FJR1300 Rear Wheel Removal
The FJR1300 SERVICE MANUAL describes pretty well how to remove the rear
wheel, but many folks don't have that manual, and besides, having photos is
nice. Here's how to do it.
I humbly suggest you read this entire page (including the bit about reassembly)
once before you start. Oh, and there is a companion page on how to
remove the front wheel too...
These are the tools you will need:
- Something to tap the axle out after you remove the nut
- A large 27mm wrench, or a 1/2" drive with a 27mm socket
- A torque wrench (for tightening the nut properly after reassembly
- A 12mm wrench
- A 6mm Allen wrench
- (optional) a 14mm Allen wrench, or something else 14mm in size
[the little black gizmo on the right is a Sears Craftsman miniature
3/8" socket drive, with a 14mm head -- designed for using sockets
in places too cramped to use a ratchet handle -- very useful!]
First, put the bike on a level surface, then
put the bike on the centerstand. If you use a 3/4" piece of wood under the
centerstand then the wheel will come out much easier (though this isn't
absolutely necessary). You can leave the saddlebags on if you want, but
they are so easy to take off you might as well remove them.
Remove the 27mm axle nut on the left side of the wheel. I didn't shoot a
photo of that as it's pretty obvious. Not so obvious is the fact that you
must remove the bolt that holds the rear brake torque arm.
Use the 6mm Allen and
the 12mm wrench. Remove the bolt and nut. Using an old bread pan (or
other cast-off kitchen container) to hold the parts helps prevent losing
them by inadvertantly kicking them into that scary dark place in your
garage.
Now that the axle nut is off, you can remove the axle pinch bolt on the
right side with the 12mm wrench. It's purpose is to hold the axle in place
should the nut accidently come off.
It doesn't have to come out, it just has to be loose enough that you can
remove the axle, which you will do next.
Note the position of the spacers, the one between the caliper bracket and
the wheel, and the thin washer between the caliper bracket and the
swingarm.
Tap the axle with something soft (I use a plastic mallet) until the
threaded end is flush with the swingarm. Now comes the slightly tricky
part...
Sit on your butt on the floor behind the bike, with the soles of
your feet wedged under each side of the rear wheel. This is so you can
change the angle of your feet to take the weight off the rear wheel (and
axle) and make it easier to remove the axle. If you're lucky, you can
grasp the right end of the axle, which will now be protruding a ways from
the side of the swingarm, and twist it out.
If that doesn't work, then use the 14mm Allen wrench (or the Craftsman
gizmo, or a nut with a 14mm
head) to get a little leverage on the axle and twist it out. By moving
your feet you can feel when the axle is loosest, and pull it out then.
After the axle comes out, the large silver washer (which I mentioned two
photos above)
will probably fall somewhere. Don't loose it. The silver spacer will probably
remain in place stuck into the wheel (as it did in the photo above).
Wiggle the brake caliper out of
position and let it hang as also shown in the photo above.
Important note: do not depress the rear brake pedal when the
caliper is removed. It will make it tough to slip over the rear brake disk
on reassembly.
Keeping the axle out of the dirt is a trick sometimes. Here's one idea for
where to put it...
You may have to use your feet again to lift and
wiggle the wheel some to the right to get it to detach from
the final drive housing. I did.
Now, if you put a board under the centerstand, the wheel will just roll out
at the slight angle shown in the photo above. If you didn't use a board, then
some serious wiggling will be necessary, and maybe even removing the rear
reflector which is bolted to the lower edge of the rear fender. I did it
once without the board, and without removing the reflector, but it was
tight.
At this point, the wheel will be off. Pull the silver spacer off the wheel
and put it with the other parts you removed. This photo shows what you
should have if you didn't loose anything. The 27mm axle nut and washer,
the brake caliper bolt and nut, the axle with right-side washer, and the
silver spacer.
Congratulations!
You did it, and the rear wheel is now off. Chances are, you did this
because you want to change tires, and there will be a Webpage here Real
Soon Now to show you how to do that too.
Reassembly
Reassembly is done in the reverse order.
You may need to pry the rear brake pads apart with a large flat-blade
screwdriver to get it to slip over the rear brake disk.
The SERVICE MANUAL suggest that you should lube the axle, the wheel
bearings, and the oil seal lips with lithium soap based grease. I also
lubed the gear on the wheel where it mates with the final drive housing.
I use a tire iron or large flat-blade screwdriver to slowly pry the
rear brake pads apart, so it is easier to slide them over the rear brake
disk. After you get everything reassembled, it is wise to pump the rear
brake pedal a few times until you feel it return to normal. Not doing this
can mean that your first stop after completing this work will be very
exciting!
There is a long metal sleeve in the final drive housing that should have
remained in place (mine did) when you removed the wheel.
The axle slips through it. Make sure yours
is in place or the axle won't fit properly.
Here are the correct torque
values for the nuts/bolt:
- 90 ft-lbs (125 Nm)for the 27mm axle nut
- 22 ft-lbs (30 Nm) for the brake rod nut
- 11 ft-lbs (16 Nm) for the pinch bolt
I torqued the axle nut to about 75 ft-lbs first, then reset the torque
wrench to 90 ft-lbs and finished it off. I've been told it's better to do it
in two steps, rather than all at once.
Before you put all your tools away, and declare the job done, check
everything one more time to make sure you put it together right, and that
all the nuts/bolts are properly tight.
Now would be a convenient time to check the tire's air pressure too,
and pump the rear brake a few times.
"Measure twice, cut once"...
Copyright © 2003, by H. Marc Lewis. All rights reserved.
| 
