Torque specs on hardware when replacing both wheels to replace tires

[Guest]

Torque specs on hardware when REMOVING both wheels to replace tires (SORRY)

The new tires I ordered (1980 GS1000G) should arrive by Tuesday and I'd like to take the front and rear wheels off and be ready to do the swap. While they're off, I'm going to thoroughly detail and clean the rims. (lots of wax stuck in the raised lettering, etc)

On my previous GS850G, I polished the aluminum and with the painted surfaces nice and clean, clear-coated both rims. I did this over 20 years ago and when viewing the bike at the new owner's house a few months ago, they still look great. I'm very surprised because I did not use high-quality 2K automotive paint, rather a spray can. Somehow I don't feel comfortable doing the same to these rims because that's not a factory procedure and the bike is a survivor. It will depend on how good the gray paint on rim inserts is....

Since I restored the whole bike over 20 years ago, I have no recollection of the sequence I used to take the wheels off. I do know however, that I did NOT use a fork compressor in order to remove the back wheel. The owner's manual gives a rudimentary explanation of how to remove the wheels. I'm thinking that if I remove the front wheel first, I should be able to pivot the bike forward enough to remove the rear wheel.

Any suggestions on where to support the bike with a jack or block(s) during the removal of the wheels?

Any procedural suggestions / comments would be welcomed since I don't remember a thing from back then. Also, does anyone have torque specs on the various nuts and bolts that have to be removed? The owner's manual suggests calling a Suzuki dealer. LOL

Also, I'm going to be putting in new brake pads all around and I'll have to compress the pistons I'm sure. Will the old "C" clamp trick work?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance,

P.S. I'll be sure to implement Willie's rear drive spline cleanup and lube!

Mark

[mmattockx]

I use jack stands under the frame rails on my 1100E since I don't have a center stand. To lift it, I lever the bike up onto the side stand a bit and slide a jack stand under the RH rail, then lever the bike up onto the jack stand and slide the other stand in. To pull both wheels I would probably put the stands towards the front end to lift the front, then use a ratchet strap over a garage rafter to lift the back end up. Basscliff's website should be able to offer you a pdf download of the service manual for your bike to get torque specs on the fasteners. I doubt you will need a c-clamp, I usually just use a big screwdriver on the old brake pads to push the pistons back in. Be careful to drain the master cylinder reservoir so that you don't have brake fluid running everywhere when you push the pistons back.


Mark

[Mickeymoe]

Thanks Mark, using the garage rafter and ratcheting tie down to lift it is a really good idea. I was thinking that after I lock the centerstand in place with a screwdriver or steel rod, I could take off the front wheel, and tilt the bike forward on the stand like a see-saw to allow room to drop the back wheel. I could put a 4x4 under the rear frame rail to raise the back and stabilize it.

Could you give me Basscliff's website? I'm somewhat new to the site and don't know everyone.

Thanks, Mark

[mmattockx]

Basscliff's site: http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/


Mark

[Mickeymoe]

Thanks for the website. This may be a dumb question but I just can't remember it's been so long. Do I take all the rotors and bearings and splines etc. out of the wheels to have the tires put on? I'd like to restore and polish all of the pieces but I'd rather do that as a winter project and would like to start riding next week. For the life of me I can't remember what I did 20+ years ago with my GS850G but I don't remember taking everything apart.

[mmattockx]

I can't say on the shaft drive rear wheel, but I took nothing off mine the one time I had a shop mount tires for me. I removed both wheels from the bike and took them in as is, with bearings and rotors still in place. I did remove the cush drive and rubbers from the rear wheel, though. I would say that you should remove any parts that will easily fall off and not worry about the rest of it.


Mark

[Mickeymoe]

WOW - I'm trying to find someone to mount the tires for me. The first place wanted an hour labor (85.00) and the second place wanted 100.00 to mount 2 tires! They said the USED to be 35.00 per tire but they started charging an extra 15 bucks per tire if you bought your own. Unbelievable.

[mmattockx]

WOW - I'm trying to find someone to mount the tires for me. The first place wanted an hour labor (85.00) and the second place wanted 100.00 to mount 2 tires! They said the USED to be 35.00 per tire but they started charging an extra 15 bucks per tire if you bought your own. Unbelievable.

Locally it is about $40CDN per tire with the tire off the bike if you bring your own tires in, so that isn't a shock. The other option is to buy a set of tire irons, watch some youtube videos and do it yourself.


Mark

[2BRacing]

........ Do I take all the rotors and bearings and splines etc. out of the wheels to have the tires put on? ........

No, all you remove is the speedo drive gear in front, and the front and rear axles and spacers. Leave the rotors and bearings on the wheels. You may want to remove the rear spline just for checking, as you cannot see the inner parts of the splines in the wheel to check for wear, but removal is not required for tire fitting. Remember to lube the splines with Honda Moly Paste.

[Mickeymoe]

A question about the Honda Moly Paste. My local dealer has a 4oz tube of "Moly 60" for about 10 bucks. When I look on Ebay, all of the tubes are 2oz and they are call "M77", and range from 20 bucks to 40 bucks for a 2 ounce tube. Is the locally available "Honda Moly 60" okay for my rear spline?

Mark

[2BRacing]

Yes, I used the Honda Moly 60 paste.

[geol]

FWIW, I replaced the tires on my 80 GS1000G last Friday. I took off the rear wheel first. I put a screwdriver through the pivot hole on the centerstand so it wouldn't rock off. Then I took off the shocks (I was replacing them anyway) and the rear caliper from the mounting piece that the axle goes through. You have to remove the little bolt that holds the brake line back near the caliper. I also took loose the rear mount bolt for the right side muffler so it would move out of the way a bit. I had first lifted the rear axle using a mount bolt on the caliper and stuck another screw driver though the hole meant for this purpose on the swingarm (on the brake side) and through the matching hole on the frame. The wheel was up in the air.

You take out the cotter pin and and remove the large nut and tap the axle through. Use a parts diagram to keep track of where the spacers go. With the back wheel off I moved to the front.

I attempted to use a Suzuki front end compressor and had no luck figuring out how to make it work. Giving up on that, I removed the two calipers and speedometer drive. Note the drive has an arrow on it pointing up for when you replace it. It is a little difficult to get it replaced where the drive ears engage in the slots on the hub but I digress.... anyway, the front wheel comes off by loosening the bolts under the bottom of the fork lowers and removing the nut/cotter pin and pulling the axle out. This is the simple part except there isn't enough room to pull the wheel out from under the fender so I put a bottle jack under the front of the engine between the 2 & 3 exhaust down tubes and lifted just a bit until the tire would clear. I used a piece of wood between the jack and engine cases.

Took the tires to my tire guy and he mounted them and balanced them and Putting them back on is sort of just reversing the process.

[Grimly]

Locally it is about $40CDN per tire with the tire off the bike if you bring your own tires in, so that isn't a shock. The other option is to buy a set of tire irons, watch some youtube videos and do it yourself.


Mark

In the past year alone, I've saved about 200 quid by doing my own tyres, since I installed a pair of tyre machines (manual types, nothing fancy) but prior to that I was taking them into a local place because I simply couldn't be bothered with wrestling tyres on the floor any more. Now that I've got the machines, I'm doing more tyre-swapping than before, because there's no financial or time hassle involved any more and it's so easy.

[mmattockx]

prior to that I was taking them into a local place because I simply couldn't be bothered with wrestling tyres on the floor any more.

I use a heavy duty plastic garbage can as a stand to work on them. They sit flat because the rotor or sprocket (on MX bikes, no cush drive to come off) sits down into the empty can and the rim sits on the can opening. Works great, keeps you off the floor and is a lot easier on your knees and back. A buddy bought a manual tire machine a couple years ago, so even the wide 17" radials are a piece of cake now. I never had the nerve to try one of those with irons, even the pros seem to have to grunt and sweat on them and I am nowhere near a pro at it.


Mark

[greg78gs750]

another stand that has worked well for me is a 5 gallon bucket, though a bit more on the floor. pro tip, fill whatever vessel you use with water for ballast....