Installing rear wheel

[Tfrank59]

I know this one's been discussed at length, but I'll ask your help on the part I'm not sure about.  Is it easier/preferred to have the pumpkin already seated/meshed with the rear wheel splines/o-rings, then install the whole thing as a unit into the swingarm/driveline, OR to install the pumpkin first onto the swingarm/driveline and after starting the 4 bolts (not tight) to bring the wheel up and seat the splines and o-rings?  Thanks.

[Gryphon]

I've always installed the pumpkin first and then brought up the wheel.  Admittedly I usually have the bike on the stand and place the tire on a small floor jack to help with alignment or have the stand low enough I can roll the tire onto a 2X6 to get it the right height.  BTW, I'm a darksider if that makes a difference.

[salty1]

I've always installed the pumpkin first and then brought up the wheel.  Admittedly I usually have the bike on the stand and place the tire on a small floor jack to help with alignment or have the stand low enough I can roll the tire onto a 2X6 to get it the right height.  BTW, I'm a darksider if that makes a difference.

   Same for me, except I'm not a darksider.

[Chrisj CMA]

I think it would be very very difficult to get the driveshaft into the u-joint while trying to lift the whole thing...wheel mated to the final drive together.  Deal with the pumpkin and driveshaft, then deal with the wheel.

[Tfrank59]

Well okay then, I think that settles it for me.  Honestly, I was thinking of doing it with the whole wheel and pumpkin together as a unit, but I'll defer to your experience.  Still waiting on some seals and stuff before I can reassemble, but I'll let you know how it goes.  Thanks.

[old2soon]

Well okay then, I think that settles it for me.  Honestly, I was thinking of doing it with the whole wheel and pumpkin together as a unit, but I'll defer to your experience.  Still waiting on some seals and stuff before I can reassemble, but I'll let you know how it goes.  Thanks.

         I got a little tip that works really good. After you have the drive shaft slid into the U-joint use a 1" ratchet strap thru the wheel and over the fender for your 3d hand. The ratchet strap makes small adjustments easier for stabbing the axle. Thanks go to Mark T for the ratchet strap tip. Hope you find this useful. RIDE SAFE.

[Rio Wil]

Also, when trying to insert the drive shaft into the ujoint, raise the swingarm as high as possible.......goes in easier that way.

[Jess from VA]

And (after the shaft is correctly stabbed up swing arm) if you have trouble getting the wheel/tire onto the pumpkin, slide the rear axle thru without the rear brake caliper and spacer to help hold the weight and keep things lined up, to wiggle the assemblies together.  Once together, slide the axle back out enough to get the spacer and caliper back in place.  First, torque the axle and only then tighten the four bolts holding the pumpkin to the swingarm.

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/rear_end_service.pptx

[Tfrank59]

Thanks for all the good tips and advice.  One thing that I learned, the hard way , is the oil seal around the drive splines on the pumpkin can easily be pushed into the housing (no shoulder to stop it), and you won't get that sucker back out alive.  Had to buy a new one (double-lip 65 x 85 x 8mm), which set me back another day. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

And (after the shaft is correctly stabbed up swing arm) if you have trouble getting the wheel/tire onto the pumpkin, slide the rear axle thru without the rear brake caliper and spacer to help hold the weight and keep things lined up, to wiggle the assemblies together.  Once together, slide the axle back out enough to get the spacer and caliper back in place.  Do not torque the axel until you have (at this point) tightened the four bolts holding the pumpkin to the swingarm.

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/rear_end_service.pptx

I thought we were supposed to torque the axle THEN do the 4 nuts on the pumpkin ?

[Jess from VA]

crap, crap.  You are right.  changed post.   

[Tfrank59]

I think it would be very very difficult to get the driveshaft into the u-joint while trying to lift the whole thing...wheel mated to the final drive together.  Deal with the pumpkin and driveshaft, then deal with the wheel.

One more question before I dive into reassembly: when you say put the pumpkin on the swingarm, then do the wheel, is there anybody who puts the driveshaft first into the u-joint, then attaches the pumpkin to the driveshaft (pinion-cup)?  Reason I ask is I had a bear of a time putting the driveshaft alone back into the u-joint (somebody's tip about raising the swing arm helped), and so I'm wondering if it's a bad idea to try and assemble the pinion and cup after the driveshaft is already in the u-joint and swingarm?  Would that not seat the pinion into the cup properly or something?  thanks again.

[John Schmidt]

Mount the driveshaft in the pumkin(final drive) first, then insert it in the swingarm and u-joint. On the wheel, insert the five fingered drive flange into the wheel and lift into position. About this time I already have the axle part way inserted and tap it into the wheel assembly. Lift the wheel enough to push the axle all the way through into the left side of the swingarm but be sure to leave the spacer and brake off at this time. With the wheel now supported by the axle, you can align the splines and move the wheel to the right and into the final drive. Helps if the bike is in gear so it won't turn on you. Once that's in place, then pull the axle out just far enough to insert the spacer and brake on the left side.

[Jess from VA]

Get the Ujoint back in (mated to the tranny output) first, through a level swingarm with a half broomstick.

Then follow John's instructions.

[Chrisj CMA]

I think it would be very very difficult to get the driveshaft into the u-joint while trying to lift the whole thing...wheel mated to the final drive together.  Deal with the pumpkin and driveshaft, then deal with the wheel.

One more question before I dive into reassembly: when you say put the pumpkin on the swingarm, then do the wheel, is there anybody who puts the driveshaft first into the u-joint, then attaches the pumpkin to the driveshaft (pinion-cup)?  Reason I ask is I had a bear of a time putting the driveshaft alone back into the u-joint (somebody's tip about raising the swing arm helped), and so I'm wondering if it's a bad idea to try and assemble the pinion and cup after the driveshaft is already in the u-joint and swingarm?  Would that not seat the pinion into the cup properly or something?  thanks again.

It is a bad idea to install the driveshaft and then try to get a proper mate with the pinion cup union.  What can happen is you can damage , roll up, push off the oil seal that is at the tail end of the drive shaft and you will never know its buggared up until you have a pinion cup failure.  Install the final drive/drive shaft as a unit and you know all is well.

[Tfrank59]

I think it would be very very difficult to get the driveshaft into the u-joint while trying to lift the whole thing...wheel mated to the final drive together.  Deal with the pumpkin and driveshaft, then deal with the wheel.

One more question before I dive into reassembly: when you say put the pumpkin on the swingarm, then do the wheel, is there anybody who puts the driveshaft first into the u-joint, then attaches the pumpkin to the driveshaft (pinion-cup)?  Reason I ask is I had a bear of a time putting the driveshaft alone back into the u-joint (somebody's tip about raising the swing arm helped), and so I'm wondering if it's a bad idea to try and assemble the pinion and cup after the driveshaft is already in the u-joint and swingarm?  Would that not seat the pinion into the cup properly or something?  thanks again.

It is a bad idea to install the driveshaft and then try to get a proper mate with the pinion cup union.  What can happen is you can damage , roll up, push off the oil seal that is at the tail end of the drive shaft and you will never know its buggared up until you have a pinion cup failure.  Install the final drive/drive shaft as a unit and you know all is well.

Okay Roger that. Thanks for that feedback.

[Tfrank59]

Okay, well the follow up on my first-time rear tire installation is this – everything went like clockwork.  Took my sweet time and it was about two hours including all the greasing and stuff to prep it.  They say you can have too much information, I disagree, you just don't want wrong information.  I haven't yet gotten the big girl out for a test ride, because I live in Seattle and yes it's raining, but I have a lot of confidence that the job was done right and I should have many thousands of miles of trouble-free riding – we'll see!  Anyway, this forum is great.  I appreciated everybody's timely responses with all that good info. Thanks again.

[The emperor has no clothes]

It will go faster now that you have done it already . After the 4th or 5th time, you'll feel like a NASCAR pit man