[Scott E. Bonds]

When you remove the rear axle the wheel will drop straight down. I find it easiest to put a block under the tire until the entire axle is out so the wheel won't tilt when one side of axle is loose from swingarm. Then just remove the block under the tire and slide the wheel out. The fender may get in your way a little. Pay attention to where and how the side axle spacers are oriented. Also check the cush drive rubbers while the wheel is off and do the inner tube trick if loose.

The wheel will not fight you.

Getting the rear caliper carrier where the caliper key engages the slot on the swingarm is critical to your future riding safety. This is an easy job but one that can kill you if you do it wrong. I suggest having someone check your work the first time.

 

[BumbleBee]

Hb,

you should be able to lift on your mega skid plate with a floor jack, then maybe get some stands toward the front of swing arm away from the tire area. be sure and jack it up high enough to allow the tire to clear the rear fender. when you loosen the axle nut and and remove a couple of things are going to happen if you don't support the tire from the floor, first the spacer and brake assembly are going to fall out, don't be alarmed but take a close look at them before you pull the axle, which side goes towards the wheel note that the inner portion of the spacer rests inside the wheel seal. don't mix spacers up keep them on the proper sides. Also the brake assembly will fall out of the slot on the swing arm don't sweat it just tie it out of the way so it's not hanging by the brake line. Do you have tools to break the chain and install the master link? a angle grinder is handy for grinding down the links on the old chain. a chain tool is a must for proper install. hope this isn't too confusing!

 

[kenneth_moore]

There will be plenty of room to remove the wheel with typical jack stands and swingarm spools.

 

[BumbleBee]

When you remove the rear axle the wheel will drop straight down. I find it easiest to put a block under the tire until the entire axle is out so the wheel won't tilt when one side of axle is loose from swingarm. Then just remove the block under the tire and slide the wheel out. The fender may get in your way a little. Pay attention to where and how the side axle spacers are oriented. Also check the cush drive rubbers while the wheel is off and do the inner tube trick if loose.

The wheel will not fight you.

Getting the rear caliper carrier where the caliper key engages the slot on the swingarm is critical to your future riding safety. This is an easy job but one that can kill you if you do it wrong. I suggest having someone check your work the first time.

+1 on the block trick, try and get your bike jacked and stable with the block positioned as stated above. Are you sticking with stock gearing? if not you may have to add link if your going bigger on the back. remember count links twice, cut once!

 

[richw]

Change cush hub bearing too
Take it out bring to bearing house buy double sealed equivalent

I also would shim out the cush rubbers by placing made pcs under the rubber forcing them outward into the fingers. I think like an 1/8 or 3/16

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

There is a better and easier way - A standard 2.125 inch (if memory is correct) mountain bike (bicycle that is) inner tube is exactly the right diameter to go over the cush nubs. Cut lengths of the tube that are the same length as the nubs. Place inner tube pieces over nubs to in effect make nubs bigger. I then spray the outer surfaces of the new inner tube pieces with silicone so the tube would not scrunch up as it goes into the cush rubbers when put back in the hub.

This will all make since when the pieces are in front of you.

 

[howardbell]

Hb,

you should be able to lift on your mega skid plate with a floor jack, then maybe get some stands toward the front of swing arm away from the tire area. be sure and jack it up high enough to allow the tire to clear the rear fender. when you loosen the axle nut and and remove a couple of things are going to happen if you don't support the tire from the floor, first the spacer and brake assembly are going to fall out, don't be alarmed but take a close look at them before you pull the axle, which side goes towards the wheel note that the inner portion of the spacer rests inside the wheel seal. don't mix spacers up keep them on the proper sides. Also the brake assembly will fall out of the slot on the swing arm don't sweat it just tie it out of the way so it's not hanging by the brake line. Do you have tools to break the chain and install the master link? a angle grinder is handy for grinding down the links on the old chain. a chain tool is a must for proper install. hope this isn't too confusing!

skid plate... what skid plate? she's in pieces boss!

thank you to everyone who took the time to help answer my question... you guys are tits in my book!

 

[BumbleBee]

skid plate... what skid plate? she's in pieces boss!

thank you to everyone who took the time to help answer my question... you guys are tits in my book!

Yikes! what did you do! I think you've been spending to much time on the forum!

 

[cbrxxcess]

Howard the skid plate mount is still under the bike and you can lift the bike with that. Just make sure the front is secure. Ya missing my motorcycle lift yet?? Also pay for an extra master link just in case something goes wrong with the first one.

 

[howardbell]

Yikes! what did you do! I think you've been spending to much time on the forum!

What do you mean, "what did I do?" Isn't this how everone cleans bugs off the inside of their frame? I just wanted my bike as clean as nvr2old for the rally, thats all...

:green_lol: I jest... No, seriously, got in some sh!t this last weekend with sakebato while scouting some roads for the 4th of july ride, and on one map we thought the road was paved, turns out it was gravel, actually it was more like 6" of the nastiest mud I have ever seen! So bad in fact, took us 6 hours to go 6 miles and after the 4th get-off:yikes: we realized it was because so much mud was in the front fender that the front wheel wasn't even turning any more - think snow machine ski's for a front wheel. Anyways, after doing a road side fenderectomy, things went swimmingly.... until I got her home and the next morning, when out for a birthday ride only to find a puddle of oil on the garage floor. A little research led me to the fact that left side - low sides will often lead to oil in the airbox... BINGO! So, now I am just working on few nagging issues while she's apart - new powerlet to replace the PO wallyworld POS, spark plugs, air filter, chain and sprocket (I had some thin rear sprocket teeth prior to this ride - now they are all chipped off!) etc... This was new and scary to be elbows deep in the Vee all by myself - but honestly, that weekend with you and Jim gave me a ton of confindence that I might be able to do some of this wrenching stuff myself... I can't thank those two guys enough actually, CBRXXESS and Bumblebee are two of the finest Stromtrooper I've ever meet. Now back to the show!

 

[Cake_Kat]

while search the tech tread for answer to the quesion... "changing rear sprocket & chain w/o center stand" I came across many suggestion (http://www.stromtrooper.com/maintenance-how/48328-no-center-stand-3.html) and I think I am going to go with this one, the 8mm spools on the swing arm with jackstands (probably also going to throw some straps on her to lag bolts in the ceiling of the garage at a 45* just for good measure... but just need someone to answer me this -- when removing the rear wheel, will there be any clearance issues with the jack stands? ie., does the removal require much side-to-side manipulation/ wrestling, or does it slide staight back?

thanks in advance

The jackstands don't look like they'd be very stable. Taking a rear wheel on and off requires considerable muscling of the wheel to get out from under the bike, the chain hooked on the rear sprocket, and the axle, spacers, and rear brake aligned just so.

I made the stand below for the cost of some pipes and fittings. It is has come in very handy because it will hold up either end of the bike, it can support the bike from just about any fixed point on the bike, and it can be partially disassembled and stored when not in use.

 

[Craig Jackman]

That is DIY Brilliance!

The jackstands don't look like they'd be very stable. Taking a rear wheel on and off requires considerable muscling of the wheel to get out from under the bike, the chain hooked on the rear sprocket, and the axle, spacers, and rear brake aligned just so.

I made the stand below for the cost of some pipes and fittings. It is has come in very handy because it will hold up either end of the bike, it can support the bike from just about any fixed point on the bike, and it can be partially disassembled and stored when not in use.

 

[BobAgain]

Brilliant indeed. I know that I am going to use that someday.

 

[agentmulder]

The jackstands don't look like they'd be very stable. Taking a rear wheel on and off requires considerable muscling of the wheel to get out from under the bike, the chain hooked on the rear sprocket, and the axle, spacers, and rear brake aligned just so.

I made the stand below for the cost of some pipes and fittings. It is has come in very handy because it will hold up either end of the bike, it can support the bike from just about any fixed point on the bike, and it can be partially disassembled and stored when not in use.

Do you haul that contraption around with you on trips? Nice work!

 

[T3/T4 Hybrid]

I've used this little support stand on my Vee a few times for rear wheel removal and chain cleaning without any problems. Plus for under $40 its not to hard on the wallet.

Torin Takedown Motorcycle Support Stand — 660-Lb. Capacity, Model# TRMT014 | Motorcycle Stands | Northern Tool + Equipment


Cake I like the Pipe idea. I might have to try something like that for the front end when I do the springs and fluid change later in the year.

 

[biggyfries]

I raise my Vee in my garage for chain-lubing and tire changes--this method works well and is free. I jack up the right-side under the frame by the footpeg, then I lift the left side of the bike by my own considerable strength and put a 4x4 block under the sidestand. (It's really not that hard to lift) Early on I used to secure the handlebars with a strap going up to a hook in the rafters, but I have been doing this for a long time and nowadays I don't bother with the strap anymore--I trust the jack and block, and have not had any incidents of dropping the bike. If I anticipate really cranking on it with some large hand tools I guess I might strap it for more security, but for simple maintainence work I just jack er up and use the block--works great!

If you need to elevate the bike out on the road, you have a challenge, however. There are many creative ways to raise a bike, worthy of a new post.

 

[Vonjobob]

You can make a swing arm stand, with a welder and some Square Tubing.

Homemade Swingarm Stand : Kawasaki ZX Forums: Kawasaki Ninja Forum

or pipe

$20 Swingarm Stand for the SV

 

[tmcgee]

while search the tech tread for answer to the quesion... "changing rear sprocket & chain w/o center stand" I came across many suggestion (http://www.stromtrooper.com/maintenance-how/48328-no-center-stand-3.html) and I think I am going to go with this one,

Doing your own maint, a centerstand should be your first tool.

 

[Tollster]

One thing I may suggest that works well is when your ready to install the pressed link, use a small zip tie to hold the two ends of the chain together, adjust the zip to the perfect size, so the link will slide right in, this will give you 2 hands free, and believe me, at this point, those greasy hand will appriciate it.
It always took me some time here (not always, just since they started using those frigging "O" rings). Anyway, keep the zip in place till your able to press on the side plate, and flair the pins.
I learned this trick years ago and like to share some one offs.....