Author Topic: How take off the front rim yourself? (Read 2807 times)

elcid · « **on:** February 07, 2006, 10:52:27 AM »

I have a flat on the fron of cb550 & want to take off the rim & take it to the mechanic to change the tube. It will save me money instead of me taking the whole bike down there. $45 opposed to $25 if I bring him rim only. So how do I do this efficiently? What should I prop the front fork on when I take the wheel off & how do I keep the fron calipers from closing so I don't have to bleed the brakes & all that. What is a good & easy step by step method you guys could reccomend? Thanx!

TwoTired · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:12:43 AM »

Removing the front wheel is a proceedure clearly outlined on page 66 in the Honda manual available elsewhere in pdf format on this site.

What isn't there is a warning about not touching the front brake lever while the front wheel is off.
And, that you should mark the fork end caps (grease pencil) so they can be reinstalled as they were found (gap in the rear), and the front bolt should be tightened first.

Cheers,

elcid · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:22:46 AM »

"And, that you should mark the fork end caps (grease pencil) so they can be reinstalled as they were found (gap in the rear), and the front bolt should be tightened first" - what does this mean? i don't understand. And how would I prop up the front wheel when it is taken off?

Glenn Stauffer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:28:55 AM »

Put the bike on the center stand. Loosen the speedo fitting screw and remove the cable. Remove the axle bolts and caps after marking them like Lloyd suggests. Put a bottle jack or lever jack and a block of wood under the front of the engine (I usually position the jack right where the oil filter housing mates to the block, but back a bit to keep pressure off the oil filter housing). Jack up the front of the engine until the fender clears the wheel and you can roll the wheel out the front. I've never worried about the brakes.

--Glenn

elcid · « **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:34:31 AM »

Ok I must be dense because I don't get "mark the fork end caps (grease pencil) so they can be reinstalled as they were found (gap in the rear)". What am I marking & why? Also doesn't the brake calipers close when I take the wheel out?

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #5 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:36:04 AM »

I'll assume this is similar to my 750. Put the bike on the center stand. Raise the front end (some block it up under the engine, I used two canoe tie downs over the garage rafters and under the steering neck, but don't pinch any wires or hoses around there). Once the front wheel is several inches off the floor, put a chock of some sort under the tire so it won't drop when you unbolt the axle end caps. Disconnect the speedometer cable at the wheel housing. Remove the axle end caps (two bolts each). Then ease the chock out from under the wheel out, then the wheel. If it may be off the bike for a while, I took some cardboard folded over and wedged it between the brake pads while the wheel was off. You don't want the caliper side piston to move out accidently.

Good that someone else is changing the tire, it's not a fun job to do yourself.

eldar · « **Reply #6 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:00:48 PM »

Elcid, on the front fork, there are 2 pieces that hold the front tire on. each piece has 2 holes, one front and one back. In order to properly tighten the axle to the fork, there is a small gap left between one end and the fork.
What you need to do is use some type of marker(grease pencil suggested as it can be wiped off) and run a line from the bottom of the fork to the cap. This will let you know which end if the front.
Now when you go to re-attach the cap. The lines will line up and that how you can tell if it is on right. Now when you tighten up the nuts that hold the cap on, tighten the front first THEN the back. The little gap must be to the back cause of how forces push on the cap and fork.

Zane · « **Reply #7 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:11:29 PM »

Quote from: elcid on February 07, 2006, 11:34:31 AM

Ok I must be dense because I don't get "mark the fork end caps (grease pencil) so they can be reinstalled as they were found (gap in the rear)". What am I marking & why? Also doesn't the brake calipers close when I take the wheel out?

Yeah, I'm dense too.

You may or may not mark the fork caps. The important thing is to re-install them properly (see the diagram below). I've never marked my fork caps when I've taken off the front wheel; then again I can never remember how to reinstall them properly, and I always have to look it up. So marking is something I plan on trying next time I pop the front wheel.

As for the brakes - the caliper(s) only close(s) when you squeeze the brake lever. The "default" position is retracted. If you're worried about them closing, or you don't trust yourself (or someone else) to keep your hands off the lever when the wheel is off I suggest you slide in a small piece of 1/4 inch plywood; in place of the rotor. (A folded over peice of cardboard sounds good too.)

Be safe.....

elcid · « **Reply #8 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:22:08 PM »

thanx for all your help guys! I think I get it now. I did not know about the bolts on front of the fork caps being tightened first...

Glenn Stauffer · « **Reply #9 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:30:33 PM »

One note on the axle caps - you probably don't need to mark them since, if your bike is like my 77 550 or my 75 750, there is an 'F' marked on the cap on the end that goes front.

You can see from the attached photo that I have mine backwards.

elcid · « **Reply #10 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:32:30 PM »

damn glenn thanx! Yes I was wondering why people were telling me to mark something when mine are clearly labeled!

TwoTired · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:41:27 PM »

I use the same jacking method Glenn uses to raise the front wheel. However, I get everything positioned, then remove all the screws, caps and nuts, THEN jack the front of motor until rear wheel contact is made and NO MORE! (Or, you'll be picking your bike up off floor after it falls off sideways.) This raises the front of the bike off the forks and the wheel can roll forward.

Attached is a picture with labels.

Zane · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:45:25 PM »

I'll bite Glenn - why are the axle caps in the photo on backwards? Can you go faster with them like that?

(As an aside; my '76400F caps have no markings.)

elcid · « **Reply #13 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:46:29 PM »

damn you guys are thorough! Where the hell do you get these diagrams?

Zane · « **Reply #14 on:** February 07, 2006, 12:52:53 PM »

Quote from: TwoTired on February 07, 2006, 12:41:27 PM

Attached is a picture with labels.

Photo's don't get much better than that, TT. Thanks.

(cid - I got mine diagram from my Chilton's Repair and Tune-Up Guide - Honda 350 - 550 Fours. It was the first book I bought about my bike, when I started last summer. I like it because it has a lot of good explanations for beginners about pretty basic stuff.)

Glenn Stauffer · « **Reply #15 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:06:15 PM »

Quote from: Zane on February 07, 2006, 12:45:25 PM

I'll bite Glenn - why are the axle caps in the photo on backwards? Can you go faster with them like that?

Because I'm probably an undiagnosed ADD case and I probably had it my mind to put them on right, then got distracted and, well, they ended up backwards. They're on right on my 750 as you can see... This is the left side fork leg; notice that the fork leg also has an 'F' marked on it.

Steve F · « **Reply #16 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:10:26 PM »

For my 750, while on the center stand, I just place a bag of water softener salt at the rear of the seat. Makes the front end pop up off the ground. No jacks or blocks or damage to the filter housing.

Zane · « **Reply #17 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:20:04 PM »

Quote from: Glenn Stauffer on February 07, 2006, 01:06:15 PM

Because I'm probably an undiagnosed ADD case .......... then got distracted......

Me too!

I have "F" mark envy. I wonder if I could find something to somehow punch an "F" marking into those four cast pieces? Or melt it in? Remembering how it goes is one of those things for me that ........ well, it'll just never happen.

n9viw · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:42:53 PM »

The aluminum (aluminium for those across-the-ponders here) is soft enough to where you can scratch an "F" into the caps and fork. The front of the fork is easy to tell, but the front of the cap is not so. You'll need a caliper to measure the thickness of the cap at each mounting point to find out which one is slightly lower, then mark the "F" on the thicker side.
You could also use a small (1/8") blade screwdriver to tap the form of a "F" into the aluminum as well, but I'm not sure it has to be that deeply embossed. A scribe tool or X-acto knife should be sufficient to make a mark you will be able to see in the future.

TwoTired · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:47:32 PM »

Quote from: Steve F on February 07, 2006, 01:10:26 PM

For my 750, while on the center stand, I just place a bag of water softener salt at the rear of the seat. Makes the front end pop up off the ground. No jacks or blocks or damage to the filter housing.

I used that method on my cb550 once. There was a luggage rack on the back of the bike. I kept putting shot bags on the rack until the front wheel came up. The luggage rack was mounted to the license bracket and the weight bent the rear fender.

I also had to hassle lifting the front wheel assembly up into the fork mounts while putting on fork caps and nuts. (Can you say, "Lactic Acid"?)

Anyway, it would seem that the wooden block and jack under the oil filter housing hasn't left any damage in the twenty five years and multiple bikes I've employed it on. Guess I've been lucky.

I've also tried the suspend-from-the-ceiling-beam method with straps and a come-along. But, the added challenge of chasing a swing bike while lifting the front wheel and juggling the fork caps, nuts and washers, was an act better suited for a circus show! I could do it again, I suppose, but there had better be tips involved! Not much choice, though, if the center stand is gone and there is an exhaust pipe under the engine. But, I digress...

I've been told I make working on machines look easy. But, I prefer it that way and arrange it so whenever possible.

I don't have any awards for any of my bikes, though.

Cheers,

mgilvary · « **Reply #20 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:24:29 AM »

I did a lot of work on my forks last summer and got tired of trying to jack up the front end without tipping the bike, so I devised what I think is a pretty clever method:

I took a piece of 2x4 about 3 feet long and installed an eyebolt at each end. I place the board under the centerstand, which raises the bike's pivot point an extra 1 1/2 inches. I hook tie downs between the eyebolts and the frame on each side. Then I take another length of 2x4 and use it to prop up the front of the frame (up near the triple), just to tip the bike back onto the rear tire. The results are very steady and gives me enough room to pull the forks out.

The poor man's bike lift, I guess.

Egil · « **Reply #21 on:** February 08, 2006, 01:31:30 PM »

I learn some thing to on this one

Glenn Stauffer · « **Reply #22 on:** February 08, 2006, 04:20:43 PM »

mgilvary:

I think I get it. Have pics of the bike raised up using your stands? How long is the 2x4 you use at the front?

elcid · « **Reply #23 on:** February 08, 2006, 04:28:19 PM »

yeah I think I am going to employ the methond with 2x4 as well...

techy5025 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 08, 2006, 08:23:39 PM »

Bob,

Does your K0 have "F" marks on the fork caps. I just checked mine and see
no marks at all..

And yes.....in case you're wondering, I had to reverse
them to correctly put the gap at the rear.

Lord knows how long its been
incorrect.

Thanks for the pics...made me go check.

Jim

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Author Topic: How take off the front rim yourself? (Read 2807 times)

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