Removing rear wheel?

[camos]

I need to replace the rear brake pads so thought I may as well pull the wheel and grease the bearings and splines as well. Can't get a socket on the muffler clamp. Tried an 11mm, 12mm and 13mm but none will go on properly. Does it need a thin socket? I have a regular Craftsman set.

[Snaggletooth]

I'm thinkin' a 12mm but I might be wrong. I've had the pipes off so many times I don't even think about it.

 

But...... the last guy who tightened those got it on a bit off whack. Once you get it loosened a bit you can rotate the clamp to get a better grip on it. My clamps have a nut on the other side of the clamp also. Can you get a socket or a wrench on that to loosen it up so you can rotate the clamp?

 

Other than that I'd say you might have to work at it with an open end wrench untit it works lose a bit.

 

Mike

Edited April 5, 2012 by Snaggletooth

[camos]

Best I can tell the bolt is a 12mm just tried the other sizes because the 12 wouldn't go on. Did try feeling on the other side for a nut but wasn't sure what there was up there.

 

Thanks I'll have a look at the backside.

[Snaggletooth]

And .... while you're in there..... change the fuel filter. Much easier to do with the tire off.

 

Hope you get a grip on it.

 

Mike

[camos]

I can't get a wrench on the backside of the clamp but was able to get a 12mm 1/4 inch drive socket on the bolt head. Unfortunately, while it will move a little, it won't undo. Rather than taking a chance of breaking the bolt just before the long weekend I have decided to just replace the brake pads today and leave pulling the wheel for a later date. I'll keep soaking it with WD40.

 

I got the caliper off and the pads out but am having trouble pressing the pistons back in. Scraped gently and cleaned around the pistons as much as I could. Is there some trick to making room for the new pads?

[SilvrT]

I got the caliper off and the pads out but am having trouble pressing the pistons back in. Scraped gently and cleaned around the pistons as much as I could. Is there some trick to making room for the new pads?

 

A flat bladed screwdriver or wide wood chisel as a pry and a bit of grease (of the elbow kind). Put the old pads back in and use the "pry" between them to expand the pistons.

Edited April 5, 2012 by SilvrT

[Venturous Randy]

Probably the most common way to move the pistons back in is with a "C" clamp. You will need one big enough that you can put the push pad of the clamp up inside the piston in the center so it will push it in straight. You will need to have someplace for the brake fluid to go, either from taking the cap bolt out of the master cylinder or loosening the brake bleeder valve. This would also be a good time to bleed the whole system if it has not been done in a year or so. Edit: I may have led you astray here because when I do anything to the calipers, I split them and I have more room to get to the pistons.

Not sure how much you know about your brake system, but the rear caliper and the left front are tied together and will both need to be bled. Once you have the brakes bled, make sure you have room for the brake fluid to expand when it warms up or it will cause the pads to drag to the point that it will stop the bike. Make sure that you take an 8mm box wrench with you if this happens. Also, if you do need to let a little brake fluid out, you can do this on the left front caliper, you don't have to do it on the back.

RandyA

[camos]

A flat bladed screwdriver or wide wood chisel as a pry and a bit of grease (of the elbow kind). Put the old pads back in and use the "pry" between them to expand the pistons.

To begin with I was prying with a small crowbar and the piston wasn't moving. After whining a bit, went back out and tried again also using a large flat blade screwdriver. The two together were able to make some progress when applied to each individual piston. Initially I was trying to separate the two old pads which meant pushing on two pistons at once. Probably managed to cant the piston with too much pressure applied on one side.

 

Probably the most common way to move the pistons back in is with a "C" clamp. You will need one big enough that you can put the push pad of the clamp up inside the piston in the center so it will push it in straight. You will need to have someplace for the brake fluid to go, either from taking the cap bolt out of the master cylinder or loosening the brake bleeder valve. This would also be a good time to bleed the whole system if it has not been done in a year or so. Edit: I may have led you astray here because when I do anything to the calipers, I split them and I have more room to get to the pistons.

Not sure how much you know about your brake system, but the rear caliper and the left front are tied together and will both need to be bled. Once you have the brakes bled, make sure you have room for the brake fluid to expand when it warms up or it will cause the pads to drag to the point that it will stop the bike. Make sure that you take an 8mm box wrench with you if this happens. Also, if you do need to let a little brake fluid out, you can do this on the left front caliper, you don't have to do it on the back.

RandyA

I tried the C-clamp but the ones I have are all too big. Good idea though and before I do the brakes again I'll get the right sized one. Since the brakes were bled about 6 months ago decided to take the filler cap out of the master cylinder. Put a tissue in the hole to soak up the excess fluid which worked pretty well as what came out was used to clean around the pistons before they went all the way in. Did leave an air space for expansion.

 

Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated.

 

Will be working on getting that darned muffler clamp loose so I can get the rear wheel serviced before I go Kruzin the Kootenays. The manual suggests removing both mufflers before taking the rear wheel off but it looks like there is enough room to get the nut off the axle on the left side without removing the muffler. Is the manual right?

[Keemez]

The manual suggests removing both mufflers before taking the rear wheel off but it looks like there is enough room to get the nut off the axle on the left side without removing the muffler. Is the manual right?

 

I was able to do it with just the right muffler removed, but removing both would definitely result in more working room. Up to you.

[camos]

I was able to do it with just the right muffler removed, but removing both would definitely result in more working room. Up to you.

That's what I thought but working room for what? Looks to me like the only thing on the left side to deal with is the axle nut and pin.

Of course, I have been wrong many times before.

[Keemez]

That's what I thought but working room for what? Looks to me like the only thing on the left side to deal with is the axle nut and pin.

Of course, I have been wrong many times before.

More working room to swing the wrench to get that axle nut loose. It's on there pretty snug, afterall. Plus as I recall you have to spin the axle nut off some, then slide the axle out (to the right), spin the axle nut some more, slide the axle further to the right again... all because you can't get the axle nut all the way off the axle shaft with the left muffler in place. UNLESSSSSSS.... you reposition the axle shaft further to the right as you go. See what I'm sayin here?

[Marcarl]

Muffler clamps are a 13mm on my 85, they might be a little tight and corroded, so it might take a slight tap of a small hammer to help things along. Also I've noticed that normally they point straight down, they angle in a bit, so keep that in mind.

[camos]

More working room to swing the wrench to get that axle nut loose. It's on there pretty snug, afterall. Plus as I recall you have to spin the axle nut off some, then slide the axle out (to the right), spin the axle nut some more, slide the axle further to the right again... all because you can't get the axle nut all the way off the axle shaft with the left muffler in place. UNLESSSSSSS.... you reposition the axle shaft further to the right as you go. See what I'm sayin here?

Gotcha.

I'm guessing it's probably less fuss working the axle and nut out than taking off the left muffler if it is stuck like the right muffler is.

 

Thanks.

[Coffeepot]

Once you have those clamp bolts loosened, it is quite possible to push down on the mufflers enough to get the nut off and the axle out without actually removing the mufflers. They have to be worked up and down to get them loose enough to remove anyway, but there's really no need if all you're doing is taking the rear wheel off.

[Keemez]

Once you have those clamp bolts loosened, it is quite possible to push down on the mufflers enough to get the nut off and the axle out without actually removing the mufflers. They have to be worked up and down to get them loose enough to remove anyway, but there's really no need if all you're doing is taking the rear wheel off.

 

That sounds like a fabulous way to put undue strain on the outpipe stubs of the collector and snap them right off... apparently a weak area in the first place as I've seen several of them that broke off exactly in that area.

[Coffeepot]

So how do you remove the mufflers without moving them up and down to get them loosened?

[Keemez]

So how do you remove the mufflers without moving them up and down to get them loosened?

 

Granted, you'd have to wiggle them a little bit probably. Whang on them with a rubber mallet (toward the rear of the bike) to help knock them free of the collector. But prying the muffler far enough down (left side) to get the axle nut would almost assuredly do exhaust damage.

[Venturous Randy]

That sounds like a fabulous way to put undue strain on the outpipe stubs of the collector and snap them right off... apparently a weak area in the first place as I've seen several of them that broke off exactly in that area.

 

I was getting ready to post the same thing.

RandyA

[Keemez]

I was getting ready to post the same thing.

RandyA

 

I think a replacement collector might be in Coffeepot's future should he ever decide to remove it and get a look at it.

[Coffeepot]

It's on the floor as we speak with no apparent issues despite have been abused apparently, with every rear tire change ever performed on it.

[greg_in_london]

I was getting ready to post the same thing.

 

Lol - so was I.

 

I reckon it depends on what you've used as the mating gasket between the collector box and silencer and how many miles the parts have done already. Some of the gaskets are a really tight fit, expecially with old parts. I don't move mine if I can possibly avoid it.

[SilvrT]

More working room to swing the wrench to get that axle nut loose. It's on there pretty snug, afterall. Plus as I recall you have to spin the axle nut off some, then slide the axle out (to the right), spin the axle nut some more, slide the axle further to the right again... all because you can't get the axle nut all the way off the axle shaft with the left muffler in place. UNLESSSSSSS.... you reposition the axle shaft further to the right as you go. See what I'm sayin here?

 

Been a while since I had a 1st gen but I do recall that's the process if you leave the left muffler on.