Tire Changing Tools

Here's a shot of all the tools I use to pull a wheel off a VN1500.
3/8" drive ratchet, 3" extension, 5 or 6mm metric allen socket (whichever fits), 17mm socket, 3/8" drive torque wrench, 17mm combination wrench, 17mm ratcheting wrench (not shown), rubber mallet, 1-1/16" combination wrench, pliers and diagonal cutters. I also use an ATV lift, but a platform style bike lift works well.

These tools allow me to pull the rear tire without pulling the exhaust off, which is recommended by the service manual.

The ratchet and allen socket are used to pull the rear caliper. The 17mm combo wrench and mallet break the caliper bracket mounting screw loose while the 17mm ratcheting wrench is great for getting that screw all the way out behind the muffler.

The 1-1/16" combo wrench is damn near perfect for the axle nut, after the cotter pin is pulled with the pliers. The SAE wrench is cheaper than the 27mm metric wrench.

Usually the axle will pull straight out, but if you have to work it out, the 17mm socket and ratchet assist in turning the axle while you push it out. If the bike is lifted so that almost all the weight is off the rear tire, but the tire is still touching the grount, the axle should slide out easily.

You can see that I removed the right saddle bag. I didn't need to, but it's easier to work in the area if it's pulled.

Obviously the torque wrench is for re-assembly.

The next two pictures show what I was talking about with "good" and "bad" sides of a tire. The below picture shows one side of the tire with more wear to the right of the photo than the left.


This is the opposite side of the tire. You can see the same thing here.

The point is that when checking wear on a tire, you really need to rotate the tire in 1/4 turn increments or more. You may be looking at a good side and the bad side may be much worse.

Why is there a good and bad side? Rubber layering would be my best guess after working in a similar industry. Since many bike tires, like the one pictured here, are bias ply, the layers of rubber overlap at their seams. This overlap creates a thicker spot. When the press closes on the tire, the rubber should flow out and even this thickness, but it doesn't eliminate it completely. The outer layers are usually the thickest. At the overlap of this last layer is usually the heaviest spot on the track and is often indicated by a dot on the opposite side of the tire. The dot is lined up with the stem to help balance out the wheel.

One last thing. While you have the tire off, this is a great time to lube the swingarm, check the brake pads, change the rear drive fluid, check the u-joint, and polish the aluminum parts such as the brake caliper and mounting brace.