Re-installing front wheel GS1100G"L" after tire change

[Guest]

New tire mounted on wheel; having difficulty getting speedo drive and spacer in place and lifting wheel to insert axel. How many hands do you have to have? One to keep spacer/speedo drive aligned; one to lift wheel; and one to place axel shaft?
Any tips to make this a little easier would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bob Young

[Wingsconsin]

When doing a front wheel I use my motorcycle lift to adjust the height of the front end.
Bike on Center stand ; lift under engine behind front wheel...
Just slowly lift or lower until the axle lines up...nearly no hands needed...
takes a bit of time perhaps ; but it is surely better than having to lift it into place, hold it and them thread the axle through all the spacers and wheel

[Buffalo Bill]

Kinda like that, but with a Taiwan made hydraulic jack lifting under the headers with a piece of wood to cushion it.
Use my feet to help if needed, as I am descended from an ape.

[bwringer]

Most of us longtime motorcyclists have a folding third gorilla arm installed. Very helpful in these scenarios, and doesn't shed too much.

The rear on a shaftie GS is dead easy (only requires your OEM set of arms), but if you deal with chain drive bikes much, a fourth arm and prehensile eye stalks really help move the project along.

[mmattockx]

New tire mounted on wheel; having difficulty getting speedo drive and spacer in place and lifting wheel to insert axel. How many hands do you have to have? One to keep spacer/speedo drive aligned; one to lift wheel; and one to place axel shaft?
Any tips to make this a little easier would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bob Young

Put the axle in a bit at a time, installing spacers as you go. In the case of the front wheel I would insert the axle enough to hang the speedo drive on it, then use my feet to lever the wheel up to the correct height and work the axle through, then install the spacer on the RH side of the bike, then work the axle through the RH fork leg. Trying to hold everything in place at once and insert the axle through everything is impossible (at least for me, without bwringer's 4 arms).


Mark

[Ray916MN]

Place a properly thick piece of wood where the wheel will sit when the tire is mounted. Put the spacers and speedo drive in the sides of the wheel and hold them in with your hand. Roll the wheel up on the block of wood in between the fork legs till the spacers and drive are held in by the fork legs. Use a pry bar or screw driver under the block of wood to lift the wheel till it aligns so you can slide the axle in.

[cowboyup3371]

What Wingsconsin said but I also remove the front fender. Basically lift the front end up enough to roll the wheel into place, place the speedometer into the wheel slots (make sure it is on the left side), slide the axle through far enough to hold the spacer on the right, lower the front to sit lightly on the axle as you finish pushing it through and then sit it down. Tighten everything up.

[Steve]

I use a scissor jack from an old Japanese vehicle. Placed under the front of the engine (oil filter cover area), it will lift the load off the front wheel while you pull the axle. Raise the jack a bit more, there is clearance under the fender to just roll the wheel out the front.

When re-installing, roll the wheel under the front edge of the fender, then lower the jack so the axle hole in the forks lines up with the wheel hub. Hold the speedo drive against the wheel, roll it into place. Push the axle in until it starts to come through on the right side, put the right-side spacer in place, continue pushing the axle into place.

Not sure if that's the same as bwringer's "folding third gorilla arm", but it works for me.


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