Gen 2 rear wheel install tips?

E Zurcher

E Zurcher

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Any tips on reinstalling back wheel ? Had some issues getting the wheel around the rear caliper and dinged up the paint on the rim a little.

Not that big a deal but the rim was like new before so I touched it up with some car paint and dropped it off at cycle gear for the new tire to be mounted.

So i was thinking about making a small ramp for the wheel to sit on while getting everything in place. My bike is on a trackstand at the moment.
 
Unbolt the caliper from the perch, slide it off the rotor, and get it away from the wheel before you remove the axle. It will
Hang alongside the swingarm without damaging anything.The caliper perch will remaine in place and not damage the wheel.
 
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That makes a lot of sense. Wish I thought of that! The manual says basically to slide the wheel forward, unhook the loose chain, remove the axle and pull the wheel straight back. It says nothing about the caliper. So when you are trying to hold up the wheel off the ground and get it around the caliper it really sucks as the rim is getting dinged up! Thanks for the tip!
 
There are several things that I have found in the service manual that are not necessarily the easiest as far as I'm concerned. Fork seals would be at the top of that list as well.
 
Sock on caliper and masking tape on the rim. It can be a bit tricking ligning it all back up by your self so I would get some help so you have a 3rd hand.
 
JGGUNS said:
Unbolt the caliper from the perch, slide it off the rotor, and get it away from the wheel before you remove the axle. It will
Hang alongside the swingarm without damaging anything.
Click to expand...

This is absolutely the key to easy rear wheel installation. Took me three times doing it and a whole lot of cussing and sweating before I worked it out. I'm real bright like that!
 
E Zurcher said:
Any tips on reinstalling back wheel ? Had some issues getting the wheel around the rear caliper and dinged up the paint on the rim a little.

Not that big a deal but the rim was like new before so I touched it up with some car paint and dropped it off at cycle gear for the new tire to be mounted.

So i was thinking about making a small ramp for the wheel to sit on while getting everything in place. My bike is on a trackstand at the moment.
Click to expand...

You don't need to make a ramp. I have a rubber dead blow hammer that I use to gently tap the axle going back through. The hammer is better used flat on it's side under the tire, as it's the perfect thing to rest the tire on while I put the axle back in.
The gen2 just happens to a be a slightly bigger pain to change than alot of other bikes. After you do it enough times it will become easy...hence you need to ride more:laugh: There you have it, the solution is greater than the problem:laugh:
 
I always tape the wheel good on the caliper side, And I remove the chain guard and put a piece of blue tape down the top of the swing arm that way I can lay the chain over it and wont scratch it, Also put blue tape on caliper side of swingarm so as not to scratch it if you do take caliper loose. I am a blue tape nut when working on my bike, But it saves paint
 
New tire is on, wheel is installed and I also installed a K&N air filter. Guys at the shop said I had a pretty good flat spot on it. The mechanic said I should drop my tire pressure a bit and it won't wear out as fast in the middle. I usually run the factory specified 42 psi front and back. I dropped them both to 40 and will try that out for a while. They also used stick-on weights (which I don't like) instead of the clip on type. Now to get them scuffed in for the twisties!
 
Also when you slide axle back thru and put your axle blocks in and get nut on a little ways on axle, Put a grease rag in between your sprocket and chain on the top side where the axle guard goes and roll the wheel backwards as far as you can keep alot of pressure on it, And then hold it with your knee and tighten axle nut and torque it. Then roll back forward and take rag out. This sucks the wheel back up tight against the axle blocks. Then there is no question that it all the way up.
 
E Zurcher said:
New tire is on, wheel is installed and I also installed a K&N air filter. Guys at the shop said I had a pretty good flat spot on it. The mechanic said I should drop my tire pressure a bit and it won't wear out as fast in the middle. I usually run the factory specified 42 psi front and back. I dropped them both to 40 and will try that out for a while. They also used stick-on weights (which I don't like) instead of the clip on type. Now to get them scuffed in for the twisties!
Click to expand...

I didnt like the stick on weights either to begin with but they are better I have found out now, And they don't scratch your wheel each time they clip them on like the others will do, And as long as you are careful getting them off they are not a problem, I also paint my stick on weights with the little bottle of car touch up paint same color as my wheels so you cant see them.
 
I always put a wood bock right in front of the rear tire. I would roll the tire up the block which lifts and aligns the wheel. It's really simple don't need a second hand.
 
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