2019 F3-S Rear Tire Change

I found several different tire change videos on U-Tube and some instructions on this forum, but none specifically for the F3-S. Some things are different and the newer models also have some differences. I have step by step pictures. There is no way I could hold a camera to make a video and the videos are often not very clear on what is required. This will be still pictures and the steps required.

Changing the stock Kenda rear tire that came on the Spyder. It has about 8,400 miles on it. The center is wore down. The tire was always run with the recommended pressure.

This is intended to be a general outline of the procedure to change the rear tire on a 2019 F3-S and other year models that are the same. It is not meant to supersede anything in the Can Am Service Manuals. If anything is found to conflict with the service manuals, you should use the procedure in the service manual.

Step (1.) Easiest to do this in a shop on a concrete floor. It is possible to do it in the yard, but the ground is not so solid for jacking the Spyder up and you are more likely to lose nuts, bolts, and small parts. You also need a good MP3 player with some Bob Seger, CCR, etc. to get started.

Secure the front tires so they can't roll. As the job progresses, you will have to release the parking brake with the rear jacked up. Chocking the front tires will work. I always work alone and it may seem like over-kill, but I secure the front tires with blocks and straps to D-rings in the shop floor.

In Neutral, Parking Brake On, Front tires secured so they can't roll.

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Step (2.) Remove the lower rear fender mounting bolts and back the upper bolts off about a half turn. Pivot the rear fender up and tie it off to the passenger grab rails or rack.

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Step (3.) With the tire still sitting on the floor and parking brake set, break the bolts loose on the rear axle, and the brake caliper. Don't take them out yet, just break them loose. Rear axle is 36 MM on both sides. Brake caliper is 16 MM.

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Step (4.) Get a jack or lift on the frame in front of the cat. Small piece of wood may help. Lift the Spyder just enough to take the weight off the rear shock. Take the lower bolt out of the rear shock. It should be 15 MM. It it doesn't come out easy, move the jack up or down slightly to take the pressure off of it. I am using a scissor jack with a short piece of 2x4 on top of it.

Turn the key on, release the parking brake, turn the key back off. Alarm will sound about 20 seconds and then stop. Take the key out of the ignition. At this point the brake caliper of no longer tight against the brake disk. I also tie the brake pedal up or disconnect the rod just to make sure it doesn't get pressed while the caliper is not on the disk.

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My assistant is standing by the jack to raise or lower it as needed.

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Remove the belt guards, both upper and lower. While the belt guards are off is a good time to check the belt idler to be sure it rolls freely and smoothly. Also use duct tape to secure the axle adjuster screws so they remain in place when you pull the axle. The belt tension and the belt adjustment should remain the same when you reassemble the rear end. Nothing is being changed or moved. Jack the rear up just enough to clear the tire from the floor. Starting at the bottom, roll the belt off the pulley and tie it out of the way. It rolls off real easy.

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Step (5.) Remove the ABS sensor - little black wire with a magnetic sensor on it that reads the rear wheel speed. It has one small socket head hex bolt in it. Right side on the caliper mount. You are just removing it to keep it from getting broken or damaged when you pull the caliper off. It probably will have a shim set on it too. Tie or tape the shims to it so they don't get lost.

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Back the bolts on out of the brake caliper and tie it up to the passenger grab rail so that it is not hanging on the brake lines. If there is any shims in the caliper mark where they came from and put them back the same place when you reassemble it. Let the jack down so the tire barely touches the floor. Take the nut off of the rear axle. Pull the axle out the left side. It should pull out real easy, by hand, if you have all the pressure off of it. No reason to jack the rear up real high. With the fender raised the rear wheel will roll right under the fender and out once the axle is removed.

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I'll be doing this soon.. Thank you ! I was gonna use the Greatrydes video as a reference, but nice to see your thread on the F3-S :thumbup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuRgt7bt5PI

Step (6.) Use a 13 MM or SAE half inch to remove the brake disk and belt pulley from the rear wheel. The disk was left on until the tire was off the Spyder to avoid damaging the brake lines or other parts that are in the way of removing it while the wheel is still on the bike.

The space with the valve stem is marked on all the pieces with a black marker for now. Might put a stamp mark on it later to make it more permanent. It may not matter if all the parts go back indexed or not, if the spokes are aligned, but there was no vibration before, so it is all going back on indexed exactly like it was. The spacers are marked for left and right side also. The brake disk, bearings, seals, and everything else checks out OK. There is a little dust from the rubber shock bumpers, but no real wear. Clean the bolt holes and threads up and get it ready to go back together. There is a spacer / adapter, about 3 inches long, inside the rear pulley that may or may not fall out. Piece of tape over the opening will fix that until you are ready to put it back together.

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Gwolf

Those disc bolts are 13mm which is the same as 1/2". I also notice the uneven wear on your belt idler pulley. Now would be a great time to replace it with the one from Lamonster as it is larger with two larger bearings.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PW2013STL

Gwolf

Those disc bolts are 13mm which is the same as 1/2". I also notice the uneven wear on your belt idler pulley. Now would be a great time to replace it with the one from Lamonster as it is larger with two larger bearings.

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13 MM was a little bit loose on the bolt heads. The 1/2 inch socket was a perfect, tight fit, so it is the one I used. The threads may be metric. I did not check them.

The bearings in the idler are fine. I can replace it at any time. There is only 2 bolts to get the upper belt guard off. That is the OEM idler. It does not hold a lot of pressure on the belt. I will put a straight edge on the idler, with the belt off out of the way, before I close it up. F3-S does not have a lot of luggage or tupperware to remove to get to the idler.

Thanks for the information. I edited the instructions to include your information.

Reassembling

Step (7.) Tire mounted on the wheel. Make sure the balance mark is lined up properly........ which ever one you use.

https://www.topgear.com.ph/features/...a2600-20181008

Double check the tire rotation marking is going in the right direction. Have the tire balanced if you can find a place that can do it. The spin balance machines at most car and truck tire places will not work with the Spyder wheels. I static balanced this one with the axle and some jack stands. It was showing about a quarter ounce off when I quit on it. Quarter ounce will not have any affect after the wheel is back on the machine. Any of the tire stores have bins full of the stick on wheel weights. Any time you change a tire, always use a new valve stem. Never mount a new tire without replacing the valve stem also.

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Putting it all back is the reverse of taking it apart. Put the rubber dampers back in the wheel. They will only go in one way. Put the rear pulley back on the wheel. Pay attention to the alignment marks you put on the parts when you broke it down and put them back indexed the same way. Use a dead blow rubber hammer to bump the pulley back in position. Don't hit it with a metal hammer. The bearings on the 2019 have regular seals to protect the bearing. There is no O-rings. You should have already checked the bearing and seals. If either is damaged or do not turn smoothly, replace them.

Bolt the brake disk back on the wheel. Bolt holes need to be cleaned out and all the old Loctite cleaned off the threads. The service manual says to replace all the bolts for the brake disk with new bolts. The brake disk bolts torque to 63 Ft Lbs. Book says +- 4, but 63 is good. It is assembled with yellow Loctite at the factory. I used blue 506166 stick Loctite Thread Locker on all the bolts for reassembling. There is a proper torque pattern for the disk bolts. Just snug them first time around. Snug one, skip one, snug one, skip one, until you are all the way around. It is the same type pattern you use on the car wheel with 5 lug nuts. Go around again tightening a little more. It will take several time going around to get them tight. The final time will be at 63 Ft Lbs.

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Step (8.) You marked the spacers that go on the outside of the wheel. Put them back on the same side they were on when you took them off. Clean the axle and put a light coating of clean engine oil on it. Roll the tire back into position. Raise or lower the jack until the axle holes line up. Put the axle back in, from the left side. When it is through the wheel, raise the brake caliper backing plate to align the holes in it for the axle to pass through. One washer goes on each side of the axle. Snug the axle nut down, but do not tighten it yet. The wheel has to be wedged all the way forward before tightening.

Adjust the jack to get slack so the belt will roll back on the rear pulley. With the brake pads spread as far as possible, slide the brake caliper back on the disk and start the bolts.

The lower shock bolt is still not installed. Raise the jack up until the belt is loose. Loop ratchet straps around the rear tire and over the cross brace where the lower shock bolt goes. The ratchet will have to be located on the tire so that it can be operated. This will pull the wheel forward. Tighten on the ratchet straps until there is no loose motion in the axle adjuster bolts. If you attempt to force the wheel forward while the belt is tight, the tension on the belt will cause the right side to have slack in it.

If you can feel any loose motion in the axle adjuster plates, the wheel is not forward far enough. The axle torques to 166 Ft Lbs. It is going to take a 3/4 inch drive torque wrench with the 36 MM socket.

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Straps pulling the wheel forward.......... If you bump it to help it move, use a block of wood against the end of the axle. Don't bump the axle with a metal hammer.

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Step (9.) Parking brake is still off. There should not be any pressure on the brake pads. The wheel should roll easily if it is off the floor. Snug the caliper bolts down and then torque them moving back and forth, to 77 Ft Lbs. Make sure all the shims that were on the ABS speed pickup are on it and put it back on the caliper. All the bolts need Loctite. Lower the rear fender back down and put the bolts back in it. Tighten all 4 bolts. Raise or lower the jack to get the lower shock bolt aligned. Loctite it and tighten it.

At this point, leave the belt guards off for now. Turn the key on, try the parking brake. You can watch the lever move as the parking brake engages. Try the foot brake. With the tire off the floor, check to be sure the tire turns freely when the parking brake and the foot brake are released. If the Spyder is properly secured and the rear wheel is off the floor, it can be started up and run in first gear. No need to rev it up. With the tire off the floor it will turn with the engine idling. Check the belt alignment with it in motion. Check it again after you stop the engine and lower the tire to the floor. If the belt is properly aligned, put the belt guards back on. Remove the wheel blocks, lower the jack and move it out.

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If everything is back on it and tight, tire pressure is good, and all the work has been double checked. Take it out for a short ride. Check the belt alignment again after you return. The belt should be running 1 MM to 5 MM off the pulley flange. If it is not aligned properly, it will have to be readjusted. Belt adjustment is on page 626 of the service manual. Also check tire pressure again.

Remember to back the torque settings back down to zero before putting the torque wrenches away. Never put them away with the torque set above zero.