Removing Rear wheel from Softail

[Leadbelly]

I was trying to remove the rear wheel from my softail last night.

Everything was going well until I tried to get the spindle/axle out.

Do I need to remove the exhaust?

If so is it just the rear muffler?

I have loosened all the bolts holding the muffler on is there a technique
to sliding the muffler off.

Am I an idiot and doing things all wrong?

Leadbelly

[banquo]

PM sent. The muffler needs to come off, and if you didn't smear it with Copper grease or similar, it will not come off easily (won't come off easily even if you did..). The clamps are strong, and will squeeze the muffler on to a really tight fit. Slacken the clamp off completely, and then dribble penetrating fluid around the end of the muffler, and especially down the slits, so it gets between muffler and header pipe. Leave it for a while, then try to rotate the muffler relative to the pipe. If it won't move, protect the muffler mounting flange with lead or aluminium sheet, and clamp a mole grip on to it for more leverage.
Be careful what you do, as the pipe is only held at the head by a couple of small studs, so no hammering.
Patience, lots of penetrating fluid, and it should come off.

[Tony Cross]

Can be difficult to get the muffler off if it has seized on. A lot of people put the spindle back the opposite way to avoid having to remove the muffler.

[banquo]

Another option is to do loads of miles, so you're forever taking the back wheel off to change tyres....

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Tony Cross

Can be difficult to get the muffler off if it has seized on. A lot of people put the spindle back the opposite way to avoid having to remove the muffler.

Tony is right that many riders choose to reverse the orientation of the spindle for ease of wheel removal i.e. you will not have to disturb the muffler in future.

However, much as we love to criticise the MoCo for every problem, the factory usually does things in a certain way by conscious design. In this case, inserting the spindle from the right is a safety feature. In the event that the wheel nut becomes loose, the rotation of the wheel should help to prevent the nut from twisting completely off (with obvious dire consequences).

I've only had my Softail rear wheel out every two years, but have never found it difficult to remove the muffler.

[Kernow]

Originally Posted by Ming the Merciless

Tony is right that many riders choose to reverse the orientation of the spindle for ease of wheel removal i.e. you will not have to disturb the muffler in future.

However, much as we love to criticise the MoCo for every problem, the factory usually does things in a certain way by conscious design. In this case, inserting the spindle from the right is a safety feature. In the event that the wheel nut becomes loose, the rotation of the wheel should help to prevent the nut from twisting completely off (with obvious dire consequences).

I've only had my Softail rear wheel out every two years, but have never found it difficult to remove the muffler.

No problem if you put a split pin in the spindle.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Kernow

No problem if you put a split pin in the spindle.

Bikes leave the factory with a spilt pin, but pins can become lost and may not be replaced. By following factory procedure, however, the rider has both belt and braces looking after them.

Personally, I don't advocate one approach over the other, but wanted to explain why the factory inserts the spindle from the R/H side. Surely it's better to make an informed choice?

[girlyglide]

Originally Posted by Ming the Merciless

Bikes leave the factory with a spilt pin, but pins can become lost and may not be replaced. By following factory procedure, however, the rider has both belt and braces looking after them.

Personally, I don't advocate one approach over the other, but wanted to explain why the factory inserts the spindle from the R/H side. Surely it's better to make an informed choice?

I'm with Pete on this. I fit the rear wheel spindle on my own machines reversed and do not change customers machines unless they expressly ask for it to be done after explaining the pro's and con's.

[robbiemac]

just a thought, when you get the spindle out, get some grease on it as the ones in the sealed bearing wheels can get corroded and removal can be a bugger.

[Leadbelly]

Thanks for the advise guys, I got the exhaust off with lots of wd40 and waggling.

Of course the next problem was the axle or spindle had been installed dry

followed by getting the brake caliper off with out the 1/4 inch socket.

Anyway the tyre is in the car outside and I am going to take it to get the tyre fitted this afternoon after work.

Once again thanks everybody for your help.


Leadbelly