[Spanky7]

Took the bike to Kegel's in Rockford, they ordered new cover for me said no problem to replace.

Now the story gets interesting. I know I have talked about the gouge in the frame rail and the scratches on the clutch cover from the figure 8 clamp from the stock exhaust. I know others have had this very same problem. Once I got the Rinehart on, and was potentially looking at having the pipe taken off and maybe scratched up along the way I said to myself forget it, deal with it. I didn't want to take that chance?! Well I got curious..........

Well since I was there I asked if that could be covered under warranty. They guy there yesterday couldn't give me an answer, he said the service manager would have to look at it and give me the final say, because the cost of the fix was so much higher than just with a replacement res cap that he ordered.

So tomorrow morning, I'll get my answer, I'll keep you all posted. I'm driving back to kegels to have the sales manager look at it.

Side note : while getting ready to leave I noticed the brake res cap is just about ready to start seeping fluid through

 

[ced]

Keep us posted on the results - my 2007 is really bubbling bad

CD

 

[jamison74]

very common problem, brake fluid is murder on anything painted, the worst.

 

[Getsome122]

having both my res caps replaced under warranty next week. very very common problem.

 

[FiftyFathoms]

Having my clutch reservoir cover replaced under warranty on Saturday.

 

[Spanky7]

Update:

Now both res caps and gaskets are getting replaced, they ordered the caps/gaskets today should be in a few days.

The frame rail gouge/scuffed cluth cover (I also found a plastic piece that wraps around the frame rail and holds a line in place is melted and needs to be replaced) is another story. I was told that they couldn't do anything directly. The even suggested to take it to another dealer. I asked what difference would that make, he said it shouldn't but it might?!

Since my bike no longer has the stock exhaust and I didn't have a dealer put on the RH 2-1, he said I would struggle to have a case. He SUGGESTED I could have done this when I removed the stock exhaust. He SUGGESTED because it was heavy (I don't look like a whimp by the way) and I just laughed at him. I told to look at the way stock exhasut sits on this particular bike, there is no way you could even see the scuff/gouge/melted piece with the stock exhasut system on. Had I not changed it, I would have never known. What ever happened to honest people, and them just ASSUMING/SUGGESTING I am lying to them. I told him that this is a know issue that has been discussed throughout the forum and vrod community. He SUGGESTED that the people on the forum aren't always honest, nor know what they are talking about, and that I can't believe everything I hear. I took real offense to that comment. I didn't want to be a jerk though, so I asked if there were anything, anything I could do. He gave me a number to call.

COM Service 1-414-343-4056

He told me I could call and plead my case with them, and then they would probably call them and ask what they saw directly. He CLAIMED he would go to bat for me, maybe he will. Should be interesting to see what happens. EVEN if they are willing to fix it, I am terrified they will scratch my otherwise 99.9% RH if they replace these parts. I am going to call this number on monday.

anyone else have any thoughts?

BTW, at one time I was going to have them look at the fuel gauge issue, but for some time now it has been working, hopefully I didn't just jinx myself!

 

[FiftyFathoms]

It's a known fact that the figure 8 clamp has damaged numerous frames on the '08's. H-D even changed the exhaust design on the '09's eliminating the clamp with a weld. Theres a note in the '09 service manual advising to insure at least a 7/32" gap between the pipe and frame while installing the exhaust. H-D is well aware of the damage the clamp is causing.

 

[ogri]

I have had mine changed under warranty,but now its out of warranty its gone again?

 

[deathdealer2006]

My local dealer said the only way to get past the bubbling pain on the covers is to go with a chrome cover. Any truth to that?

 

[Spanky7]

I guess I will have this thread up so I can share with the person whom I speak with tomorrow when I make the call.

Supposedly they have changed the gasket design to eliminate the leak causing the bubbling paint, so we will see.

I just can't believe they told me to try another dealership. I figured they would just run it through for me and worst case, I get turned down. It's all up to me now to fight for myself, whch is probably better anyway.

For those who have had their fram rail/etc replaced because of the figure 8 clamp/exhaust sitting on the frame rail etc, please post on here so I have other points of reference to argue my case. If you could include where the warranty work was taken care of that would be super!

Thanks in advance brothers!

 

[Eric993]

Spanky, hold your ground with the dealer, I had the Exotic Chopper when I took my bike it for the frame gouge, they stalled but I got it taken care of while under warranty. It is a known problem and if you stand your ground, they will take care of it (if you still in warranty)

 

[skinner]

had my res covers replaced an as i was riding away new ones where leaking after they told me i over tightened them to get it to stop....now im wondering y my denim paint is looking chalky white almost like the paint is fading

 

[Spanky7]

UPDATE: Called Com Service today, I tried yesterday but didn't have my vin# on me. I spoke with a VERY nice woman on the phone. Told her the whole story about what I posted in the above link with what is going on with the bike and what the dealership told me. I gave her every piece of information I could think of. She put me on hold..............

She came back on and asked immediately, "is the stock exhaust still on the bike?" I told her no, I added that if the stock system was still on I would never know it because it covered it up.

She followed with "Did the dealership install the exhaust?" I once again told her now, I did it myself. She then asked is the dealership trying to say that you could be at fault and this happened when you swapped exhaust. I said yes they implied that but it would be possible for me to gouge the frame, scratch the clutch cover and melt the plastic bracket by taking just removing the stock exhaust system.

Finally she said " Well I am not sure why they didn't just help you right away with this issue, your bike is under warranty and the dealership has no stake in this matter." I told her precisely my thoughts were indeed the same.

She gave me a reference number and said that IF they had questions, they COULD call tech service (she gave me the number) and ask them about it. She said they didn't HAVE TO CALL.

I called the dealership back got the service manager on the phone, talk to him for a minute, he remembered who I was. I started giving him the information he had a 1-2 minute outside conversation with someone there at the dealership. He then took the rest of my information. He told me he was the only one there today, and he would make the phone call ON THURSDAY to tech service.

So much for SPEEDY service :banghead: I will call them tomorrow and double check and make sure the clutch and Brake res covers have been ordered and are coming in................:angeldev:

STAY TUNED!

 

[Spanky7]

Update again:

So I had not heard anything from the shop as of yesterday at noon, was going to call on my own, when I received a voicemail from parts saying the clutch and brake covers and gaskets were in. So I called the service manager back to ask about setting up a time to come in and have it fixed. I then ask him if he called Tech Service to get the gouge/other issues taken care of. He tells me he tried my VIN# on tuesday afternoon and it didn't wook (instantly, with it being thursday I think to myself WTF, why not call me and confirm the VIN#, instead of making me call and find out like this). At any rate he reads the VIN# back to me, and I say, yep, that is the correct VIN# He says he cannot figure why it got kicked back. We set up a time for saturday morning to get the news gaskets and caps installed. He tells me he hopes then he will have an answer on the other stuff. Should be interesting what I find out Saturday..........

 

[asianwinkie]

Spanky I feel your paint. I work for a dealership and it a nightmare to get anything done even though they beat us over the head with customer service # 1. Sometime a big place has a hard time responding quickly to customers request so the best thing to do is call the manager or the factory. It sounds like the problem is not serious enough to get all the parties involved.

I just picked up my 09 DX from a San Diego dealer 100 miles away and notice the ABS light come on right away. Having been in working for a car dealership for 10yr, I knew what to do. I calmly called the sales guy and let him know what had happened and he told me he would call me back. Nothing yet. I took the bike to Laidlaw and I just got a call that it will about a week for the replacement part. There goes my Memorial weekend fun.

 

[Spanky7]

Update:

So I was there at 8:55 for my 9am appointment to get the res caps and gaskets replaced and find out what the service manager was going to do about the gouge, clutch cover scuff and melted plastic clamp holding the line to the frame.

First thing I ask the service manager is if he called tech service to confirm the issue should be fixed, he says no, he was swamped so he was unable to call. So I ask what are they going to do, he then tells me they are going to "touch up" the gouge and the clutch cover scuff and replace the melted clamp I did't have time to argue to be honest, so I didn't object. I wait for almost an hour and a half, while 4 different guys take cigarette breaks right out in front of me as I sit there and wait. So I get tired of sitting there, and go to the parts department to order my 48 mirror caps (to mount my mirrors underneath and clean up the look, cost $5 a piece)

Anyway they finally finish up the bike, tells me its done and all ready to go. He said the touchup could have been better had they sanded and then painted. When I get home, I notice that they plastic clamp wasn't even replaced, and it was on the work order I signed! And the touch up, if you look REAL close it's obvious, so if I want to be anal it's going to bug me.

Is this handling of the situtation correct? Should the service manager be able to make the call to touch up the problem or should they have ordered NEW parts? He still implied that I could have done all the while removing the stock exhaust I have no idea what limitations or discretions the dealers have for warranty work, frankly, I haven't had any real warrany issues on other new items I have purchased.

What are your thoughts? I mean I have to go back anyway to get the caps for the mirrors, and I am going to certainly question the plastic clamp not being replaced. I might even call out there tomorrow?! I am also going to call COM service as soon as I know they are open and ask if it was handled properly.

even if they should have replaced the frame rail and clutch cover, I am concerned to have this particular shop do the work because the exhaust would have to be removed, my wife added, would they take care of it enough to not scatch the shit out of my near perfect (not a single scratch from my installation) pipes.

am as seriously at a loss of what to do???

 

[asianwinkie]

He said the touchup could have been better had they sanded and then painted.

so what was his point for point that out. Is he trying to piss you off more? Why doesn't he just say, "I could've made it look better but I got lazy so your SOL!"

ok it time to take it to another level. I would email or write to both HD and the owner of the dealership. With current economy they should focus more on taking care of good repeat customers. If they don't take your future business to another HD dealer.

 

[Spanky7]

so what was his point for point that out. Is he trying to piss you off more? Why doesn't he just say, "I could've made it look better but I got lazy so your SOL!"

ok it time to take it to another level. I would email or write to both HD and the owner of the dealership. With current economy they should focus more on taking care of good repeat customers. If they don't take your future business to another HD dealer.

Not sure what his reasoning was, he said that they did what they could do with the time they had. The kicker is, I had no idea they were even going to do that on Saturday, had I known I would have left the bike, and got a ride to ensure the job was a quality one, instead of a bandaid!

I am goign to call Com Service today and see what they say?!

 

[trbo2nr]

Keep us posted on the results - my 2007 is really bubbling bad

CD

I'm referring to clutch resevoir...

Replace it but more important, flush the fluids while you are it. My fluid looked like crap and guess it explained why the bike kept popping out of gear. My 07 DX popped out while in gear and the fluid was terrible. So, I had to replace my fluid WAY BEFORE what the service
manual suggested. I'm guessing if it's bubblng out, what's going in (dirt)....not really sure.

 

[asianwinkie]

good luck