Honda VTX Forum banner

Removing rear tire w/aftermarket exhaust

3K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  billeng 
#1 ·
Hey all - my rear tire is due this spring after putting 15K on the bike last summer.

I called around and most bike shops want around $150-$175 for the labor to remove, swap, and reinstall because of the fact it has saddlebags and is shaft drive. Time, basically, so I'm contemplating just removing it myself (as I typically do for fronts) and bringing it in loose as the labor is $40 that way instead.

I've read here that removing the rear with the exhaust in place is possible, but I'm curious if I'm likely to have issues with my aftermarket (Hard Krome big 3's) exhaust? The bike came with this setup so I'm honestly not familiar with the factory setup whatsoever.

Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
Very easy to do.. but you WILL need a lift.
Aftermarket pipes don't affect my removal whatsoever.
The fact it is "shaft-drive" actually makes the job easier!
Tire can (at least in my case) be pulled with bags on, but that will probably depend on the bags.
* Typically, I remove the bag, (at least the one on the right side), for easy access to brake.
* Remove 2 bolts holding brake caliper and temporarily move it out of the way. (remove line clap too)
* Lift bike high enough for tire to clear fender.. you can angle it out somewhat.
* Pull shaft, then lift tire off of the gear. It's quite easy.
Reverse to install.

Bear in mind bike weight will shift forward somewhat.
Be sure lift is centered appropriately.

Overall, it is an EASY job!
Worth buying a lift (if you don't have one) and doing yourself.
You'll save a LOT of money in the long run.

Good luck
 
#3 ·
http://tech.bareasschoppers.com/wheels-tires/removeinstall-rear-tire-vtx/

To do it without removing the exhaust you will need to buy a 27mm wrench to get to the axle nut, especially with those extra long pipes. You'll also need a 1/2 drive torque wrench to be sure you tighten the axle nut to correct specs or else risk too loose coming off or too tight no wheel spin
 
#4 · (Edited)
Worst case, with the bike on your lift, support the weight and take the shocks off. You can then raise the bike to get access to all the bolts that may be covered by the exhaust (the swingarm will drop further than with shocks installed)
Be carefull tightening the shock bolts, they break easily if overtorqued.
Make sure to support the front wheel before you slip rear off if doing on a bike lift, the sudden weight shift may cause "issues".
 
#5 ·
Thanks all - decided to tackle it this weekend. The weather for the last 7 days or so has been positively spring like (but it may not last, winter isn't over yet) so with that I expect the bike shops will soon start getting inundated with work..as happens every year when the first touch of rideable weather hits. The sooner I get this done the better in the end, basically.

Sounds like the rear main bearing is due for a careful inspection when I'm in there as well based on what I've read about it. If it turns out to be questionable I'll order the parts and then cross my fingers my local Honda dealer can actually get it in a reasonable period of time.
 
#7 ·
Private Pilot wrote: "I'll order the parts and then cross my fingers my local Honda dealer can actually get it in a reasonable period of time." Screw that! Order what you need from Partzilla. Less hassle, great prices, and very quick shipping. And there are no 'main' bearings in the rear wheel assembly. There are wheel bearings and flange bearings. The wheel bearings also require dust seals. Clean axle and coat (lightly) with Never-Sieze before reinstall.
 
#8 ·
Well, despite a cold snap having returned in the last week, I dragged my patio heater into the garage today, sparked it up, and got to work. I have to say that, at least for those with the 3" big straight Hard Krome pipes, this is NOT an easy task with the pipes still on.

First, I had barely any space to work with to get the caliper/brake bracket loose. Eventually I opted to unbolt the rear support bracket for the pipes and that (without removing them at the engine) allowed me to get the pipes shifted over about 3/4 of an inch which just allowed me to squeeze in a wrench..and with much patience and a few curse words, I got it loose.

Getting my large wrenches in to break the main axle nut loose was equally as challenging, but doable...but then after the nut was loose there was physically no way whatsoever to use a wood block or rubber mallet to actually force the axle itself out. I ended up threading the nut back onto the end of the shaft a little, got the wrench back on, braced the end of the wrench against the old tire, and then whacked the wrench as close as I could to the nut - that worked and once I got it as far out as I could via this method I was able to tackle it from the opposite side.



Some maneuvering and a bit more colourful language...and I had the rear wheel on the floor.

Thankfully the bearing seems good, but the grease on the splines was (not surprisingly) pretty dry.

Speaking of which, the how-to's on the reinstallation specifically mentions to use only the Honda moly paste only due to it's high moly content...but wondering if anyone else has found an equivalent that may be easier for me to find up here vs something I suspect the local Honda dealer may not actually have?
 
#10 ·
When I did mine I did not have that much of a struggle. I just used the wrench and wedged it so I could break it with the allen head on a torch wrench. This drove the axel out enough for me to grab it and pull it out. It did stick once but that is because th tired moved slightly and start to bind the axel. Once straightened it came out easy. I did clean the axel thoroughly and put on a light coat of molly paste when I put it back in.
 
#11 ·
Without undoing at least the exhaust mounting bracket to get that bit of space there'd have been no physical way to get the wrench on the axle nut, the bracket was almost flush up against the end of it. Maybe Hard Krome had a few different bracket options over the years?

FWIW I discover the tire was original from 2003. The previous owner of my bike barely rode the thing (it only had around 600 miles for every year of it's age when I bought it) but the tire passed safety so far as tread and condition, so I used it up last summer.

I also finally got a good look at my shock settings (hidden in behind my bags) and found them set for 3. I really expected to find them at 5 considering how rough my back suspension seems to be, and particularly since even with myself and another sizeable passenger it wasn't bottoming out. That said, the bushings are toast as well, so I might as well replace those while I'm in there - is there an online source I can order from, or should I just go with the OEM Honda?
 
#12 ·
Get the GREEN ones from Honda. I forget the PN, but it's 52149 something, or similar to that. Relatively cheap, easy to swap. I changed to MB shocks, and needed the harder McMaster Carr bushings.
 
#13 ·
Wow that's a lot of money for very little work. You will find it a very simple task. The local mechanic here charges $50 to change a rear. I pull my own and he charges $20 to just mount and balance the tire.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: rangers4u
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top