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I was looking in my manual and it says to remove the belt guard and the plastic fender before removing the rear wheel. Is this absolutely necessary? I obviously am yet to remove it. I am going for tires, and want to save the green by bringing just my wheels. The front one is a cinch. Thanks...
Same here, Anubisss. I don't have any wiggle room to slide the tire out until I remove the upper and lower guards. I think there are a total of 4 bolts/nuts on my Fat Boy holding the guards in place. Real simple to do...and on mine I need every fraction of an inch I can get!
Take note...make sure to use the correct socket/wrench on the two 12 point bolts holding the rear caliper in place! They cost $1.97 each at the local HD dealer if you booger them up. I am NOT admitting as to how I know that!
Your going to at least have to take off the belt guard, or remove its rear mounting bolts and loosen the front enough totip it up (if you can)enough toslip thebelt off the sprocket.
You "might" be able to get it off without doing it, but I'll bet its a hell of a lot easier to do put it back on with the guardout, or at least out of the way.
That's one of the reasons I like the shorter/smaller bobtail fender of the Standard and Custom, and Wideglide. Being as small as they aregives youa bit morewiggle room toget the wheel in or out.
That was one of the few true virtues of my old Yamaha. It has shaft drive and taking the rear wheel off was a snap. One small cotter pin for the brake rod, pull the axle out, and it would fall out the bottom. No muss or fuss in or out in under 10 minuts.
Looking at mine I noticed that the axle was put in from the muffler side. Wonder who'sdumb idea that was. The way it is if I want, or need to take the wheel off I have to take the mufflers off first.
Is there some obscure engineering reason for putting it in that way?
If not I think the first time I do any work on the pipesit might not be a bad idea toswitch the axle shaft around. Would makegetting the wheel off later a lot easier if you didn't have to do that.
Looking at mine I noticed that the axle was put in from the muffler side. Wonder who'sdumb idea that was. The way it is if I want, or need to take the wheel off I have to take the mufflers off first.
Is there some obscure engineering reason for putting it in that way?
So they can bill you an extra 1 hour labor if you havethem do it and not do it yourself.
Looking at mine I noticed that the axle was put in from the muffler side. Wonder who'sdumb idea that was. The way it is if I want, or need to take the wheel off I have to take the mufflers off first.
Is there some obscure engineering reason for putting it in that way?
If not I think the first time I do any work on the pipesit might not be a bad idea toswitch the axle shaft around. Would makegetting the wheel off later a lot easier if you didn't have to do that.
I read on here that it was because of the wheel rotation, but since it has a pin it I don't see why that would matter.
You can turn it around, so next time it's easier, but you will need a way to torque the nut to 65lbs...
there is an attachment that you can get (I forget the name)..but its a specialty tool carried by the likes of Snap-On...and its expensive.
I turned mine around...so next time I'l have to deal with how to torque the nut.
ORIGINAL: HarleyWood
I read on here that it was because of the wheel rotation, but since it has a pin it I don't see why that would matter.
You can turn it around, so next time it's easier, but you will need a way to torque the nut to 65lbs...
OK, that makessense, engineering wise, and waswhy I asked the question.
Your right about the cotter pin, but its one of the things I ALWAYS look at before and after I ride the bike.
Wouldn't do me a hell of a lot of good to have something like that come loose while I'm leaned over in a corner, now would it.
If there is anthing my father taught me well was that the older you get the more religious you get. Being an engineer and a devout coward, he said it never hurt to make sure things were where they weresupposed to be. But it sure as hell would hurt you if you didn't.
ORIGINAL: texflstf
So they can bill you an extra 1 hour labor if you havethem do it and not do it yourself.
Unfortunatly that's exactlywhat I expected to hear.
Shows you the kind of"respect" we have forHarley's production engineering.
I have a lot of respect for Harley. I respect them for having a business plan that works along with a well engineered machine to support it. I don't think for a minute that they engineer their bikes so they cannot make money off of them after they are sold. From a business stand point it is a great plan. Create a culture and keep the customers coming back. Why do you think there are "specialty tools" that you have to buy for certain applications? Don't think for a minute that the production engineering staff doesn't engineer things so it will seem too time consuming ordifficultfor the average person and lead them back to the Harley service center. Don't think they will not engineer things that will positively effect their bottom line. It only makes good business sense. I do respect them, and any work that I can perform I will do it. Have I addd things and paid them to do the work..absolutely.
I am not bashing Harley.
If you can find a dealer (and there are alot of them out there) that will do the work at n/c then great. It ties back into creating a culture and keeping you coming back and that particular dealer understands it. Unfortunately there are alot of dealers that do not get it and will try to nickel and dime you to death forcing you to go somewhere else or do the work yourself.
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