I know what the manual says, but home mechanics always find a better way. I'm looking for the little tricks that can make this job easier.

Thanks ahead.

Beary

 

use the lift to raise and lower the bike when you are removing and reinstalling the axle. No need to wrestle with the tire.

 

A lift is definitely the easiest way. Once on the lift, some people find it easier to remove the shock bolts to let the wheel drop far enough to get the axle lower than the mufflers. Others find it easy enough to remove the mufflers. I've done it both ways and don't have a preference...

 

This is the way I done it and it was my first time..
*Jacked bike up using a HF lift
*Removed both saddle bags
*Removed both mufflers
*Took caliper loose and moved to the side
*Took e-clip off and removed axle nut
*Slide axle out the left side while holding the tire with my knee

Took me maybe about 15-20 min. and tire was off bike.

 

I can get a socket and extension on the axle nut above mufflers on both my dressers by removing rear bracket and letting muffler hang on pipe. You may want to be sure before lifting as you can use weight to get more clearance. Also you can loosen the muffler clamp a little and gently push down if necessary. I remove the nut and jack it up then place my floor jack pivot plate under the tire. Jack enough to gently remove axle then lower roll around jack to drop wheel and tire. Push forward enough to remove belt the remove the jack and slide bottom of tire out either side to roll assembly out of swingarm. reverse order for assembly, I usually have to roll wheel asm under swingarm then lift onto jack then jack to get axle back in.

 

Like somewhat already mentioned:

Remove both saddlebags.
Loosen the axle nut.
Jack up bike a little.
Take out two top shock bolts.
Lower bike until the axle is in between saddlebag supports and muffler.
Pull axle out.
Raise bike and roll out the tire.

 

Remove the lower shock bolts and use a scissor lift to raise it up and and down and get the axle out without removing the mufflers. Takes a little finesse but is much less work.

 

This! If you remove the lower shock mounting bolts, you can likely avoid having to remove your mufflers.

 

See, these are not the kind of instructions you get in the manual.

Really good stuff.

Beary

 

Use your lift to raise the bike. Use the air shocks to raise and lower the swing arm to clear other obstacles, such as saddle bag mounts. No need to remove the lower shock bolts!