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How To: Remove Front/Rear wheel, Adjust Chain Slack, Align R

28K views 33 replies 30 participants last post by  MikeN02 
#1 ·
Well, I did this and thought I'd post it on all the boards I attend.
All this was done on an 2002 R6 so the socket sizes and torque specs are for that bike. You may want to confirm just to make sure. If I have anything incorrect or would like me to add, just let me know!

Tool Sizes = Bold
Torque Specs = Underlined


Remove Front Wheel

To remove the front wheel. Of course you need a front stand (which isn't picture because I took these pictures after I was done.

1 - Remove the brake hose holder bolt (#1) with a 8MM socket. Snug
2 - Remove the 2 caliper mounting bolts (#2 and #3) with a 12MM socket. 29 ft/lbs Remove the caliper and connect a zip tie to the upper hole where you just removed the bolt, to hold the caliper up. Do not let it hang by the hose!
3 - Repeat on opposite side.



4 - Remove the wheel axle pinch bolt (#4) I believe its a 6MM hex bit. 14 ft/lbs
5 - While holding the wheel, remove the axle (#5). Take a 3/8" spark plug socket from craftsman, remove the rubber boot inside and then use an extension to loosen it 52 ft/lbs
6 - When putting the wheel back on, just reverse the order and make sure to put grease on the axle.




Remove Rear Wheel

To remove the rear wheel, it must be on a rear stand.

1 - Loosen the locknuts (#1), Use a 12MM open wrench. Loosen it goes all the way to the right towards the adjust bolt (#2). Do on both sides. Snug
2 - Turn the adjusting bolts (#2) so they are all the way towards the front of the bike, the locknuts will be right next to them. Use a 12MM open wrench. Doing this will give the front wheel enough room to push foward to remove the chain. Do on both sides. Snug



3 - Remove the chain guard bolt (#3) with a 10MM socket. Snug Removing this makes it easier to remove chain from sprocket.

4 - Remove the other chain guard bolt, its directly behind the rear set bracket (arrow) with a 10MM open wrench. Snug Also remove the plastic philips clip, push gently, only a 1/4 turn to take it off.




5 - Remove the caliper mounting bolts (#4 and #5) with a 6MM hex bit. 20 ft/lbs Rest caliper on swing arm.

6 - Remove caliper bracket bolt (#6) with a 20MM socket. 29 ft/lbs

7 - Remove wheel axle nut, (#7) with a 32MM or 1¼ socket. 108 ft/lbs

8 - Push the rear wheel foward and pull the chain to the side, so if you were looking at the bike from rear to foward, pull the chain to the left. While pulling the chain to the left rotate the wheel slowly and the chain will come off the sprocket.

9 - Remove the wheel axle, make sure to lube when reinstalling.




Adjusting Chain Slack

To adjust chain slack, first make sure its on a rear stand, the chain is at its looses when there is no weight on the rear tire.

1 - First take a ruler and place it on the swing arm so it can not move. Your going to first want to pull down on the chain and mark where it comes to on the ruler. (1st picture)What I do is pull the chain down and put the ruler so the chain is at 6".

2 - Keep the ruler in the same place and now push up on the chain(2nd picture), the distance between the two marks is the slack. between 1.5" and 2.0"

3 - You may want rotate the rear tire and check the chain in a few different spots. If its different in all different spots, your going to want to adjust the chain slack to the tightest spot on the chain (least amount of slack)




4 - Loosen the axle nut, and caliper bracket bolt on the opposite side, (see above or below)

5 - If you need to adjust the slack at all, just loosen the locknut a little (#1), Use a 12MM open wrench and use the adjusting bolts (#2) until you get the correct amount of chain slack. Snug






Rear Wheel Alignment

Since I couldn't really find a good place with instructions on how to align the rear wheel, even the how to's with the string were not very detailed, so here is my version. Rear wheel is on a stand, front will not be.

1 - Get string (not fuzy stuff) or fishing line. What your going to do is take about 20 feet, and your going to wrap it around the REAR tire/rim once and have it go towards the front. Make sure its not in any grooves as this may mess up the measurments. Tie the pieces of string to something that will not move and can keep the string taut.




2 - You first want to make sure both sides of the string are JUST touching the outter most foward part of the tire. The (blue line) is the part of the tire that sticks out the most. Make sure its just touching it.



3. Leave the tools or whatever you use to hold the string in place, if they are just touching the outter most parts of the tire, you are perfect so far. Now you must measure from the outter most of the front tire (blue line around tire) to the string, both on the front part of the tire and on the rear(arrows).



3. Say the brake sides measurments of both front and back on the front tire must be the same, and the clutch side measruments of both front and back on the front tire must be the same. Brake and clutch do NOT had to match at this mount, just the front and back of each side. Nudge the front tire until the measurements are the same.

4. Now that the measurements are the same, what your going to do now is find out which side has more of a gap between the string and the front tire. Say your looking at your headlights and the left side has more of a gap, what that means if you have to loosen the rear axle nut (#1)32MM or 1¼ socket. 108 ft/lbs and the caliper bracket bolt (#2) 20MM socket. 29 ft/lbs only loosen them enough for the rear tire to move backward and foward, do not remove them.

5. Next your going to want to loosen the locknuts (#4)to the right of the rear axle nut. Use the adjusting bolts (#3) to either push or pull the the rear tire in the direction you need. Do not use the clutch side adjusting bolts, because this will mess up your chain slack.

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#5 ·
Lot of work indeed. Very nicely explaned.
Now I dont want to be a dumb - or smart ass or anything, but just a couple of things toug.
Are you sure you have to take off the rear caliber. I think you only have to make more room between the beakpads when installing the rear wheel again.
Also, I use a couple of wood prices when aligning the r. wheel, but I will try the string thing next time.
Ohh yea ... in the wery last pic. I think the locknut is #4 and adjusting bolt #3.
Hope you take no offence, cuz I realy injoyed reading your post.
 
#6 ·
CB said:
Lot of work indeed. Very nicely explaned.
Now I dont want to be a dumb - or smart ass or anything, but just a couple of things toug.
Are you sure you have to take off the rear caliber. I think you only have to make more room between the beakpads when installing the rear wheel again.
Also, I use a couple of wood prices when aligning the r. wheel, but I will try the string thing next time.
Ohh yea ... in the wery last pic. I think the locknut is #4 and adjusting bolt #3.
Hope you take no offence, cuz I realy injoyed reading your post.
ah yes the 3/4 are mixed up, thanks for tellin me.
wood to align the rear wheel, not really sure on that, i know the string method is very accurate
Its usually generally easier to remove the rear caliper, depending on the length of the chain some people may have to actually lift the rear tire to get the chain off (create more slack)
 
#10 ·
BrandonClaps said:
Its usually generally easier to remove the rear caliper, depending on the length of the chain some people may have to actually lift the rear tire to get the chain off (create more slack)
OK - as said, I wasn't sure. I haven't tryed it on the R6 yet, only on my prev. bikes.

Again: nice work. :cheers
 
#12 ·
Brandon,

Thanx for the write-up...It's very informative...Haven't done any of my own work yet, but I will be doing my own work in the future...Need all the help (advice) I can get...Welcome to the forum
 
#13 ·
EXCELLENT "how to"

props to brandon. i know my way around cages but i was a little apprehensive to take apart my bike. great post and thanks much! i just removed my wheels to get new tires put on and replaced them succesfully :cheers
 
#14 ·
Very detailed write up. Hell of a way to make an entrance to a forum! For an 02, you sure had a clean chain and sprocket! I know, I was a little nervous taking my wheels off for the first time too, but it sure saved a lot of money and time. I gets easier and faster everytime you do it. I think that write up should do it for anyone wanting to learn to take their wheels off. Good Job.
 
#16 ·
cowboy_r6 said:
Very detailed write up. Hell of a way to make an entrance to a forum! For an 02, you sure had a clean chain and sprocket! I know, I was a little nervous taking my wheels off for the first time too, but it sure saved a lot of money and time. I gets easier and faster everytime you do it. I think that write up should do it for anyone wanting to learn to take their wheels off. Good Job.
Well thank you :) I try to keep everything very clean.

wow bumping a really old post....
 
#19 ·
Great work that has stood the test of time, well done.

I was a little lost with some of the string but I am sure if I just follow it, rather than thinking about it all will work out.

Do you have any tips for how to clean / lube a chain? :dunce:

I have been told to lube it every 100 to 150 miles but this sounds excessive.

Sorry, I am a bit tight and the stuff is costing a fortune with the mileage I am doing.
 
#20 ·
I see some later posts so hopefully this holds for later bikes as well.
I'm changin tires for the first time so i'm nervous as anyone doin so. This helps alot though and made the difference in my decision to do it myself or drop an extra 70 bucks to pay for it.

I just want to confirm since the example was a 2002: do these instructions hold for an 05 as well?
 
#21 ·
you know this guide was really helpful. im planning on doing this myself and the pictures really helped out. i was wondering if any one knew of a different way to raise the front without a stand.. im pretty short on cash so i cant buy one right now. thanks for any input.
 
#26 ·
Sorry to all to bring up an archaic post but i need some help with this. i order some new pirelli diabolos from cyclegear and they come in on saturday. i have a rear stand but no front, anyone got any ideas as to how to get the front off with out one???

also, how long does this job typically take? granted, im sure its a little trail and error but to put them back on can't take too long. also i'm curious as to the interval on greasing the chain, any suggestions.

and if the OP is still around, great post, just wish the pictures weren't expired. any got some photos of their deconstruct????

-deception
 
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