Labor Cost of FLHT Handlebar Swap

[78shOvel]

Have a bad pain between shoulder blade so I checked bars for replacement was thinking of going with narrow sweepers 2+
Went to dealership to get a price on swapping the stock bars for these. Now this is on a 04 FLHT. The dealership wants $850.00
in just labor and said add $500.00 more if I want wiring etc inside bars. This seems a little steep to me. What say you? 

Thanks Dennis   

[Leed]

Sounds like that dealer doesn't want to do the job.  Or you really need to find another dealer.

[calif phil]

That's way too high. 

[78shOvel]

They quoted 10 hours labor being they said soldering wires etc.

Dennis

[harpwrench]

I'm pretty sure it didn't take all day the very first time I did it, the second time only took maybe half a day. Counting looking for tools after a teenage son has wrenched on his stuff lol.

[robbyville]

Yowzers that's steep.  I did my first ever bar change last month.  Total for everything including new grips, messing around finding the right sized tools, and spending almost 45 minutes on one side that was giving me grief (other side took less than 10min) was still less than 6hrs.  If I had to do it again it would be around 4.  Albeit I did not need to de-pin or extend wiring.

Still seems like a lot especially since they want an extra 4 hrs or so for internal wiring?

[lilchief]

Wow. Dealership here quoted me $860 for parts & labor to install front lowering kit on my '15 Road Glide. Just for bars thats pretty spendy.

Lil Chief

[jrgreene1968]

That is nuts.. Usually takes me 3-4 hrs, and that's taking my time, the hardest part on my bike is getting the transmission side cover off to change clutch cable( my exhaust in the way).. I'd be looking for a new shop

[tomcat64]

sounds awfully high,, I do know that bagger apes on the rushmore ABS bikes get really spendy if you exceed 10" high,, the lines are really spendy,, and we do lots of Yaffee apes,, the bars alone ar $400 and a PIA to pull wire thru,, with only 2" of ride I doubt you will need new cables,,

I did the 10" Yaffees on my 14  FLHXS partly because I did not need new lines..

[78shOvel]

Parts are only 335.90 that includes them charging for gasket, tranny oil  everything.

Dennis

[Smarty]

Look up Hill Country Customs. They seem to have the  best deal on all bars and have good deal on bars prewired and ready to mount and plug and play. They also have the extensions to do your own.

[UltraNutZ]

Have a bad pain between shoulder blade so I checked bars for replacement was thinking of going with narrow sweepers 2+
Went to dealership to get a price on swapping the stock bars for these. Now this is on a 04 FLHT. The dealership wants $850.00
in just labor and said add $500.00 more if I want wiring etc inside bars. This seems a little steep to me. What say you? 

Thanks Dennis   

Call Hill Country Customs.  Handlebars shipped to you ready to install regardless whether you want them pre-wired or not and whether you want them internally wired or not.  Good peeps to deal with


sorry didn't see smarty's reply.


I have a set on my 2012 FLHTK.  They came with the master cylinder, handlebar switches, clutch and brake perches and all wiring already done.  Pretty much plug n play with the exception of the clutch cable and bleeding the brakes.  easy peasy..

[fbn ent]

Fancy cables for the '04 =  $$$
1 1/4" bars  =  $$$
Extended wire run inside the bars takes quite a bit of time and materials are not quite as spendy but do cost.
New left side grip...
Of course a bagger takes longer than a softail.  More body parts to deal with...
Costs to get others to do your work for you.

to Hillside suggestion.

[78shOvel]

Fancy cables for the '04 =  $$$
1 1/4" bars  =  $$$
Extended wire run inside the bars takes quite a bit of time and materials are not quite as spendy but do cost.
New left side grip...
Of course a bagger takes longer than a softail.  More body parts to deal with...
Costs to get others to do your work for you.

to Hillside suggestion.

Yes that's understandable but we are talking wires routed outside bar a 1" bar, and plain vinyl cables. In my opinion I was thinking about $650 to $750 for total job parts included.


Dennis

[truck]

Replace handlebars – includes removing radio on FLHTC... ............ 1.2 hours. This is for a 2001.

[runamuck]

I changed the bars on my 09 ultra last summer..took about 4 hours. went slow. had to change out clutch cable..10 hours for " factory trained" mechanic seems way high.

[glens]

Not if the change-over constitutes the lad's training...

[UltraNutZ]

ride that biatch down here and we'll get them swapped out in no time.  Bring beer..

[76shuvlinoff]

Last summer I changed the bars on my 12 Ultra out to internally wired Wild Ones fat 575s (I think, terrible at remembering that number).   I have changed and internally wired lots of bars on my shovel but nothing like this. There's something like 32 or 34 wires in there. I probably had 5 hours in it.

I was getting neck pain at under 100 miles. Now I can get 300 to 400 before I feel it in the neck at all. If I had a do over I might have gone with a shade more pullback but it's not a deal breaker. The way it is I did not have to extend wiring but I just have to do some creative re routing to make em reach. I did not change the clutch cable, just re-routed it out of the faring.

Gotta pull the ignition switch, dash and external faring, loosen the radio to get to the handlebar clamps. disassemble the multi pin connectors to pull the pins so you can get the wires through the new bars. Easier done at the kitchen table than on the bike.  Take notes and pictures on disassembly for reassembly.

My biggest fight was the damn ignition switch. I can't remember exactly what I did but it was wrong... like 9 times. 

[frito1]

Replace handlebars – includes removing radio on FLHTC... ............ 1.2 hours. This is for a 2001.

No need to remove the radio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik73i5x3jdI

I put the 300515 Sweepers on my '11FLHTP, the only mod I made was to add the sidecar clutch cable and I might have got by without it.  3-4 hours work, just goofing around, no hurry.  The dealer offered to put a set of HD mini bagger apes on for a mere $1500.  They claimed I'd need new wiring harness to go with the bars.

[Super Dave]

I did it on my 04 FLHTCUI. Hardest part was getting the wires in the bars. For the bar clamp, I just cut down a hex wrench so it would fit under the radio. You'll want the one piece clamp to put on.

[jmorton10]

If you can get it to upstate NY, I'll do it for nothing  :-)

~John