Is it easier to reinstall the wheel and caliper, and then install the pads?

 

The 'challenge' to put it nicely, is to have all of the holes aligned. This is because the anti-rattle springs fight you the whole way. However, I can't remember any particularly big problem by putting the pads on before I reinstalled the caliper since I had to take the caliper off of my bike to get the new GW pad pins and caliper bolts installed (actually, getting the original pins off is what started my adventure). Once you have the pads installed with the pins in place and the pistons completely compressed, it should be simple.

In my case, since my Nightrain has the 200 mm rear tire, it is easier to remove the brake rotor, insert the wheel into the wheel well, install the rotor with the caliper together at the same time by threading the whole mess onto the axle, then putting everything in it's place and finishing the axle install. Then put the rotor studs in place and torque them to spec. Then you put the caliper mounting bolts in place and you're done, MOL.

C#

 

Well that was a mouthful C#. Glad it worked out for you. I was planning on having the pads installed first. Just wanted to make sure that was a good way to do it.

I removed the tire from the wheel today. Here's what I did
1. I removed the belt pulley since I'm going to have it powered coated.
2. I removed the rotor. Hell why not since I don;t have to worry about damaging it. And I'm waiting for my Diamond Engineering 12pt bolt anyway.
3. I used a large C-clamp to brake the bead on one side. If I had any brains, I would have broke the bead once. Turned wheel on other side, and do the same. But, since I broke the bead all the way around, using the C-clamp on the other side just didn;t have enough pressure the brake the bead.
4. So, I place the wheel in a vice, and was able to brake the bead on the other side easily.
5. Cut pieces of plastic strips from a milk carton, and used these strips for rim protection.
6. I have 3 Park-Tool 8" heavy duty tire levers that I used to remove the tire. I used a little soap and water around the bead. Don;t use too much.
7. place a plastic strip on the rim and insert the tire lever inside the tire and pull tire over rim.
8. Get another plastic strip and place a few inches from the 1st, and insert tire lever and pull tire over rim.
9. Repeat this process until tire is outside of the rim.
10. the next step is to get the tire over the same side. to do this, From the other side of rim, position 3 plastic strips a couple of inches apart from each other on the rim.
11. Insert each tire lever, one at a time and push the tire off the rim.
12. I think an alternative is to flip wheel over and just remove the tire following steps 7-9. Once this is done, the wheel is now insdie the tire. Should be able to remove wheel from the tire.

Lessons learned:
- Would have preferred 10-12" tire handled levers for better leverage.
Installing the new tire tomorrow. I'll keep you posted and hopefully no horror stories.

BTW, new tire arrived from MotorcycleSuperStore. Born date is April 2010.

 

Motorcycle Super Store is where I got the bad one from... and of course I didn't pay any attention to the date. I rode to Biketoberfest about 6 months later and ended up with an extra day to kill so I cleaned up the bike. In the process, I noticed checking between all of the treads. Since I was from out of town and wanted to leave the next day I had no choice but to go to Rossmeyer's and get a new tire installed... expensive lesson.

C#

 

Well that's interesting. I had my Dunlop stock front the checked on me with 8K on it. couldn;t get it insected until I got another tire. Pissed me off. I stored my bike in garage but on cement. Now got scoot on carpeting at all times.

Is it possible that something attributed to the tire check or just bad luck?

 

Ummm... mine was old according to Rossmeyer... they wanted to know what dealer installed it (heh... I did).

I think like 5 years is the limit on car tires (not really sure) but this one wasn't that old for sure.

Different rubber compositions probably have different shelf lifes.

Could have been a defect from the factory or a knock off of a Dunlop made in china.

Who knows...