Looks simple enough to me, but I should ask before I mess something up.

My rear axle goes through the hub starting on the right side (muffler side) and comes out the belt drive pulley side with the big bolt on that side. To get the shaft out, I have to drop the mufflers and slide it out the right side because the hex end of the shaft hits the muffler bracket preventing the swing arm to drop.

In looking at it, why can't I slide the axle back in reverse starting on the left and bolting it tight on the right side since I already have the mufflers off? Is there a reason I'm missing?

Then I wouldn't have to pull the mufflers every time I take the wheel off.

 

Ah, that old chestnut.

People do swap it around and it seems OK.

My personal opinion though is that if you think about the force on the axle it tends to screw it into the nut and so keep it tight. If you put it in the other way around the forces would act to loosen it.

 

Quite a few guys swap the axle around, to make tire changes easier. I haven't heard of anyone having a problem with it. I guess if you wanted to test the theory above, you could always put an index mark on the axle, and swingarm, and see if it truly does rotate. I have a short exhaust setup, so I dont have to worry about clearance.

 

Been doing it for years. So what's wrong with Harley...can't they see? Maybe they ride but they don't wrench!

 

Glad I saw this thread cuz I was wondering this as well. Getting my muffler off is a bitch so I'll probably do this on the next rear tire change.

 

I watched an HD tek do mine a couple of times. Lift the rear of the bike so the back wheel is well off the ground . Remove the retaing clip the axle bolt and washer. loosen the belt adjustment - both sides several turns. Then remove the brake pads and rotate the caliper up. Then loosen the upper shock bolts both sides, remove the lower shock bolts and let the wheel down until your done sliding the axle out. Your back wheel should just roll out.

All this is straight out of the 2008 manual. That book is one of the best tools I have bought.

++ What he said!

 

Same gripe...gonna do it to mine when I put the rear wheel back in after new tire & bearings. I have the axle covers, so I'm gonna have to have the end of the axle cut down a little because the right-side cover is shallower than the left.

 

Following this procedure you still have to remove most mufflers(including your Supermeg) because the axle doesn't come down low enough to clear it even after disconnecting the shocks.

Oh and if I recall my manual correctly, it says to remove the exhaust first.

 

I just went back to the manual and they make no mention of removing the mufflers. If the bike is lifted high enough then the rear fork should just be free to drop depending on the space you have created.

I did mention my bike is a '08. Maybe in their infinite wisdom HD changed something, you have a '13 bike and we don't even know what year the op's bike is!

 

Yeah, I guess they could have made some change in the range of travel of the swingarm, but I know for absolute certainty that my swingarm's downward limit is not low enough for the axle to clear the Supermeg muffler. Trust me, I tried everything.