Rear wheel changing

Now I’m becoming quite proficient (as if) at slinging the ol’ rear hoop in and out I thought I’d explain how I put the wheel back in, primarily for anyone else who fancies it for the first time. Taking it out is easy, but mind 'cause it is heavy.

The hard part is lifting the wheel into position (bloody heavy) while ensuring that the swing arm, brake plate thing, chain and the wheel bearing things all line up while the long spindle is inserted.

From the picture you can see I chock the wheel up first, so it roughly lines up to the swingarm. Then I grease in the wheel bearing things on each side to stop’em dropping out (thanks Chuffster) and gently tap home the brake mounting plate which is always a tight fit. It seems impossible to align the wheel if the plate is in position so this way works a treat.

Then by lying on the back of the bike, raising the wheel if needed (should be only slightly)with one arm, I can wriggle and tap the spindle throu with the other.

Hey Presto.

What’s needed is a modified jack type thing that holds the wheel and allows it to be raised in increments whilst being thin enough to fit under the wheel. We got any inventors here?

Oh, and the other thing is remember to protect you rims from washers, plates and calipers that’ll bounce off it.

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Well done mate! The first time I did it by myself i tought I would have to call a mobile mechanic… But I managed to do it using some books, lol . Nowadays I only use my knee!

I’m too damn weak that’s my problem

I can see the knee thing working ok, but this way I don’t get the sweats and shakes !!

Just how heavy is your wheel exactly, Andrew? I do mine with my foot, just rest the wheel on my toes, and raise it into position while jiggling the caliper mount and spindle. Good post though, thanks!

Thread a cargo strap throo the wheel and over the seat, then all ya gotta do is gently ratchet it up into place.

Cost of a cheap ratchet strap… less than a fiver.

Nice idea Puppy. Might do that.

Jay - too damn heavy for me mate. It’s a 7 remember, not some lightweight supersport little number. Wheels like logs

Dunno how other bikes are organised but the brake mounting plate is merely placed inside the swing arm, not secured so it drops out if knocked making the whole process tricky in the extreme.

I looked in my handbook and it said 6 months of weight training before trying to lift rear wheel

I have Jeeves and Baines see to it, while I enjoy a nice cuppa tea and a Kiplings!

I do my 7 on my toes as Jay describes, you had best get some training in Andrew!

wonder if I can use my Xmas-belly in the procedure somewhere. It’s the only bit that’s been developing over the last few months.

no problem on my bike,
1)put it on the centerstand
2)undo 4 wheel nuts
3)lift off wheel and rollaway

job done! no messing with spacers or adjusters and when you’re finished, reasembly really is the reverse of the disasembly process! :slight_smile:

when i was in china working at the moto GP race running a couple of superbikes, it rained just before our race. had to change two wheels on our bike (ex GMT94 world endurance bike) put onto stands, remove two wheels with slicks, replace with two wheels with wets, then off the stands, 38 SECONDS!!! av it! pictures of the bike are in the motoGP gallery very trick bit of kit, all bikes should be like that! (oh yeah, that was 38 seconds on my own including putting on and off the stands)

Ah - the joys of captive spacers etc!

Even so, that’s a bloody impressive time.

I shall bring this to the attention of Jeeves and Baines and see how fast my lads can get down to!