mechanical advice needed - wheel removal from the efi

[Bull]

Hi folks



I don't have a manual for my 2002 Tiger - but I've alway been willing to explore small jobs and mechanical fixes myself.



I was wondering how easy it is to remove the wheels.  I need to mount some new tires and it's easier to take the wheels to the bike shop than the whole bike -  (because I just picked up a screw in the rear tire yesterday so it's flat - and I was thinking about getting some new tires anyways).



My last bike was a BMW K series, and removal of the wheels was easy - but the Tiger looks completely different.  so I have a few questions:



How easy is it to remove the wheels?  if it's easy, can you provide a few step-by-step suggestions?



Is it possible to remove both wheels simultaneously with the bike up on the centre stand?



Are there any clever little tricks of the trade that might help avoid a headache - or me making an arse of something?



thanks in advance ,  Bull

[Chris Canning]

It is possible to take both wheels out at the same time,mines like that at the moment,but you'll need two people to do it,on it's center stand the bike is front heavy



Take the front out first get somone to put there weight on the back of the bike, drop the front forks onto a small stool or pile of bricks with a block of wood on top.



Have a car jack under the engine to the weight of the front before you start.



Take front part of the mudguard off,take bolts out of brake calipers,undo dome nut on wheel spindle,push spindle out speedo drive will take some juggling to get out,roll the front wheel out.



The hardest part is putting the front wheel back in,holding with one hand and getting the speedo drive back in!!!



Rear.  Take out circlips out of the recess on both sides of the swing arm,undo brake caliper bolts and drop over the side of the swingarm,put socket in both end of the wheel spindle and undo and push spindle out,hold on to rear wheel take chain of take wheel out.

[wdkng_24]

a cherry picker and a few ratchet straps works well too.  you can run straps from the bars down to the legs of the enginer puller.  then you can even roll it around and out of the way ... if you have that much space.

[Guest]

I just put a scisssor jack under the bash plate and screw it up enough to get the front just off the ground. Then you can get both wheels out no probs.

[Foxy]

Put the bike up on the centre stand and use something to hold the front up - either under the sump or under the end of the fork legs. Or even a proper front paddock stand.



Front wheel removal is easier if you remove the front half of the mudguard first - there are four bolts holding this in place - two on top, one on either side, in two different sizes IIRC.



Then loosen the (22mm) axle nut at the right hand end and remove it and the washer behind it. Slide the axle out from the other end, using a drift if you have to. The wheel can then be rolled out. There is a spacer on the right hand side and the speedo drive on the left. Make sure you don't rest the wheel with weight on the discs.



The rear wheel is just as easy. Loosen the drive chain as normal. Use needle nose pliers to pull the retaining clips from each end of the axle. Undo the nut on the right hand end of the axle and remove the nut and washer.  Before you remove the axle take a good look at the arrangement of spacer and brake caliper carrier - you want to be able to put these back in the right order. The axle can then be pulled out - it helps if you support the wheel, and again you may need to use a drift to get it moving. The wheel can then be removed, slipping the loosened chain off the rear sprocket. It can help to remove the rear most bolt from the chain guard before doing this. The chain guard can then be pivotted up on the front bolt giving more clearance for removing the chain. The sprocket and carrier can be removed by laying the wheel down (supported off the brake disc) and pulling up with both hands on the sprocket. The cush drive rubbers can then be removed too and inspected for wear.



While the wheels are off (and once the new tyres have been fitted) clean and regrease (with a lithium based grease) the axle, spacers and smear a little on the lips of the grease seals on wheel bearings.



Refitting is straight forward and pretty much the reverse of removal. Spacers should stick in position for the installation as you have made sure they are regreased. Make sure they go back in the right order. Make sure the brake discs end up between the pads. The only iffy bit can be the speedo drive. This locates against a lug on the left fork leg and it can be a bit of a sod to get lined up when you are also trying to line up the fork legs, the wheel and the spacer. A second pair of hands for a few seconds can help. Don't forget to readjust the chain and properly align the chain. You will also need to pump front and rear brake levers several times to bring the pads back in contact with the disc - make sure you do this before riding off to scrub in the new tyres. Not that I've ever done anthing that foolish.......



Torque settings:



Front axle nut 60 Nm (44 ftlbs)

Rear axle bolt 85 Nm (63 ftlbs)



edit: if you are removing both wheels it really is better to remove the front first as the extra weight of the rear wheel makes it easier to get the front end clear of the ground.

[echoyankee]

Hey Bull



This was a great post.  I'm getting up the nerve to replace chain and sprockets and these posts are gonna help me PLENTY.  



Thanks!



Best,



echoyankee

[Bull]

Hey Bull



This was a great post.  I'm getting up the nerve to replace chain and sprockets and these posts are gonna help me PLENTY.  



Thanks!



Best,



echoyankee

no kidding E-Y!



Thanks everyone for this absolutely excellent slice of advice.  I would probably never have attempted the job without your informative support and kind encouragement.



I'll let you all know how things go once the new rubber arrives,



thanks again for your support fellow riders,



ride safe - Bull

[Chris Canning]

Bull



To give you some idea,i recently sold my Super Moto wheels to Johnny C,i bet it took me longer to sort the tools out than to do the job,it's like everything in life simple when you know how!!!

[Bull]

Bull



To give you some idea,i recently sold my Super Moto wheels to Johnny C,i bet it took me longer to sort the tools out than to do the job,it's like everything in life simple when you know how!!!

.... "sort the tools out" you say?



I thought two big shifters and a hammer would see it done right  :lol:

[WVdyhrd]

thats all i used if by shifters y ou meant wrenches....but appropriately you one would use designated pieces of equipment...i.e. an axel wrench, and keep plenty of blinderfluid on hand to  

As far as getting it up BE CAREFUL!!!!!!! Tigers like to lie down on their oem stands, let alone propped funnily on bricks, car jacks, etc. There are some good priced maintnence stands out there. I got mine from harbor freight but not sure what is around you where you are. But it makes a hella difference. It's not a "shop" lift but lets you do basic maint, like removing wheels, brakes, oil changes, etc!

mine came from below, look around I'm sure you'll find somewhere that has what could work for you.
http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive ... -2792.html[/url]

[JTT]

mine came from below, look around I'm sure you'll find somewhere that has what could work for you.
http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive ... -2792.html[/url]

Do you remove the pipe each time before using this lift?  I have a similar lift, but there is no place under the bike with the pipe in place to lift from...but maybe I'm missing something?

[WVdyhrd]

I have a touratech skid plate, so I have some ample flat room to put it against. But there are a couple bars running down there, y ou just may have to experiment with different angles to get it secure.

Another option is a paddock or swingarm stand




There are alot of different brands out there of these, some have paddles, others require spools, and most you can buy adapters to bring around and use on the front forks. They aren't as steady as a lift but good for oiling, brake, and tire removal applications