Triumph Rat Motorcycle Forums banner

Defeated by rear wheel

13K views 47 replies 24 participants last post by  bubblehead654 
#1 ·
Had to leave my garage, battered and bruised, unable to reinstall the rear wheel on my bonnie.

I had it completely apart, including the sprocket carrier, for powder coating.

Any trick or technique to make re-installation simpler? The spacing is so tight, I feel like I need a good several millimeters to be able to get the caliper bracket between the swing arm and spacer. I think part of this is because the sprocket/carrier sticks out a little more than it used to since the rubber damper has had time to decompress?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
That's the first and only time I thought I might hate my Bonnie, puting on that rear wheel...A truly impossible job alone I found. Also, get every tool, rod, breaker bar, large and small screwdrivers, and electrical tape to hold the spacers in place, then put them in a pile nearby so your partner and you can grab and discard them quickly during the operation.
It's a lousy job but it runs better once it's on......Then, Speed Safely!
 
#3 ·
If you have the bike on a stand of some type, try getting a block of wood or something to rest the rear wheel on at the same height as the axle line. That overcomes one problem of needing multiple arms and hands holding the whell to the correct height. On a block of wood with the spacers and things held in place you can sort of wheel the wheel back and forth a bit a get everything to line up.

Maybe also have a moderating cool ale on hand.

Cheers, Simmo
 
#4 · (Edited)
To make the job easy, you need either a center stand or a bike jack.

When I replace the tires,

I have a center stand and use a small set of rope blocks tied to the steering head and anchored to a beam in my garage ceiling.

I adjust the blocks so that the front end is raised up and lowers the rear end to the exact height aligning the axle holes perfectly to just roll the wheel in and out and slide the axle in and out.

Whatever you can use to achieve perfect alignment of axle holes with the tire just touching the floor so you don't have lift the heavy rear tire is what you need to do. It makes the job very simple and easy. Just rolls in and out.

As for getting the cush drive to fully seat back in, some people here have used a soapy water solution on the rubber to help seating it back in. Push on it firmly but be careful about the rotor on the other side. Don't want to tweak that.
 
#5 ·
This is the exact reason why I want to spend the few thousand dollars for Carrozerria wheels, switch to a Thruxton rear wheel, SV650 wheels/front end or Honda F2 or F3 wheels and front end...

The above tricks are definitely good ways...so I just want to throw out what I do to help contribute.

Anyways, here are some tricks I have done that have really helped me

I bought a spare axle for cheap on ebay so that way one goes on the other side as the other pushes though

I use a ratchet tie down and loop it around the wheel and up and over a rafter or ladder (if you do not have rafters) so that way it just floats. Use the ratchet tie down to fine down the adjustment so the wheel just floats in the air. Use blocks of wood if needed.

I even use a big screwdriver to spread the swingarm ever so slightly if I the chain adjuster keep hitting off the wheel spacers.

As for the cush drive...I REALLY REALLY hate it. Ive used WD-40 and my most recent PB Blaster penetrating catalyst to help with putting the rear sprocket and cush drive back into the hub. Ive also been researching if there is a cush drive available from another bike that will fit but will make putting the rear sprocket and cush drive a breeze. The Daytona 675 cush drive and sprocket practically slide into the hub easily with no resistance.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Its not that hard...

Take the Brake Caliper off the bracket
Put the adjusters at Full slack
The biggest challenge is getting the brake bracket to stay put. I wire tie it to the swing arm so it stays where it belongs.
Make sure the wheel spacers are properly orientated. I suspect that this maybe your problem.
I put dab of wheel bearing grease on the faces so the stick to the hub.
Put the Chain on
Partially insert the axel through the swing arm
Lift the wheel until you can get the axel into a portion of the wheel
Through the opposite side insert a tapered drift into the wheel...the spare axel isnt tapered so you have no play
While lifting with the drift push the axel through

The rest is pretty self evident. Cut off the wire tie when your done....

I just noticed that you powder coated the hubs and now the cush drive wont sit flat. If the powdercoat is too thick..its going to difficult to seat. If this is the case..and I cant guarantee it work. Freeze the cushdrive overnight in the freezer. This may "shrink" it enough to fit. The Wd 40 and the PB Blaster are silcone and may actually be making it swell.
 
#8 ·
I had the same problem after changing tires: a frequent activity as I seem to have a road hazard magnet somewhere in my axle.

I agree with OP that part of the issue lies with the cush drive (rubber dampers). My fix worked and just takes a quick trip to the hardware store. I bought a one foot length of 3/4" threaded rod, two nuts, and assorted fender washers. With the wheel off the bike I reassemble everything in order with a generous dab of grease on the various spacers to hold them in place. I insert the rod through the axle hole and use the fender washers so that I am touching metal to metal (fender washer to wheel hub, not to the inner race of a bearing for instance). Then a nut on either side and tighten them up to squeeze the "sandwich" together.

What this does is force the cush drive back into place so that the cush's metal cover slides completely back into its housing on the rim. When I remove the threaded rod assembly, the cush drive remains seated and the grease holds the spacers temporarily in place (unless I catch them on something when I reinstall). This small difference in width (about the thickness of a fifty-cent piece) allows the wheel to slide right in without a fight.

I think the total assembly cost less than $10 at Lowes. Give that a try -- works for me.
/Bob
 
#9 ·
A very light coating of grease or liquid soap to the cush rubbers greatly eases their installation. Barely any amount is needed. Greatly diluted liquid soap works.

Having reinstalled the rear wheel several times, I find the installation very straightforward.

But the first time was a bugger, I remember that. The procedure of jacking the bike up at the front and gradually lowering the swingarm down over the wheel and spacers works very well.
 
#10 ·
Inserting a piece of dowel, a long ratchet extension, or something similar in the right side to hold those parts in place while you insert the axle from the left is very helpful.

As mentioned, the brake caliper needs to be out of the way, the spacers need to be correctly aligned, and the wheel should be sitting on something at exactly the right height so you don't have to lift it.
 
#13 ·
I haven't had to deal with the cush drive yet, but a few things I use to make installing easier are:
Several pieces of cardboard to space the wheel height
A long ratchet extension
Zip ties on the caliper bracket
A rubber Mallet to tap the axle
Wheel Bearing Grease
Most importantly - A moderate amount of Jiggling and tapping
 
#14 ·
Happy to help. I find I also have to be careful with the adjusters, the inner arms are easy to catch on - resulting in a bent adjuster or a flying spacer if I try to "horse" the tire into position too aggressively. Motorcycle repair is slowly teaching me that patience is, in fact, a virtue ;)
/Bob
 
#15 ·
Was about to go to the hardware store for a threaded rod and washers/nuts when I realized I had a bicycle headset press that was the EXACT same system. Perfect 16mm diameter rod with threaded handles that eliminated the need for wrenches. Worked like a charm! This is definitely the way to go if you ever take the cush drive apart and are struggling to get the sprocket carrier flush into the hub. Thanks!

 
#16 ·
Had to remove and replace my wheel several times chasing a strange vibration. What helped me was using a motorcycle specific scissor jack.(Black Jack) Use grease on spacers, tape caliper mount, roll wheel into place and then lower the bike into position to insert the axel. Hardest wheel I've ever come up against. I lost about a gallon of sweat one after noon trying to use blocks, pry bars, straps etc to line it up. Even took the wheel to the dealer because the cush wouldn't seat and I was convinced I'd done something wrong.
 
#17 ·
This is the exact reason i bought a centre stand, worth their weight in gold...just!
The first time i replaced my tyres, it was a joke and i ended up covered in grease and in a foul mood, what a wind up.
So i bought the centre stand and the next time i replaced the tyres, i was actually dreading starting the job, you know how it is guys, the job has to be done but you just wish you didn't have to do it.

Well, the stand certainly made life a damn sight easier this time but a mate turned up just as i was finishing fitting the rear tyre, so we had a cuppa and then it took a matter of minutes to re-fit the rear wheel.
Another pair of hands certainly helps, i would probably have struggled a bit more without matey being there and using a spare wheel spindle to start things off also helped a lot.
I didn't have any probs with the cush-drive in the both times i had the wheel out.

G ; )
 
#18 ·
Its fairly straight forward.ive had it off three times and it slips back in no probs for me.i just deflate the tire, line everything up by fitting a bit of two by one under the wheel and the spacer just slips in.push the axle through and with a bit of wriggling it slips out the other side.patience is the greatest tool you can have...


Bikerpiper
 
#23 ·
Thats true but every place I've taken my wheels off to get new tires mounted wanted it off. I think next time I'll ask if its okay to leave it on there.
 
#26 ·
Yep, none of the places I have been to needed it removed. I don't take it off when I replace the tyres by hand either.

The places that want it off probably haven't realised that it doesn't matter which way up they clamp the wheel.
 
#31 ·
Not had that problem but mine is that the cush rubber has worn badly - I have seen solutions like cutting up old inner tube and padding it out. This should not happen 4,000 miles from new. Has anybody tried using some silicone? that would help seat it and take up the slack.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Dam I am struggling with getting the wheel back on and I can see the gap where the sprocket has not seated back into the cush rubbers properly. Shops are all shut here so will have to wait til Monday and then will defo use Bob's trick to compress the assembly before trying to refit it... glad it's not just me, for now the swearing can stop...
 
#34 ·
Four thoughts (not having read most of those old posts)

1. Walking away from a project always makes it easier the next day

2. KY Jelly makes it easy to sit the cush drive. Although, for some reason I've never had that problem :dunno

3. First drive a dowel through where the axle will go. Then follow with the axle.

4. Wrap a zip-tie around the caliper-mounting-plate and swingarm to hold it in place while installing the wheel, and cut it off when done

5. (Bonus) Make sure the spacer that goes inside the cush drive is still in place. The feeling of seeing it on the workbench or floor after the wheel is installed is a bit devastating, and it does like to fall out unnoticed.
 
#35 ·
I used fairy liquid for lube, and had a fair crack at it with a rubber mallet, but the cush housing is still sitting about 5mm too proud, got some weights sitting on it overnight in the hope that the rubber will compress enough for me to get the wheel in... the brake caliper mounting is already zip-tied up... just need the cush rubbers compressed and it should work out ok. Good point on the spacer.. will make sure it goes in at fit time...

thanks,
 
#38 ·
I used fairy liquid for lube, and had a fair crack at it with a rubber mallet, but the cush housing is still sitting about 5mm too proud, got some weights sitting on it overnight in the hope that the rubber will compress enough for me to get the wheel in,
Mr. nobrot,

You should not need the weights, or a hammer of any sort. The cush drive does sit proud! You just not holding your mouth right!

Namaste,
Charles
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top