Rear Flat..... again........

[spongebob]

 .... 03 Std. Replaced the tires 400 miles ago. Front has been off twice since (not balanced correct).  Rear as been off twice also. Now rear will not hold air ( leaking new valve stem )... I am tired of taking saddlebags, exhaust... etc off..

Question: has anybody taken bolts off of shocks and let swingarm and tire drop further?  Will it drop low enough to get axle out?  Will it strain driveshaft?.....

OR do I just quit whining ..... And take the stuff off again?....

[Chrisj CMA]

You can lower the swing arm enough to get the axel out under the exhaust without dropping the swing arm all the way.  If you let it down all the way with the weight of the wheel on it I think its bad for the U-Joint.

You can use a strap to hold the swing arm at the just right level.  OR, you can do what I do.  Remove the shocks and RAISE the swing arm, take the axle out above the exhaust.

Either way, I have never removed an exhaust to take the rear wheel off

[Jess from VA]

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

[Daniel Meyer]

Take the bags (not the pans/bars) off, take the shocks off, and raise the swing arm up. Axle will come out over the pipes.

If you drop it below the pipes, the exhaust nuts/studs on the left of the bike will score the cr@p out of the swing arm unless you force the exhaust apart (spread). I prefer the "above the pipes" method.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Take the bags (not the pans/bars) off, take the shocks off, and raise the swing arm up. Axle will come out over the pipes.

If you drop it below the pipes, the exhaust nuts/studs on the left of the bike will score the cr@p out of the swing arm unless you force the exhaust apart (spread). I prefer the "above the pipes" method.

I do it like that except I spread the exhaust out in order to remove the wheel without taking the fender off. Am I missing an easier way ?

[wiggydotcom]

Raising the swing arm and taking the rear fender half off allows rear wheel removal with the bike in the air only a couple inches-even while on a Rivco center stand!

[Tfrank59]

That really sucks that you have to pull your rear wheel again so soon!  The two times I've done it I have taken both shocks off and dropped the axle below the pipes.  I have not removed the fender, only my saddlebags.  I do have to spread I think it's the left exhaust pipe out a little bit with a wooden wedge to get the swingarm to drop past the exhaust bolts.  I don't ever plan to take the exhaust off for work on the rear wheel--Can't imagine why they put that in the Clymer manual.  

[Bighead]

 I don't ever plan to take the exhaust off for work on the rear wheel--Can't imagine why they put that in the Clymer manual.  

I suppose because that is what the Honda manual says to do ???

[John Schmidt]

No need to ever touch the exhaust. Do as suggested after raising the bike 2-3" off the ground. Remove the bags, shocks, before removing the shocks you put a floor jack under the swingarm. Once they're removed simply rais the swingarm enough to let the axle clear the exhaust. There's never a need to jack the bike two feet in the air.

And removing the rear half of the fender lets you roll the wheel out and back in. To install it I use a block of 2x4 with a 30" piece of 1x3 as a lift. Raise the wheel with it, put your knee on it and then use both hands to reengage the splines. Put the bike in gear first, makes it easier if nothing is moving.

[spongebob]

Anybody know the length of the short bar and hole spacing between each other...I have never had the shaft out and serviced.... Great time to do that.....

Thanks for all the input......

[Bagger John - #3785]

I wouldn't drop your pipes so soon after the previous tire replacement...



...but if any of mine go more than a couple of years without having a tire change done, the whole rear end gets dropped for servicing - and the pipes themselves removed for a good cleaning, waxing and inspection.

Both Valks are due for a rear-end inspection and moly paste application this summer. I use that time to get at and clean areas which are normally inaccessible and don't care if it take an extra day or so to do it.

[knockdolian]

For what it's worth, I was reading about using G clamps to squees the tire in enough to fit a new valve. If it is just the valve you need to change?

[Wewaman]

Yep I used a C Clamp  You just need to make sure on end of the C Clamp is on a piece of wood that is against the Rim and the other side is on  small piece of wood against the tire close to the valve stem.   You only need to break the bead on 1 side.

 Wewa