process.

Dave
:biker:

[Blue STreak]

There's a trick, that I've not seen in any written manual.

On the inside of the fairing, behind the front wheel and just above where the gray lower cowl fits, there's a little plastic push rivet on each side. Pop those out to loosen the inner cowl, and the lower cowl goes on MUCH more easily.
They don't come all the way out of the plastic--just the center section pops up. You may need to use a screwdriver blade or something similar to get them to come out, too.

I didn't figure this out until I had owned an ST for about 2 years.

[Diggers1300]

Personally, I haven't had to remove any tupperware (besides the side access panel) just to change the oil. YMMV.

[cbwilsha]

Clair--See attached photo showing one of the two plastic pop rivets mentioned by Bob Meyer. I call them "buttons" but, at any rate, you will find it a lot easier to reassemble bottom fairing if you disengage these buttons. The photo happens to also be a 2001 ST1100.

C.B.

[Blue STreak]

Personally, I haven't had to remove any tupperware (besides the side access panel) just to change the oil. YMMV.

That may be because you don't have an ST1100.:D

[Diggers1300]

That may be because you don't have an ST1100.:D

My bad! Didn't notice that he was talking about an 1100. Sorry. :(

[Clair]

CB, thanks for the pic !!!! I'll look at that this weekend. That is EXACTLY where the hassle is ... getting the grey part to slide in there. This should do it.

Gotta love Clymer for most things but ...

1) To remove lower fairing, remove screws (Figure 1).
2) To replace fairing, reverse what you did in step #1.

Gee thanks, guys. LOL

Y'all have been a world of help. It is nice to know that it is very easy to cahnge the oil on the ST once the fairing is off. Hopefully, next time I won't be as messy with it! LOL

[number9]

FWIW, you don't *have* remove the lowers at all. Put the bike on the centerstand, and remove the 3 bolts on the LH side of the bike and the 1 front bolt on the LH side (one you had trouble with) and pull the lower out enough to get your hand in there and remove the oil filter. I have changed mine this way a couple times. I usually just pop the lowers off though because it is easy once you get it down.

BTW, I don't know what the manual says about removing the lowers, but it is very easy to remove them as 1-piece and not seperate the 2 halfs (4 bolts on the bottom of the lowers just behind the front tire).

[Mark]

As Jason suggests I don't remove the lower cowl/s to change the filter; but, it looks like I do one thing differently from Jason.
While the bike is on the centerstand extend the sidestand and use it to hold the cowl out of your way while you work on the oil filter.

Mark

[Horst]

"...extend the sidestand and use it to hold the cowl out of your way while you work on the oil filter..."

Huh ? ... that sounds useful ... will have to try it ! .... :D

[Clair]

My lower fairing came off as one piece, so taht was nice. The only hassle was getting it back on, just that part beind the tire. This all should make it easier now!

Snow on the roads now ... :mad:

But that means more snow in the mountains for skiing ... :D

[number9]

Sometimes I do take the whole lower off in 1pc. I find it is easy to put back on but I start at the front. Get one front corner snapped in and hand start a screw on that side of the bike just to hold the plastic in place. Snap the other front corner in place and hand start a screw on that side of the bike to hold the plastic in place. Then just go around and start all the other screws in but leave them loose. Once all the screws are in you can wiggle/move/adjust the lower in place if you need to then run all the screws down tight.

[STArnie13]

I have taken the lower fairing off and it can be a pain to put back on. That is why the last time I changed the filter on both the 91 and 97 ST's I tried it without taking anything loose. It worked fine for me. Even the 91 with the oil cooler was done easily by just lying on my back and reaching up to get at the filter. Doing both that way it only took a couple of minutes. I am sorry that I did it the hard way so many times!:bow1: :03biker: