Rear Wheel Removal and Replacement Pictorial

[markjenn]

Well, except that tightening the axle nut with the axle pinched by the bolt in the swingarm winds the axle up like a torsion bar/spring, which gives you an improper torque reading if you're using a torque wrench... then the axle tries to unwind when you loosen the pinch bolt, leaving you with less than the torque you initially put in.

I don't see this. Whether you hold the axle stationary by a wrench or clamped in the swingarm, it tightens exactly the same, preloading all the spacers and inner bearing races against the collar at the right end of the axle. The only difference is that when you have the axle clamped by the right swingarm, you may be bending the swingarm inward as you tighten since the end of the axle is not free to float in the right swingarm hole as it should. Provided you snugged the axle nut before you tightened the pinch bolt so that it is not radically too far right, I doubt this bend has any affect whatsoever on how the axle torques up.

Again, I don't use the pinchbolt as an axle holder and am not advocating this as the right way. But if you don't have an axle wrench, I think you can use this technique if you want.

- Mark

 

[EricV]

Perhaps it will make more sense if you understand that while you may feel that the axle is snugged up against the swing arm pocket, it may not be. And not everyone has an equal 'feel' for this. Beyond the risk of torquing the swing arm, the very real possibility exists that the pinch bolt will be tightened on an axle that is not fully seated in the swing arm. Then the torque would then most likely be incorrect and the swing arm may be pulled off to one side.

Some owners have found this situation. (even from dealer service) Some believe it contributes to the bike not tracking strait for them as well.

Considering the multiple options for an inexpensive 19mm (3/4") allen tool, I really see no reason to justify not doing the procedure correctly.

 

[markjenn]

I've done a little more thinking about this - I was curious about the relationship between the torque applied on the axle nut and how if affects how the axle assembly is tensioned. Based on this, I've come around more to the thinking of EricV and Dallara (and others) that using the pinch bolts to hold the axle, even if you back off and re-tighten later, is probably not a very good idea.

Just as a brief background, the main reason for tightening the axle nut is to take an assemblage of left diff housing, inner bearing races, rear brake carrier, and spacers, and make it behave as a single unified assembly fixed to the axle and around which the outer bearing races rotate without side load. When you tighten the axle nut, you're tensioning the axle by pulling the right collar of the axle (that is eventually clamped into the right swingarm) against the races/spacers, etc. You want all this axial tension to be in the axle assembly and thus want the right side of the axle unfixed in the swingarm - if it is fixed, then some of this tension can potentially be absorbed by the squeezing of the swingarm.

While it can get more complicated, there is a basic rule-of-thumb equation that relates bolt/nut torque to tension axially along the bolt (or in our case the axle):

T (in-lb) = F (lb) x D (in) x 0.2

Where T is the torque on the axle nut, F is the axial tension, and D is the bolt/nut diameter. Plug in the 1080 in-lb spec for nut torque and assume a nominal 1" or so nut diameter and you end up with about 200-lbs of axial tension in the axle after the nut is torqued to spec. This number is surprisingly low to me - I would have expected that a high torque like this would have put several thousand lbs of tension in the axle.

Assuming this 200-lbs of tension is correct, then the question is whether having the swingarm fixed on the right by clamping it with the pinch bolt might cause a significant reduction in this tension as the swingarm takes the tension rather than the axle. On this, I suspect it very much matters how tight you have the axle nut before you tighten the pinch bolt. If you just loosely thread the axle nut on the axle, then immediately clamp the axle and start tightening the axle nut, I bet the squeezing/deflection of the swingarm is very significant and it might absorb a large portion of the tension before the axle started being tensioned. Alternatively if you get the axle nut good and snug before clamping, I bet the deflection is rather small and the swingarm isn't going to take much tension away from the axle.

But I'm just waving my arms in this last paragraph based on mechanic's intuition - I really don't know. It would be interesting to perform some tests. But I must say that given the rather low axial load generated by the axle nut, I don't think it is a very good idea to use the pinch bolt as a means to hold the axle stationary while torquing the axle nut to spec. If you're in a terrible bind and don't have an axle wrench and must use the pinch bolt to hold the axle, then I'd really try and get the axle nut as tight as possible before clamping. And I'd also suggest doing a few extra steps to re-tighten the axle nut a time or two in cycles to allow any swingarm tension to be relieved incrementally.

As others have said, the correct approach is simply to use the appropriate axle wrench to hold the axle when tightening the axle nut.

- Mark

 

[EricV]

<snippage occured> Alternatively if you get the axle nut good and snug before clamping, I bet the deflection is rather small and the swingarm isn't going to take much tension away from the axle.

I do agree. My concern is that while you are confident that you understand what "good and snug" means, (and I do think you are), someone new to wrenching might not be. There in lies the potential problem.

But I'm just waving my arms in this last paragraph based on mechanic's intuition - I really don't know. It would be interesting to perform some tests. But I must say that given the rather low axial load generated by the axle nut, I don't think it is a very good idea to use the pinch bolt as a means to hold the axle stationary while torquing the axle nut to spec. If you're in a terrible bind and don't have an axle wrench and must use the pinch bolt to hold the axle, then I'd really try and get the axle nut as tight as possible before clamping. And I'd also suggest doing a few extra steps to re-tighten the axle nut a time or two in cycles to allow any swingarm tension to be relieved incrementally.

Sound advice. ::008::

 

[GrahamD]

T (in-lb) = F (lb) x D (in) x 0.2

Super Tenere.

The (American) professors bike. ::008::

Surely somewhere on this bike there is some Calculus. ::001::

 

[trasbeck]

I removed my rear wheel in order to plug a nail puncture (another story in itself). Figured it was a good opportunity to practice in case I ever had to do it on the road. All came apart easily. I noticed a rattle inside the wheel, which turned out to be a spacer inside the brake side wheel bearing.
It could move around off center of the other holes, and made the axle a pain to slide in. Just shook everything til it slid in. Haven't tightened everything yet, but appears all is as should be.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Also, Dynaplug worked well but I couldn't push in the insertion tool (!) with the wheel on bike. Took two tries, but got it in with much force.
El cheapo Slime compressor filled tire to 40 psi, running off the cigar socket, no blown fuse.

 

[markjenn]

I removed my rear wheel in order to plug a nail puncture (another story in itself). Figured it was a good opportunity to practice in case I ever had to do it on the road. All came apart easily. I noticed a rattle inside the wheel, which turned out to be a spacer inside the brake side wheel bearing.
It could move around off center of the other holes, and made the axle a pain to slide in. Just shook everything til it slid in. Haven't tightened everything yet, but appears all is as should be.

Normal. This spacer is snugged up to the inner races of the wheel bearings when you tighten the axle. It usually doesn't move unless you disturb it and stays aligned well enough to not be a hassle during axle insertion. If yours tends to fall to one side, then I'd try and get it aligned when you first put the wheel back on the bike to make axle insertion easier.

Also, Dynaplug worked well but I couldn't push in the insertion tool (!) with the wheel on bike. Took two tries, but got it in with much force.

Haven't used your setup, but it is also normal to really have to work to insert the reaming tool initially when preparing the hole for a plug. But it is vital the hole be reamed because this correctly sizes the hole for the plug, both to insert properly and to seal properly.

- Mark

 

[EricV]

@markjenn - The Dynaplug tool is different from standard gummy worms/kits. It uses a proprietary gummy worm that is smaller in diameter, (~5/32"), and has a pointed brass tip. It's inserted in the Dynaplug tool until the brass tip is flush with the end of the tubular tool. Their intent is that you don't need to ream the hole due to the smaller diameter of the tool and their proprietary plugs.

I had one and tried it a few times, but the plugs always got thrown out and I had to repeat the repair with my standard kit and normal process of ream, then insert the normal full size gummy worm. I gave the Dynaplug away to someone that wanted to try it. In all three cases where I used it, I was on the road, so it may have worked better if left to sit overnight, or for a couple hours, etc. I didn't feel it was worthy of my kit, from my experience with it failing.

@trasbeck - the spacer is normal, as markjenn said. As for inserting the Dynaplug with the wheel on the bike, it helps to air up the tire and put it in gear. Don't know if you did that or not, but it shouldn't really be necessary to remove the wheel for a normal flat repair with the Dynaplug or a sticky string kit with reamer and insertion tools. IIRC, they recommend lubing the Dynaplug tool with some spit or water to aid in it's sliding in. Other kits use glue, which aids in the plug insertion too.

 

[trasbeck]

Thanks guys.

The spacer is so loose that it falls out of line with the bearing when the wheel is vertical. This causes the axle to catch on it when sliding it in.
A little shaking and wiggling solves it.

I tried all those suggestions to install that plug. Not enough arm strength, i guess. I was going to try another fix, then decided to try another dynaplug. By pushing straight down it went in. So far it is holding pressure.

 

[EricV]

Great write up. One question: when using the factory torque spec are the threads supposed to be dry or lubricated?

Unless specifically called out, all torque specs from the FSM are for dry threads. The ones in this thread for the wheel removal/installation process are for dry threads.

If you've opted to use some anti-sieze compound, be careful about how things feel when torquing the smaller bolts. Not such a big deal on the main axle bolt, in part due to the size, in part due to the compression aspect of it, rather than strictly threads in a blind hole. The smaller bolts have a torque rating so they don't fall out. ;D And so you don't shear them off or strip the threads. Good and snug will usually do the job with those, don't strain yourself.

 

[CDMartin884]

So I am teaching myself how to take off the rear tire, but what is the proper tool to use when tightening down the axle nut to keep the axle from spinning? I saw where you should not use the pinch nut, so what is it. Is it a 19mm hex? .

LOL, I would like to button up my bike so I can ride, and unfortunately I don't have a shop manual ::010::

 

[markjenn]

[size=12pt]So I am teaching myself how to take off the rear tire, but what is the proper tool to use when tightening down the axle nut to keep the axle from spinning? I saw where you should not use the pinch nut, so what is it. Is it a 19mm hex?

Yes, 19mm same as the front. This is about 3/4" so there are a ton of home-brew options at your local Home Depot: couplers, double-nutting two nuts on a threaded rod, etc. Some spark plug sockets have a 3/4" hex on them.

We had a discussion about possible issues with using the pinch bolt to hold the axle in another thread. It's not ideal, but if you come up to final torque in a few stages (loosening the pinch bolt periodically to allow it to find its neutral position in the swingarm), it's unlikely you'll have any issue. But you're going to need some tool to do the front, so might as well get it.

- Mark

 

[markjenn]

Thanks, I will hunting the Home Depot in the morning.

Look for one of these that's 3/4" across the flats.

- Mark

 

[CDMartin884]

Well necessity is the mother of invention. Couldn't find a all-thread coupler that was 3/4 across, but I figured this would work for $1.40. The bolt head is a perfect fit for the axle slot, and the three nuts gave me good room for the spanner

And voila, perfecto mundo . . . all is right with world, and I now know how to take my rear off and put it back on ::012:: Wheel that is

 

[terryth]

I bought one of these, works on all my bikes, European and japanese that need something like this for the axles. 1/2 half the price of anything similar from the motorcycle sites and vendors.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A7Z6AG6/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[markjenn]

I'd bet that half the bikes running around out there have had axles tightened using the pinch bolt (it just seems like the natural/easy way to do it, especially since it essentially reverses the order of disassembly) and I don't see a rash of cracked swingarms or failed wheel bearings, so it is probably one of those things where doing it the correct way isn't super-critical. Nevertheless, always a good idea to do things right when you can.

- Mark

 

[ridefire]

May be a silly question, I don't want to damage anything, can you tap the axle out with a mallet from thread side or should it just pull out?

 

[EricV]

May be a silly question, I don't want to damage anything, can you tap the axle out with a mallet from thread side or should it just pull out?

Use a soft faced mallet, no harm. I usually give it a small whack with a plastic faced dead blow hammer if it's tight. Apply a light coating of moly60 or other grease and it will usually pull out fairly easily.

Note: Don't hammer it back in. Sometimes the spacers get mis-alligned during a tire change and you'll need to align them before the axle will go thru. Usually only happens when you're doing the wheel R&R in a hot parking lot, instead of your comfortable garage. Hammering could do some damage to the spacers if they are out of alignment.

 

[Rasher]

Having done this twice now I can add:

On both occasions the wheel did not want to slide across with the cush drive plate and as it separated rubbers started falling out and jamming up, this is a pain as there is not enough clearance to get the wheel out independently of cush drive assy, I find it easier with some wood under the tyre holding it in line, I can then more easily work on prising the drive assy as I do not need to use my hands to stabilise the wheel.

On re-assembly I have found it tricky to get the splines to align when sliding wheel back on, again having some wood (or whatever is to hand) to get the wheel at the right height helps, but what I found makes it far easier is to push the spindle through from the wrong side, I can then get the wheel aligned on the spindle so it is perfectly algned and then with it being supported by the spindle and wood just wiggle it on really easily, once in place on the splines it is easy to remove the spindle and go around the other side and do the other bits.

I also remove the brake calipers as I find it makes life a little easier, both for re-fitting and to clean the pistons up / check brake pads / grease pins etc.

 

[Tippo]

Instead of using wood under the rear tire I slide the blade of a shovel (short handle grain scoop that I use for moving snow). I can make adjustments to the height of the wheel by putting my leg on the handle of the shovel. I have both hands free to deal with the final drive.

Jeff,
Colorado