I just love these matter of fact "you don't know what your talking about" replies that crop up on this and other sites from time to time.

Ok, 1st, there is no difference in which way the axle goes, once torqued it stays in place so go a head and reverse it if you want.

Actually there is a best practice that says you put the bolt in so that "if" a twisting force were applied to the bolt that it does not unscrew the bolt. That is why you put the axle bolt in from right to left. I have heard of Harley shops putting the bolt in backwards too but that does not make it the right thing to do.

2nd you don’t have to remove the exhaust, just remove your lower shock bolts, then jack the bike up high or lower to get the axle out.

On my Dyna I do have different shocks and a different 2-1 exhaust. So I had to remove the muffler to get the axle out. I thought that with your Switchback you might have the same problem.

3rd...you don’t have to touch the belt/ alignment adjusters, if your tension is set up correctly no need to mess with it.

Sounds like this is a magic motorcycle where the belt never stretches regardless of how many new tires you install. I re-adjusted mine to spec after I R&R'd the rear wheel. I believe the Harley spec calls for no more than a 32nd or a 16th inch difference between the adjusters and then on top of that you have to get the belt tension right.

i have done probably 8 rear tires on many different Harley’s and have never had a problem doing it this way

There is the right way and there is every other way. Lot's of times other ways work fine, sometimes other ways cause a do over or cost more money to fix a problem that gets induced.

So to each their own. Everyone has different skills and experience. Sounded to me like you had not done this before so I was offering what I did which is in line with what a Harley shop would do.

 

Not hard if you also have a floor jack

Use it to raise / lower/ align the rear tire as necessary - makes it an easy one man job / half a beer

Ghost