My tire changing saga

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I'm beginning to feel like it's a saga though it wasn't supposed to be! As mentioned in Doc Humphreys' thread, http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?71934-Pulling-rear-tire, I too am going with a Michelin HydroEdge 215/60R15 for my new rear tire. The OEM Kenda shows wear bars at just over 7000 miles.

First, I ordered a tire late last week off Amazon. Fedex tracking page said delivery was scheduled for Monday, Sept 8. Lo and behold, it shows up on Sat, Aug 30, which is good because I need to get it changed before going on a ride with my brother which we wanted to start on Sunday, Sep 7! So I come home a day early from my visit to the home farmstead 120 miles from here so I can get started on the change.

First step, let the air out of the suspension air bag by loosening up the valve core. Then I take the axle nuts off. I don't believe the manual that the caliper bolts need to come out so I skip that step. Lamonster doesn't believe you need to do EVERYTHING by the book, right? Then I take the nut off the lower shock mount bolt. Now it's time to raise the bike so I start to slip the jack under it. IT WON'T FIT!!! :banghead: Then I remember the air bladder, so back in goes the valve core and in goes air to about 80 lbs. Ah, now the jack slips right under. Remove the valve core again and jack up the bike. Shock bolt won't budge. Back to the jack to lower it. Still stuck. After about a half dozen ups and downs with the jack I hit the sweet spot and the bolt slipped out like a corn cob on a butter cube! Now I fight to get the axle out. Maybe I should have jacked the bike up higher but a rubber hammer against the fixed nut beat it out easy.

Now it's time to juggle the tire out, but wait. The caliper is hung up! Now I believe the book. The caliper won't come out as it binds between the rim and rotor. And I can't get the bolts out as there is no good way to anchor the caliper so I can break the bolts loose. So I'll just push it back on the rotor and line it up with the axle, put the axle back in, and take the bolts out. But nooooooo, the pads won't slide over the rotor and the caliper won't go back in place. Can't get the pads to line up with a screwdriver. Ahhh, but I can get to the rotor bolts to take them out, and the rotor has to come off anyway. I get the rotor unbolted and worked out of the tire and now I can get the caliper lined up with the axle and the axle slid back in place. I get a 15 mm socket. Doesn't fit the caliper bolt. Get a 17 mm socket. Way too loose. What???? Is this a 16 mm hex head? I never have ever in my life seen a metric bolt with a 16 mm head. My Craftsman metric socket set doesn't even have a 16 mm socket! :yikes: So I try a couple of US sockets and guess what? A 5/8 socket is almost dead on the right size. Finally I get the caliper bolts out, take the axle out, hang the caliper from the muffler with a bungee so it won't strain the hoses and wires, jack the bike up a few more inches, and roll the tire out! Yayyy!! It's not much to pull the sprocket off. Rather than brute force it off I worked it off with a pry bar. Came off easy that way. Had to use a deep 15 mm socket on one side and a regular 15 mm socket w/ extension on the other side to take out the bolts that hold the hub to the wheel.

Now it's ready to go to the tire shop. I'm pretty sure the local guys can change it out. I should be able to get things back together tomorrow. Then Wed will be Tri-Axis handlebar install time!

Will follow up with more later, when there's more to write about!

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: I really don't mean to insult you... pps:


...But this almost sounds like some of MY more "memorable" days in the garage...

Good Luck!! :thumbup:

 

[sddinnh]

Hang in there and let us know how you make out.:2thumbs:

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I hope you remembered to removed the bolt that attaches the ACS linkage to the frame. before you removed the shock bolt.

Base RT doesn't have ACS.

 

[Highwayman2013]

I did my first one in the spring, the next one will go so much smoother. It is a learning curve.

 

[billybovine]

I have done it twice so far. It is a learning curve for sure. I too was puzzled at needing a 5/8 socket when everything else is metric. I had the added entertainment on the ST of having one shim washer fall out as I removed the caliper. There was no hope in heck of figuring out under which bolt it came from. You will soon find out removing the hub was a waste of effort. Unless you are planning to change the bearings and seals. If you take it to a motorcycle shop to get the tire swapped, they will need to put the hub back on before balancing.

 

[Chupaca]

So much fun..!!

I watched Lamont's video and things went smoothly. I do have the shop manual for backup. You are almost there hope the reassembly goes better for you..:thumbup:

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

i have no problem mounting & road force balancing the fronts or the rears but i have no prayer on removing the rear from the bike without screwing something up real bad

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I had the added entertainment on the ST of having one shim washer fall out as I removed the caliper. There was no hope in heck of figuring out under which bolt it came from. You will soon find out removing the hub was a waste of effort. Unless you are planning to change the bearings and seals. If you take it to a motorcycle shop to get the tire swapped, they will need to put the hub back on before balancing.

I too was mystified by seeing one washer fall out. I think it was the lower bolt. Haven't looked at the parts diagram yet.

The tire shop here changed the tire but there was no way it would fit over the shaft on the balancing machine. Even taking the bearing out would not have helped. Do M/C shops have balancers with smaller shafts? The shop owner said let's use Liquid Tire Balance. He said they use it lot on larger tires like pickup and truck tires. I've always been skeptical but when he said they it use a lot I figured it was worth a shot. They don't have a bubble balancer. I suppose most of those have gone to the scrap yards as outdated technology. What would be good for us Spyder folks would be the 1950's balancing technology, on vehicle dynamic balancing. For front tires a motorized roller was used to spin the tire, and for the rear you put it in gear and run it up. The tire was jacked up off the floor and a sensor was put underneath that activated a strobe light and an analog gauge. With the strobe you could see where the top of the tire was when the strobe flashed and the gauge indicated how much weight was needed.

 

[ARtraveler]

Almost glad that I have my dealer do this stuff. My mechanical ability sucks plus.

Oh, by the way, what is a tire? :roflblack::roflblack:

 

[Highwayman2013]

I used these:http://www.tirebalancingbeads.com/products/can-am-spyder-kit-for-bombardier.html

 

[Bob Denman]

Oh, by the way, what is a tire? :roflblack::roflblack:

:shocked: Did you say "Tired"?
That's what I get at about 11:00 pm...

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I had the added entertainment on the ST of having one shim washer fall out as I removed the caliper. There was no hope in heck of figuring out under which bolt it came from.

What did you figure out with the washer? There is nada, nothing, zilch, in the parts diagrams and the service manual about a washer between the caliper and mounting plate. My local service tech is out for a couple of weeks and he's the only expert at the local dealer. I've got a call in to Lamont to see what he can tell me. It's a mystery!:dontknow::dontknow:

 

[billybovine]

What did you figure out with the washer? There is nada, nothing, zilch, in the parts diagrams and the service manual about a washer between the caliper and mounting plate. My local service tech is out for a couple of weeks and he's the only expert at the local dealer. I've got a call in to Lamont to see what he can tell me. It's a mystery!:dontknow::dontknow:

I spent a wonderful 20 or 30 minutes laying on a hard, cold concrete floor contemplating under which of the 2 bolts the washer should go. Eventually decided not to put it back in. It is only 0.9 mm thick. I was hoping someone smarter than I would post a solution on Spyderlovers.

 

[finless]

I spent a wonderful 20 or 30 minutes laying on a hard, cold concrete floor contemplating under which of the 2 bolts the washer should go. Eventually decided not to put it back in. It is only 0.9 mm thick. I was hoping someone smarter than I would post a solution on Spyderlovers.

This is good to know for when I take mine off. If I see where it came from I will let you know but it's going to be another 3-4K for my tire replace job. Have the new tire all ready and waiting.

Bob

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The tire is on and everything is back together. One variation to Lamont's procedure that I had to do. I don't know where the idea of the belt getting loose when you drop the A arm off the shock comes from, but I sure didn't see that when I was putting it back together. No way was I going to be able to get the tire in without moving the adjusters, no way. So what I did was back off each adjuster screw 10 turns. Good thing the nut didn't come off the end of the screw or I would have been screwed! It was close! After I had the axle installed I tightened each adjuster 10 turns. The end result was the belt is tight and tracks properly, the same as before I took the old tire off. If you do this I would suggest 5 turns and see if that's enough. If not take the adjuster blocks out and see how many threads you've got before the nut comes off the screw. OK Denman, time to come up with some video, comment, or joke about nuts and a screw, if you catch my drift!

I snug up the axle nut and check belt tracking and tension. Tracking is good and tension is ~200 lbs measured with a Krikit gauge. I then lower the bike, pull the lift out from under, which I have trouble doing and can't figure out why. I tighten the axle nut. The best I can get it is about 140 ft-lbs. I think I was lifting the bike with the torque wrench! I then check the belt tension and I see the belt rubbing on the mount of the Smooth Spyder belt tensioner. Can't figure out why because it wasn't that way before. I then go to the back of the bike. Man, the trunk sure is sitting low. OH CRAP! I forgot to put the bolt in the bottom end of the shock! :banghead: :banghead: No wonder I had trouble getting the lift out, why the belt is rubbing, and why the trunk is so low. I can't the lift back under the bike because putting air in the bag doesn't help! So I temporarily reinstall the hitch and use a high lift jack to lift the back end of the bike high enough to get the lift under it. Getting the bolt back into the shock mount was one of the easier parts of this whole operation!

I rechecked the tension and with the bike on the floor the tension increased to ~220 lbs.

I finish installing the hitch and trailer wire, put the cotter pin in, and the caps back on and now I'm ready for a test run. When I was checking the belt tracking I ran the bike in gear on the lift. Some have said not to do this because it causes codes to pop up. Well, I did get a limp home error, but once I rode the bike all the codes cleared up.

I went for about a 10 mile test run. Everything is working great. I am not seeing near the speedo change others have reported. At 70 the bike speedo fluctuates between 1 and 2 mph above the GPS speed. It used to be 2 to 3 mph above at 70.

Now all I need to find out is how the HydroEdge performs on real rides!

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Oh, I forgot to mention the washer and brake caliper. I snugged the two bolts, then loosened them. I then pumped the brake to seat the pads good. I then tightened the upper bolt snug and checked to see if there was any gap between the caliper and mounting bracket at the lower bolt. None. I then snugged up the lower bolt and watched to see if there was any movement of the caliper that would indicate that the shim washer needed to be in there. I saw none, so like billybovine I just tightened the bolts and left out the washer. If I eventually see an end-to-end taper wear in the pads then I'll know the washer should have been in there. But like I said above, I couldn't find any info why the washer in in there.

Hey Lamont, if you read this, do you know? Maybe someday you'll have time to return my phone call about the washer.

 

[Roadster Renovations]

This is good to know for when I take mine off. If I see where it came from I will let you know but it's going to be another 3-4K for my tire replace job. Have the new tire all ready and waiting.

Bob

I will see if I can look at my RTS tomorrow for where the washer goes. I would say it is there for a reason. Probably compensates a slight incorrect angle from the frame to true the caliper with the rotor. One things is for sure, those pads and rotor have established a matching reverse surface and changing that angle will probably cause poor braking and incomplete pad to rotor contact. I wouldn't ride it until you find where it goes. If I can get my scheduled 4 wheel repairs done tomorrow early enough I plan on lifting the bike and getting my trailer wiring dialed in. That will put the caliper right by where I will be working. I'll post then!

 

[KX5062]

Do M/C shops have balancers with smaller shafts?

Yes. The rear tire is a motorcycle style assembly. A motorcycle shop that has a spin balancer will work. That's where I take mine.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Yes. The rear tire is a motorcycle style assembly. A motorcycle shop that has a spin balancer will work. That's where I take mine.

Wish I would have known that sooner. Sure not going to take it off just to spin balance at this point!:yikes: But, if everyone here who uses Ride-On swears to its balancing ability I guess I'll be in fine shape. I may change from skeptic to believer yet! :bowdown: Makes me wonder now if maybe my Goldwing tires were in fact spin balanced by the Honda shop. Never asked them.