Tire Change and Rear Spline Lube

Also See: Elusive 3rd O-Ring

Tools – Front                                                           Tools - Rear

Allen (hex) socket set – 6mm                                     Allen (hex) socket set – 8mm

ratchet                                                                         ratchet

short extension – 3”                                                    ratchet extension – 1 ½”, 3”, 10”

metric sockets – 12,14,22mm                                                sockets – 8,10,12,14,19,27mm

torque wrench                                                             torque wrench                                    

phillips screwdriver                                                     soft mallet (rubber, plastic)

small screwdriver                                                       molybdenum disulfide paste (mdp)

soft mallet (plastic, rubber)                                         grease (regular)

awl                                                                               small pry bar - ~6”

bead breaker (JC Whitney)                                         open end box wrench – 10mm

balancing stand (homemade)

wood frame of 2x2” (16” sq. OD)                               Parts?

3 tire irons                                                                   exhaust gaskets?

valve core tool                                                             hub o-ring?

wheel weights (ribbon)                                                flange o-ring?

tire lube (dish soap)                                                    alcohol

paint brush (for applying lube)                                    grease

Front Wheel Removal

1.      Raise bike slightly using Cycle Lift

2.      Remove speedometer cable (phillips screw) on left side of wheel – tuck it out of the way into engine guard

3.      Remove left and right brake calipers by removing 2 mounting bolts each (12mm) – Do NOT depress front brake lever while calipers are removed!!!

4.      Unclip left brake hose from fender and hang caliper by the speedo cable clip out of the way

5.      Let right caliper hang from fender (or support it with a piece of wire)

6.      With a small screwdriver carefully pry the 4 chrome caps off the axle pinch bolts

7.      Loosen right axle pinch bolts (6mm hex) – do NOT loosen the left side yet

8.      Remove the axle bolt (22mm) from the right side (use bike tool kit if you do not have 22mm)

9.      Loosen left axle pinch bolts (6mm hex)

10.  Remove the axle from the left side by reinserting the axle bolt partway into the axle on the right side and gently tapping the axle bolt with a soft mallet (e.g. plastic or rubber) to drive the axle out to the left. Note the location of the spacer on the right and the orientation of the speedo gear box and its rotation stop in relation to the fork leg stop. Now remove the axle bolt and finish driving the axle most of the way out using a 14mm socket on a short extension, while sitting in front of the bike and supporting the tire with your feet. Insert an awl or phillips screwdriver into the crosshole in the left end of the axle and twist and pull it all the way out while supporting and aligning the tire with your feet.

11.  Remove the spacer from the right hub

12.  Remove the speedo gear box from the left hub

13.  Roll tire out from the fender by tipping it slightly (raise jack if necessary)

14.  Check wheel bearings on both sides for smoothness and quietness

15.  Inspect break pads in both sets of calipers that they are not worn past the indicator grooves

Front Tire Change

Hints: Warm the tires in the sun! A warm tire goes on much more easily.

When levering the last of the tire bead onto the wheel, be absolutely certain the opposite bead is not seated but rather squeezed into the middle of the wheel.

Put just the wheel, no tire on it, on the balancing stand and check for the heavy spot and use that rather than the tire stem for the heaviest spot.

Use automotive door protector trim on your wheel rims to prevent tire iron damage.

1.      Place wheel on wooden support frame to prevent rotor damage!!!

2.      Mark direction of rotation on wheel with a pencil

3. Remove valve core

4. Break bead all around on both sides

5. Lube bead both sides (tire lube or dish soap)

6. Pry off first side with two tire irons (tape to avoid scratching the wheel)

7. Pry second side part way off from inside the wheel with tire iron(s) and then pound the rest off by hand using a rubber mallet (tire and rim vertical)

8. Align tire balance dots with tire stem!!! and correct direction of rotation!!!

9. Lube first bead of the new tire and push on with hands and knees

10. Lube second bead and push down with hands, knees, feet ~ 3/4 on

11. Using three tire irons pry tire on - the real secret is to be sure the opposite side of the tire is squeezed into the center of the wheel (use bead breaker if necessary)

12. Double check alignment of tire balance dots with valve stem!!!

13. Double check direction of rotation

14. Insert valve core, inflate to seat tire, inflate to 40 psi

Front Tire Balance

1. Insert axle into wheel and place on balancing stand

2. Determine balance by taping assorted weights to wheel

3. Remove old weights with razor knife and alcohol if necessary

4. Precurve whole weight ribbon to same curvature as the wheel

5. Clean wheel with alcohol before sticking weight on

Front Wheel Installation

1.      Lightly grease axle to prevent corrosion and make for easier removal

2.      Roll wheel under the front fender

3.      Insert right side spacer

4.      Grease inside of speedo gear box and insert on the left side being certain that the rotation stop on the speedo gear box is just behind (toward the radiator or rear) the stop on the left fork leg

5.      Lift the wheel with your feet and align

6.      Insert the axle from the left (of the bike) and push it in until it is flush with the outside of the fork leg (top to bottom)

7.      Insert and torque the left (only!!!, not the right) axle pinch bolts (6mm hex) to 16 ft.lb. (22Nm)

8.      Insert and torque the axle bolt on the right side (22mm) to 67 ft.lb. (90Nm)

9.      Do NOT tighten the right axle pinch bolts yet!!! The correct sequence is critical to maintain correct fork alignment!!!

10.  Gently spread the pads in the calipers with a tire iron or large screwdriver

11.  Install both calipers (12mm) and torque the mounting bolts to 22 ft.lb. (30Nm)

12.  Align the slots in the speedo cable and insert it into the speedo gear box – if the cable won’t go in all the way, gently push on the cable while turning the wheel – insert and gently tighten the phillips screw (careful – it can break easily)

13.  Insert the brake lines into the holders on the fender

14.  Insert the speedo cable into the wire holder on the left caliper

15.  Check the front wheel for relatively free rotation (some brake pad drag)

16.  Pump the front brakes until pressure returns!!!!!!!!!!!

17.  Lower and remove the Cycle Lift

18.  Straddle the bike, apply the front brakes and pump the front forks up and down several times to seat the axle (or you can compress the forks with straps and then tighten the right axle pinch bolts)

19.  Only now do you tighten the right axle pinch bolts to 16 ft.lb. (22Nm)

20.  Insert the chrome caps into the 4 axle pinch bolt heads

21.  Pump the front brakes to be sure they are working!!!

Rear Wheel Removal

Note: The following instructions are for a Tourer. If you have a Standard, it may be easier to remove the shocks and raise and lower the rear wheel with a scissors jack to gain access to the axle while the bike is up on the Cycle Lift. In which case you would not remove the exhaust/mufflers.

1.      Raise the bike up on Cycle Lift, rear tire just off the ground, transmission in first gear

2.      Remove the left and right saddle bags, four bolts each (8mm)

Note: For an easy bag removal kit see:  http://www.rattlebars.com

3.      Remove the two nuts (12mm) at each rear muffler hanger

Note: It may be possible to skip Step 4 by forcing the mufflers out of the way by putting a wedge, such as a small piece of wood, between the muffler and the hanger

Note: Sears has a ¼ inch drive 10mm flex socket that can make the next step easier

4.      Remove the six nuts at the front exhaust headers (10mm + long extension, 10mm open end/box wrench for the 3 hard to reach nuts on the right inside exhaust – remove these 3 first). Leave the front most exhaust nut screwed on a little bit to hold the exhaust up as you pivot the muffler down in the next step.

5.      Pull the muffler out from the rear hanger and let it swing down as far as it will go

Note: I know that many owners are very reluctant to remove the bags and especially the exhaust system. The bags literally come off in seconds and make the job much easier. The exhaust comes off in a couple of minutes and greatly eases access to the axle and axle nut.

6.      Remove the axle nut on the left side (27mm or 1 1/16” or tool kit)

7.      Remove the rear brake caliper stop bolt (14mm) located in the swing arm ~2 inches below and to the front of the left bottom shock bolt

8.      Spin the axle from the right side, very center of the final drive hub using 8mm hex to break loose any corrosion and ease removal of the axle

9.      Install the axle nut partway onto the axle and using a 19mm socket and long extension drive the axle out to the right

10.  Remove the axle nut and using just the long extension drive the axle out the rest of the way

11.  Remove the rear break caliper and lay it on the left saddle bag mount or wire tie it out of the way

12.  Remove collar/spacer from the left side center off the wheel

13.  Pull the wheel to the left until it comes free of the final drive

14.  Raise the bike 12 inches or so until the tire/wheel can be removed from under the rear fender

15.  Check the rear pads for wear

16.  Check the rear wheel bearings on each side for smooth and quiet rotation

Rear Tire Change

Use the wooden frame to protect the rotor

To get the last part of the first bead on, I had to use a large 12” tire iron and pry against (fulcrum) the outer bead to force the inner first bead on. I’ve never had to do this before and could be because the tire was not sun warmed or it could be that Valkyrie rear tires are a bit harder to install.

Otherwise same as the front

Rear Wheel Installation and Rear Spline Lube

1.      Using a small 6” pry bar, gently pry the final drive flange out of the right side of the wheel. The flange is the black star shaped piece with what looks like 5 bolts holding it to the wheel. These “bolts” are actually smooth pins. Be careful not to loose the plastic washer on the inside of the flange plate.

2.      Carefully remove the large o-ring from the outside of the flange, just inside of the gear teeth

3.      Carefully remove the large o-ring from the right side wheel hub, under where the flange was

3.a.  Find the Elusive 3rd O-Ring and think about replacing the thrust washer and dust seal.

4.      Clean both o-rings and their grooves with a rag

5.      Clean the 5 pins on the flange with a rag

6.      Clean all the old grease off the flange, especially the gear teeth with a rag

7.      Clean the old grease off the final drive teeth as best you can

8.      Fill the hub o-ring groove with moly disulfide paste (mdp) (Honda, Belray), coat the o-ring with mdp and install

9.      Coat the mating surface of the wheel hub (around the outside of the wheel bearing on the flange side) with mdp

10.  Coat the large plastic washer with mdp

11.  Coat the inside of the flange with mdp

12.  Lightly coat the 5 flange pins with mdp

13.  Push the flange onto the wheel hub being sure the inside o-ring and plastic washer are in place

14.  Fill the outer flange o-ring groove with mdp, coat the o-ring with mdp and install

Note: Replace the hub and flange o-rings perhaps every other tire change

15.  Generously apply mdp to the flange teeth and the final drive teeth

16.  Wipe clean the left (rotor) side bearing dust seal and its spacer/collar

17.  Apply regular grease to the lips of the bearing dust seal

18.  Insert the spacer/collar into the bearing dust seal

19.  Clean any corrosion off the axle with fine sandpaper and grease lightly to help prevent corrosion and ease installation

Note: Take a good look at the axle sleeve that runs through the final drive and note that it can easily pivot off center in any direction and thus prevent the wheel/flange from sliding in. Be sure this axle sleeve stays centered.

20.  Loosen the 4 final drive mounting nuts (14mm socket + 1 ½ “ extension) a couple of turns until they are finger loose. This step is critical to achieve proper alignment of the final drive and prevent premature failure of the splines!!!!

21.  Start the axle in from the right side a short ways

22.  Lift the wheel into place on the final drive

23.  Push the axle into place by hand and then gently tap it through just flush with the spacer/collar on the left side using a rubber mallet

24.  Carefully spread the brake pads with a large screwdriver

25.  While sliding the brake pads/caliper over the rotor, position the caliper bracket into place

26.  Gently tap the axle the rest of the way through being sure that the axle is lined up with its hole in the swing arm

Note: The following tightening sequence is critical to achieve proper spline alignment!!!

27.  Install the rear brake stopper bolt (14mm) and torque to 51 ft.lb (69Nm)

28.  Install the axle nut (27mm or 1 1/16”) and torque to 81 ft.lb. (110Nm)

29.  Torque the 4 final drive nuts to 47 ft.lb. (64Nm)

30.  Shift the transmission into neutral and turn the rear wheel by hand to check for free rotation

31.  Pump the rear brake peddle until pressure returns!!!!!

32.  Lift and pull outward on the muffler to install it into the rear hanger

33.  Torque the muffler hanger nuts (12mm) to 25 ft.lb. (34Nm)

34.  Install the 5 exhaust nuts (front most nut is already partway on) using 10mm socket on long extension and a 10mm open end box wrench for the hard to reach nuts and torque to 7 ft.lb. (10Nm) if you can, otherwise tighten by hand being careful not to over tighten

35.  Install the saddle bags and 4 bolts each (8mm)

36.  Check for exhaust leaks where you loosened the headers – replace exhaust gaskets if necessary