Author Topic: How Do You Get The Wheel Off? (Read 8150 times)

Sven · « **on:** June 06, 2006, 10:24:46 AM »

Oh heck, let's have a little fun with color and ignore the potentially suggestive subject line of this thread!

I will soon be needing a new front tire. I want to replace it with the same thing (Pilot Road), which I can get at a good price from Cycle Gear (we have a shop in town). They will mount it if you bring them the wheel, but they will not mount it on the bike. This is inconvenient since I have to take the wheel off and then drive to the shop.

If I buy the tire from them and take it to the dealership for mounting, I need a car to carry the tire (no I will not wear it around my waist on the bike like my friend saw a guy doing) and the dealershio charges twice as much to do it.

So either way is inconvenient, but one of more expensive, and even worse if I buy the tire at the dealer.

So...what do I do to take the front wheel off? The front wheel has to be off the ground, so the centerstand won't help. Is this worth the effort, or should I just let the dealer install it and call that an extra $40 well spent?

BTW, I'm presuming that the front wheel is easier for a beginner than the back because of the chain and all, but am I correct?

txbanditrydr · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2006, 10:48:53 AM »

I use a small floor jack and a block of wood under the engine to lift the front end off the ground. A pair of jack stands under the engine guards hold everything in place while the tire is being changed. I would loosen the axle bolt before raising the front end up.

Others have used a pulley system to lift the front end off the ground but the floor jack works better for me. You can probably use the dinky scissors jack for you automobile if you don't want to buy another one.

Red01 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2006, 12:00:06 PM »

I do it like tex.

I put it on the centerstand, remove the rear wheel, then jack up the front of the bike and support it for front wheel removal.

smearig · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2006, 12:28:52 PM »

I just had the same experience with Cycle Gear. I strapped my rear stand onto my bike (I don't have a center stand) and took off the rear wheel in the parking lot at Cycle Gear. They got mad because it was against their lease or something, but I don't own a car right now. It took me about 3 minutes to take it off and under 10 to put it back on. The only bad part was that it was right in front of a Quiznos at lunch and I felt like a fish in a fishbowl because my parking lot wrenching is not a common site in South Orange County.

My point being you might be able to take off the wheel at the cycle gear depending on local restrictions. I would practice the night before so you know what the heck you're doing though.

Sven · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2006, 02:22:03 PM »

OK, but I don't know HOW to get the front wheel off. What are the steps?

Red01 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2006, 02:25:39 PM »

Take off the calipers (support them so they won't be hanging by their hoses), unscrew the speedo cable (1G bikes only), loosen the pinch bolts on the bottom of the fork leg, unscrew the axle, remove the wheel

PitterB4 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2006, 02:29:19 PM »

I'm soooo sick of these inconciderate people changing the colors of their posts!!! Do you think this board's color scheme happened all by itself???? You nonconformist, Sven!!!

BTW smearig, he's talking about his front tire which would be a little tougher unless he had a front stand to strap to his bike.

Speaking of a front stand - I may buy one of these. It seems that $75 would be worth not having to hang my bike from the celing every time I wanted to pull the front wheel, which is my method of choice.

Sven · « **Reply #7 on:** June 06, 2006, 02:36:26 PM »

Quote from: Red01

Take off the calipers (support them so they won't be hanging by their hoses), unscrew the speedo cable (1G bikes only), loosen the pinch bolts on the bottom of the fork leg, unscrew the axle, remove the wheel

OK, that doesn't sound so bad, if I had one of those stands. Of course, doing that in the parking lot would be out of the question, unless I bring a trailer of goodies with me.

Thanks, all.

solman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 07, 2006, 02:22:26 AM »

This doesn't help your dilemna, but if you thought you liked the Pilot Road, you would love the Metzler Z6. I added a Z6 to the front and wow, what a difference.

Sven · « **Reply #9 on:** June 07, 2006, 08:42:41 AM »

Hmmm....

rspector · « **Reply #10 on:** June 07, 2006, 03:33:45 PM »

I don't need to take my front calipers off to remove the front wheel, loosen the pinch bolts slide the axel out and your good to go, if you wanted to you could bring a blanket and just set the forks down onto the ground using that blanket as protection.
Just my two cents

Red01 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 07, 2006, 04:30:27 PM »

I don't suppose you NEED to take the calipers off, but it's easier that way, especially when it comes time to put the wheel back on.

kedeg_97B12 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 07, 2006, 06:01:59 PM »

I am seriously NOT trying to start crap here but maybe you should invest $30 in a manual.

It will pay you back everytime you have to wrench. I feel the same way when people can't or don't buy the proper tools, if you are going to work on a bike then pony up and do it right. if you can't afford tools or someone to work on it for you then perhaps (not you in particular) they shouldn't have a bike.

Rant over.

Sven · « **Reply #13 on:** June 07, 2006, 06:30:40 PM »

Quote from: "kedeg_97B12"

I am seriously NOT trying to start crap here but maybe you should invest $30 in a manual.

I do have a manual. In fact I have a couple. But as you can see from above, there are several real-world ways to do this, and not all of them assume you have a shop full of equipment, as the manuals often do, and there are short cuts the manuals don't suggest. Go back and read this thread before continuing on, I'll wait for you.

Back so soon? I disagree that you should have to know how to work on a bike to own one. That sort of logic would have killed the PC industry. I also disagree that you should willingly hand over your paycheck to the bike shop. Bike shop labor is as expensive or more than auto shop labor, but offers less service and less convenience. Nothing is done while you wait, or in the evening after work.

So as things come up, I try to assess whether it's something I want to attempt myself. In this case, buying a tire *at my leisure* and putting it on *at my leisure, at home* would be more convenient than going and buying a tire, getting a friend to follow me to the bike shop with the tire, and taking me to work becuase the bike shop will TRY to get it done today. And this is on top of paying a premium for a bike tire compared to a car tire.

Ah, but then it was easier to criticize, wasn't it?

kedeg_97B12 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 08, 2006, 11:25:28 AM »

LOL Sven, simmer down...

If you have two manuals then why ask the question? It is not like you are reassembling the engine where a hidden fastener might be, it's a front wheel. A shortcut that might save you removing one two of perhaps 9 or 10 friggin bolts. LOL. The manual doesn't have you removing the rear side panels or the tank does it?

The longest part of the process is finding a suitable place to lift it from.

Go ahead and rip me back, I won't respond. Just please don't talk about how fat my sister is...

AND YES, if you knew me I do find it easier to sit back and criticize, that's why I am alone and bitter.

Keith