Valkyrie Tire Change
Carl Kulow
Tools Front Tools - Rear
Allen (hex) socket set 6mm Allen (hex) socket set 8mm
ratchet ratchet
short extension 3 ratchet extension 1 ½, 3, 10
metric sockets 12,14,22mm sockets 8,10,12,14,19,27mm
torque wrench torque wrench
phillips screwdriver soft mallet (rubber, plastic)
small screwdriver molybdenum disulfide paste
soft mallet (plastic, rubber) grease (regular)
awl small pry bar - ~6
bead breaker (JC Whitney) open end box wrench 10mm
balancing stand (homemade)
wood frame of 2x2 (16 sq. OD)
3 tire irons
valve core tool
wheel weights (ribbon)
tire lube (dish soap)
paint brush (for applying lube)
alcohol
grease
1. Raise bike slightly using Cycle Lift
2. Remove speedometer cable (phillips screw) on left side of wheel tuck it out of the way into engine guard
3. Remove left and right brake calipers by removing 2 mounting bolts each (12mm) Do NOT depress front brake lever while calipers are removed!!!
4. Unclip left brake hose from fender and hang caliper by the speedo cable clip out of the way
5. Let right caliper hang from fender (or support it with a piece of wire)
6. With a small screwdriver carefully pry the 4 chrome caps off the axle pinch bolts
7. Loosen right axle pinch bolts (6mm hex) do NOT loosen the left side yet
8. Remove the axle bolt (22mm) from the right side (use bike tool kit if you do not have 22mm)
9. Loosen left axle pinch bolts (6mm hex)
10. Remove the axle from the left side by reinserting the axle bolt partway into the axle on the right side and gently tapping the axle bolt with a soft mallet (e.g. plastic or rubber) to drive the axle out to the left. Note the location of the spacer on the right and the orientation of the speedo gear box and its rotation stop in relation to the fork leg stop. Now remove the axle bolt and finish driving the axle most of the way out using a 14mm socket on a short extension, while sitting in front of the bike and supporting the tire with your feet. Insert an awl or phillips screwdriver into the crosshole in the left end of the axle and twist and pull it all the way out while supporting and aligning the tire with your feet.
11. Remove the spacer from the right hub
12. Remove the speedo gear box from the left hub
13. Roll tire out from the fender by tipping it slightly (raise jack if necessary)
14. Check wheel bearings on both sides for smoothness and quietness
15. Inspect break pads in both sets of calipers that they are not worn past the indicator grooves
Hints: Warm the tires in the sun! A warm tire goes on much more easily.
When levering the last off the tire bead onto the wheel, be absolutely certain the opposite bead is not seated but rather squeezed into the middle of the wheel.
Put just the wheel, no tire on it, on the balancing stand and check for the heavy spot and use that rather than the tire stem for the heaviest spot.
Use automotive door protector trim on your wheel rims to prevent tire iron damage.
1.
Place
wheel on wooden support frame to prevent rotor damage!!!
2.
Mark
direction of rotation on wheel with a pencil
3. Remove
valve core
4. Break
bead all around on both sides
5. Lube
bead both sides (tire lube or dish soap)
6. Pry
off first side with two tire irons (tape to avoid scratching the wheel)
7. Pry
second side part way off from inside the wheel with tire iron(s) and then pound
the rest off by hand using a rubber mallet (tire and rim vertical)
8. Align
tire balance dots with tire stem!!! and correct direction of rotation!!!
9. Lube
first bead of the new tire and push on with hands and knees
10.
Lube second bead and push down with hands, knees, feet ~ 3/4 on
11.
Using three tire irons pry tire on - the real secret is to be sure the opposite
side of the tire is squeezed into the center of the wheel (use bead breaker if
necessary)
12.
Double check alignment of tire balance dots with valve stem!!!
13.
Double check direction of rotation
14.
Insert valve core, inflate to seat tire, inflate to 40 psi
1. Insert axle into wheel and place on balancing stand
2. Determine
balance by taping assorted weights to wheel
3. Remove
old weights with razor knife and alcohol if necessary
4. Precurve
whole weight ribbon to same curvature as the wheel
5. Clean
wheel with alcohol before sticking weight on
1. Lightly grease axle to prevent corrosion and make for easier removal
2. Roll wheel under the front fender
3. Insert right side spacer
4. Grease inside of speedo gear box and insert on the left side being certain that the rotation stop on the speedo gear box is just behind (toward the radiator or rear) the stop on the left fork leg
5. Lift the wheel with your feet and align
6. Insert the axle from the left (of the bike) and push it in until it is flush with the outside of the fork leg (top to bottom)
7. Insert and torque the left (only!!!, not the right) axle pinch bolts (6mm hex) to 16 ft.lb. (22Nm)
8. Insert and torque the axle bolt on the right side (22mm) to 67 ft.lb. (90Nm)
9. Do NOT tighten the right axle pinch bolts yet!!! The correct sequence is critical to maintain correct fork alignment!!!
10. Gently spread the pads in the calipers with a tire iron or large screwdriver
11. Install both calipers (12mm) and torque the mounting bolts to 22 ft.lb. (30Nm)
12. Align the slots in the speedo cable and insert it into the speedo gear box if the cable wont go in all the way, gently push on the cable while turning the wheel insert and tighten the phillips screw
13. Insert the brake lines into the holders on the fender
14. Insert the speedo cable into the wire holder on the left caliper
15. Check the front wheel for relatively free rotation (some brake pad drag)
16. Pump the front brakes until pressure returns!!!!!!!!!!!
17. Lower and remove the Cycle Lift
18. Straddle the bike, apply the front brakes and pump the front forks up and down several times to seat the axle (or you can compress the forks with straps and then tighten the right axle pinch bolts)
19. Only now do you tighten the right axle pinch bolts to 16 ft.lb. (22Nm)
20. Insert the chrome caps into the 4 axle pinch bolt heads
21. Pump the front brakes to be sure they are working!!!
Note: The following instructions are for a Tourer. If you have a Standard, it may be easier to remove the shocks and raise and lower the rear wheel with a scissors jack to gain access to the axle while the bike is up on the Cycle Lift. In which case you would not remove the exhaust/mufflers.
1. Raise the bike up on Cycle Lift, rear tire just off the ground, transmission in first gear
2. Remove the left and right saddle bags, four bolts each (8mm)
3. Remove the two nuts (12mm) at each rear muffler hanger
4. Remove the six nuts at the front exhaust headers (10mm + long extension, 10mm open end/box wrench for the 3 hard to reach nuts on the right inside exhaust remove these 3 first). Leave the front most exhaust nut screwed on a little bit to hold the exhaust up as you pivot the muffler down in the next step.
5. Pull the muffler out from the rear hanger and let it swing down as far as it will go
Note: I know that many owners are very reluctant to remove the bags and especially the exhaust system. The bags literally come off in seconds and make the job much easier. The exhaust comes off in a couple of minutes and greatly eases access to the axle and axle nut.
6. Remove the axle nut on the left side (27mm or 1 1/16 or tool kit)
7. Remove the rear brake caliper stop bolt (14mm) located in the swing arm ~2 inches below and to the front of the left bottom shock bolt
8. Spin the axle from the right side, very center of the final drive hub using 8mm hex to break loose any corrosion and ease removal of the axle
9. Install the axle nut partway onto the axle and using a 19mm socket and long extension drive the axle out to the right
10. Remove the axle nut and using just the long extension drive the axle out the rest of the way
11. Remove the rear break caliper and lay it on the left saddle bag mount or wire tie it out of the way
12. Remove collar/spacer from the left side center off the wheel
13. Pull the wheel to the left until it comes free of the final drive
14. Raise the bike 12 inches or so until the tire/wheel can be removed from under the rear fender
15. Check the rear pads for wear
16. Check the rear wheel bearings on each side for smooth and quiet rotation
Use the wooden frame to protect the rotor
To get the last part of the first bead on, I had to use a large 12 tire iron and pry against (fulcrum) the outer bead to f