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T120 Rear Wheel Removal

9K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  Pjay55 
#1 ·
Just a question for someone who's removed the rear wheel on their T120 to replace the tire. Any special considerations for this little job? It's obvious that the left muffler has to be removed in order slide the axle out to the left. Can I just put the bike up on the center stand and remove the rear wheel without also removing the rear fender? I don't currently have a bike lift. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
I've never removed the rear wheel from my Bonne, but I watched while the tech at Motorcycle Tire Center of Orange did. He didn't have to remove any pipe. Perhaps it's because I have British Customs Sleeper Pros on it, but if I recall correctly they aren't any less in the way than the OEM peashooters were.

If your pipes really are in the way, I wonder if disconnecting one or both shocks would be any easier than removing a pipe. Probably not unless the pipe is really stuck.

Pete
 
#3 · (Edited)
You don't have to remove the rear fender or even the license plate.
Put it on the center stand and strap the base of the stand to some convenient point on the front end of the bike so that the center stand doesn't fold up when jerking things around. Hook the strap to the front wheel, front forks or engine guard and snug it up sufficiently.
I remove both mufflers so they don't get banged up. The only difficulty is to poke a thin smooth straight slot screwdriver between the right pipe and the outer shield to slide the muffler back on. It just happens to be the right on mine. Might be the left or neither on other bikes.
Using a 1 1/16" box end wrench on the axle nut or a tight fitting adjustable, you can get the axle nut off by just removing the right passenger peg and just moving the right muffler down and out of the way without removing the right muffler completely.

The left muffler has an added bracket in front of the rear brake near the left front of the tire which is there to add resistance when the center stand slams against the rubber pad underneath the left muffler. It requires two 12mm wrenches to remove the bolt. The muffler won't drop down or be removed without removing that bolt.
Then remove the rear brake... two 14mm bolts and bungee it forward to the shift lever or something else.
The left passenger peg must be removed to remove or drop the muffler down.
When removing the 12mm nut from the peg bolt, at some point the bolt will begin to spin. You can't get an Allen wrench in it, but no worries, just apply downward pressure on the peg and it will bind the head of the bolt to keep it from spinning.

If you want to remove the mufflers completely, you must loosen the Allen head bolts at the joints, Then just pull on them while wiggling them around and they'll slide right off. When putting them back on, it helps to loosen the other smaller Allen bolts which are just in front of the clamp bolts at the joints. Careful the Allen bolts strip easily when tightening too much.

It helps to fill the space between the tire and the floor with a thin piece of plywood, metal or something to get the axle out and to get it back in later.

There are metal spacer bushings on each side of the wheel which plug into seals in the wheel. Careful they don't fall out. If they do, just clean them, apply a thin film of grease and plug 'em back in.

You'll need a 12mm and a 13mm open end wrench for the chain adjustment.
Oh yeah, probably the first step is to remove the chain guard.

I just did all of this the second time a few days ago. I took off the 39 tooth sprocket and installed a 42 tooth. When I had the wheel back on, the chain was too short and having no extra links, I put the 39 tooth back on and then put it all back together. Fun!
 
#4 ·
I just did all of this the second time a few days ago. I took off the 39 tooth sprocket and installed a 42 tooth. When I had the wheel back on, the chain was too short and having no extra links, I put the 39 tooth back on and then put it all back together. Fun!
I don't understand the need for extra links.
I changed to the 42 tooth sprocket from the 39 tooth. It moved the wheel forward in the slot to about the middle, with the 39 it was almost fully to the rear at new (1 mile on the odometer). Quite a few people mentioned the minimal amount of adjustability from new.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Roadworthy did a great job of explaining what is involved. The only thing I will add is I don't see any reason to remove the right side muffler unless you need to adjust the chain. If your chain was adjusted properly and you are not changing sprockets the chain adjusters can go right back in and your adjustment will be the same. Don't see the need for removing the chain guard either. And to be clear, removing the brake means the brake caliper and stay. When reassembling, make sure you have the caliper mount properly positioned before the axle goes back in.

Chuck

Edit- with a 40 tooth rear sprocket my chain adjusters are in about the middle of the adjustment.
 
#7 ·
I was incorrect, the original sprocket was a 37 tooth not a 39 tooth, if had been a 39 I would have left it on. (not sure what confused me other than I wanted to put on a 39 tooth)
My friend ( I think he's a friend, but he always rolls his eyes when I head to his department - but after 30 years of dealing with me who wouldn't) works in parts and accessories, thought there was a 42 tooth in stock and he wouldn't charge me for the dust on it. There was so I tried it and it fit.
 
#10 ·
I take the rear wheel off quite often to replace tires in a year (coming up to 20K miles just for this season and 40K miles on the bike itself). I have aftermarket mufflers so there is some interference just like the stock pipes however you can angle the axle and slide it out without having to remove the muffler.
Here is my process (i can get a new tire swapped on in under 30 minutes including time to take the wheel off and put it back on the bike).
  1. Remove the rear chain guard mount bolt and lift chain guard up and out of the way of rear sprocket.
  2. Loosen and remove the chain side axle bolt, washer and chain tensioner spacer.
  3. Push the wheel and axle forward (without the chain tensioner spacer) to create slack in the chain and walk the chain off the rear sprocket, let the chain hang on the rear chain guard mount.
  4. Using a 14mm unbolt the two rear caliper mounts and remove the rear brake caliper (let dangle)
  5. Angle the axle with the thread side all the way up still and slide the axl out. If this is your first time you may need to coax it with PB blaster and tapping it with parts axle or punch on the thread side, be wary since the axle is hallow and you can get thing stuck in it. Be sure to keep the brake side chain tensioner spacer in the swing arm as the axle comes out. This gives you enough clearance to spin the axle around pas the muffler as it comes out.
  6. Once the axle is removed the wheel should come out, make sure to lube the axle, chain adjustment brackets, washers, spacers and bearings of the wheel. (This make reassembly and next removal much easier!)
  7. Reassemble in reverse.

Best,
-Jedz
 
#18 ·
I take the rear wheel off quite often to replace tires in a year (coming up to 20K miles just for this season and 40K miles on the bike itself). I have aftermarket mufflers so there is some interference just like the stock pipes however you can angle the axle and slide it out without having to remove the muffler.
Here is my process (i can get a new tire swapped on in under 30 minutes including time to take the wheel off and put it back on the bike).
  1. Remove the rear chain guard mount bolt and lift chain guard up and out of the way of rear sprocket.
  2. Loosen and remove the chain side axle bolt, washer and chain tensioner spacer.
  3. Push the wheel and axle forward (without the chain tensioner spacer) to create slack in the chain and walk the chain off the rear sprocket, let the chain hang on the rear chain guard mount.
  4. Using a 14mm unbolt the two rear caliper mounts and remove the rear brake caliper (let dangle)
  5. Angle the axle with the thread side all the way up still and slide the axl out. If this is your first time you may need to coax it with PB blaster and tapping it with parts axle or punch on the thread side, be wary since the axle is hallow and you can get thing stuck in it. Be sure to keep the brake side chain tensioner spacer in the swing arm as the axle comes out. This gives you enough clearance to spin the axle around pas the muffler as it comes out.
  6. Once the axle is removed the wheel should come out, make sure to lube the axle, chain adjustment brackets, washers, spacers and bearings of the wheel. (This make reassembly and next removal much easier!)
  7. Reassemble in reverse.

Best,
-Jedz
Jeez any recommendations for tires ? Looking to swap out the stock tires for some more aggressive and better tires.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the concise reply, Jedz123! I hadn't though about the need to remove the chain tensioner spacers to move the wheel forward for chain removal. With that done, there's no reason to even mess with the tensioning bolts and nuts. Chains adjustment (and axle alignment) can be kept. Neat!
 
#12 ·
Exactly!!! With the chain side spacer completely out, chain off and caliper off the wheel has allot of back and forth movement. Like I always say, practice makes perfect and going on my 8th (I think) rear tire since getting the bike brand new last year, I've learned to get that puppy off QUICK! Lots of practice!
Cheers.
 
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#19 · (Edited)
If aggressive = scrambler aggressive, consider Michelin Anakee Adventure

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Other aggressive options include Avon Trailrider and Continental TKC70 front with TKC Rocks rear
 
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