[cgent]

When it gets too icy, salty, and nasty to ride in the midwest ( it's still nice today !!!) I'd like to remove both wheels from my bike ... take 'em into the house and thoroughly polish them with Mother's Polish (I know this tuff works well ... and forget chroming the wheels ... way out of my budget !!!). I know the job can be done decently on the bike but it's cozier in the house and I want to get the "spokes" inside the brake roters on the front wheel. I've got the Honda DVD instructions and it all seems pretty straightforward but are there any possible unexpected problems I should watch for or expect ???

On my 1985 Aspencade, nobody ever told me (even the shop manual) to let the air out of the rear tire to get it out from between the swing arm and the rear drive unit. My wife came up with that idea and made it possible for me to remove the stubborn wheel. I HATE it when she outwits me in things mechanical !!! :roll:

I bought a 0-150 ft. lb. 1/2" drive torque wrench, 2" extension, and 19mm socket for the rear wheel lug nuts. I've had the rear wheel fender off. (and noticed that the cross tube that connects the two sides of the saddle bag frames is missing) The instructions say to loosen the lug nuts while the bike is on the side stand and to have someone hold down the foot (rear) brake) ... then put the bike up on the center stand to remove the lug nuts. The manual calls for 80 ft. lbs. torque to snug up the lug nuts ... seems like a lot ... is this necessary ??? Seems simple enough ... is it ???

 

[gpick]

Set your preload on 0 and the tire should come out. I wedge a board into the gap between the tire and the floor while the bike is on the center stand, then you don't need another person. I do the same when I torque the bolts. The spec is 80, so I do 80.

 

[Wanderer]

Start the bike, put it in reverse and shut it down. That will lock the rear wheel. Then you can remove the lug nuts while the bike is on the center stand. You can torque them this way also.

 

[cgent]

Why didn't somebody tell me ... removing the rear wheel from the GL1800 is a piece of cake compared to removing the rear wheel from my GL1200 ...

I did find that the little piece of pipe that connects the saddlebag right / left frames is missing.

 

[Dick W]

Wheel Cleaning

If you look closely at your wheels, you can see the machining grooves. These grooves trap the dirt. As suggested in another post, while I had the wheels off to mount new tires, I used 220 grit, then 400 grit wet or dry sand paper and sanded all of the grooves out. It took about 2 hours per wheel. I then used Mother's mag and aluminum polish. The wheels look great and are very easy to clean with a damp cloth.

Dick W

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

rear wheel removal

Question gentleman,
I have a trailer hitch (Rivco) that attaches to the frame itself (2004) and will not allow the rear wheel to be rolled out the rear. It is a major PIA to remove the hitch assembly. The hitch is however tucked closely to the sides above the mufflers. Can the rear wheel be removed out from the left side if the left muffler is removed (while on the center stand)? Is there enough room?

Thanks, Scott

 

[24 Carat]

I've always wondered if one could lay the bike down with two 2X4's under each crash bar and have one persons lever the mass of the bike (push down) to raise the running gear higher allowing the wheel/tire assy to be pulled out the bottom?

Bradford

 

[All Boots No Saddle]

Re: rear wheel removal

Question gentleman,
I have a trailer hitch (Rivco) that attaches to the frame itself (2004) and will not allow the rear wheel to be rolled out the rear. It is a major PIA to remove the hitch assembly. ... Can the rear wheel be removed out from the left side if the left muffler is removed (while on the center stand)? ....

I don't have a hitch, so I've not needed to do this, but I've heard the following procedure works...

(If you don't have a motorcycle jack of some kind, or in an emergency...) First, engage reverse and shut the engine off. Find a level surface and gently lay the bike over onto the right side crash bars (you can use some shop rags to protect the chrome on the crash bars). Use the same technique you would use to pick the bike up; just go the other way.

With the bike on its right side you should be able to take off the lug nuts and remove the rear tire with no problem. Leave the bike on its side until the repaired tire is replaced.

 

[UNDERDOG]

Wheels

Cgent, When I take the front wheel off I put duck tape on the rim where the calipers are. Easy to scratch them when you remove calipers. Also put tape on both side of the fender to protect from scratches when you bungee the calipers up and out of the way. Ride safe

 

[Pigeon Roost]

No need to remove both front calipers. Just remove the right side and whell comes straight out

prs

 

[cgent]

Thanks for the tips guys ... I still am in awe how Mother honda made it so easy to remove / replace the rear wheel compared to the same proceedure on the old GL1200. At the same time I cannot believe how complex the top trunk is on the GL1800 ... with the push button locks and so many $$$ inside and outside pieces. The lock mechanism must have more parts than the six cylinder engine !!! :lol: I had to get into the license plate light when the bulb was loose and the socket fell inside (up) into neverland. Getting into there was "fun" ... :roll:

Right now the weather in east-central Indiana has cleared and I'm riding but the next period of nasty weather will find me removing the front wheel for polishing. For the guys who have all the big $$$ to chrome plate wheels ... just think of all the exercise you're missing with all the polishing ... :wink:

 

[kevin burton]

used the lay down method before & put a piece of carpet on the ground to protect crash bars & was no problem on my own.
i now have a different towhitch so wheel comes out the back on centre stand in about 10 minutes.