To remove the caliper you must remove the axle. Changing the pads is possible without removing the caliper.

Delboys has a video on it if you want to take 20 minute education break while downing a cold beer.

 

Oh, and welcome from SC.

 

. Thanks for the advice but mine doesn't have the the in the pads where the pin slides through it. I have tried what this video shows and the pads don't slide out or drop out the back. There isn't that lip to get ahold of to pull the pad out its an open wide V or U type shape and the whole caliper will have to slide off but only goes about 1/2 way and still can't remove pads. Ya this is becoming a royal pain in my ***. But I will get it with all the help and suggestions I have received from all you good people. Thanks for video much appreciated

 

Your '99 is identical to the '93-94 I believe. I'll take a look in my SM when I get home tonight. I've done mine when I had the rear wheel off so it wasn't an issue.

Putting a reminder on my phone right now.

 

This was from the 98 Sporty HD Service Manual

If you grab the caliper you should be able to rock it toward & away from the wheel. This will force the piston back into the caliper and allow the pads to spread enough that you can remove the caliper from the rotor. It should not be necessary to remove the wheel.

 

Hope this helps. I saw where 14GuineaPig beat me to it. Thx.

 

Thank you TStephan your a life saver and headache resolver. I have ordered a sm and it won't be here for about 7 days. Now I can get my pads replaced front and rear and be safely in the wind again. Was about to go crazy wanting to go out riding and now that's possible. I thank you and so does my wife as she loves to ride to. What fuel do you run? I am thinking I need to run super since plus even seems to be to low of an octane for my sportster.

 

YW. Glad we could help.

I run 93 pure gas whenever possible. The local lube station down the street from my job carries pure gas in 87, 91 and 93.

I know all the arguments about how 87 octane is sufficient, but the last trip I did I got about 56mpg on my preferred fuel and it runs smoothly. When I have been on the road and run gas with ethanol (usually 91 or lower), my bike seems to run hotter and leaner. I don't like that, so I choose pure gas in a higher octane whenever I can.

The manual says 87 or higher so 93 seems to fit that description.

 

OP - so were you able to get the caliper off to change your pads?

 

Ya I figured that's what I would start running myself. Lower octane is just that. I was getting a little bit of pinging after I rode a bit so it's the 91 when it starts getting thirsty again and from now on