Just bought a new polished rotor and wanted to know how to take off the rear wheel. Do you have to remove the three bolts off the caliper? I had everything off but could not slide the tire out due to tension on the belt. Thanks, Jr.

 

Back off the rear wheel axle adjusters an equal amount, let's say 3 full turns, the belt should come off then. After the rotor replacement and wheel reinstall, just snug the adjusters up the 3 full turns again and you should be back where you started from. Recheck the belt tension when you are done just to be sure of the proper tension. Don't forget to use heat on the head of the bolts on the rotor to soften the red locktite that is used on those bolts or you will probably end up stripping the heads out trying to remove them. Use red locktite on the new bolts when you install them if they don't have the locking patch on them already and torque thenm in a cris cross patern to avoid warpage. Also pay attention to the orientation of the wheel spacers on the axle.

The caliper should be no problem to stay where it is, if you need some extra room, you can seperate the pads a bit by opening the bleeder on the caliper as opposed to pushing the fluid back into the system. Just be sure to close the bleeder before you release the pressure you applied to the pads to move them back or you will get air in the system.

If you don't have a service manual, it's a good investment .

 

Good time to check/adjust the rear wheel alignment also.
The whole idea scares me when I eventually do mine (when I replace the rear tire)..

Trick is getting the tire back up in there without scratching that nice new chrome pulley.

Wonder if there's a trick to that as well??
Maybe good clean electrical tape arount the front outside/inside edges and/or plastic wrap or something of the like over the top of the pulley that can be easily removed?

 

And wheel removal was so simple on all of my japanese bikes. I'm so confused now that I'm almost willing to pay the dealer costs. LOl. I'll learn

 

Haven't done it on my 04 yet, but if it's the same as my old evo, it's not bad (though is anything easy on a harley?).. But it's just a kotter pin, remove bolt, pull axle gently, remove wheel... (from memory) with bike on a lift and wheel supported so it doesn't fall and bike well balanced so when the rear wheel drops the front doesn't tip. Of course another thing that's easier done with a small lift under the bike on a table bike lift with the front wheel secured. And the fun of dealing with the spacers and rear brake, etc. It is a little tight on a softail.

Hey also a good time for chrome belt guards.. "while yer there" as a wrench-friend of mine says.