[OldBoy99]

Pardon my ignorance, but I'm still on the learning curve when it comes to HD maintenance! My bike is a 1998 FLHTC Electra Glide Classic. I'd like to remove both wheels, re-pack bearings, and have cycle shop mount/balance new tires. I have the HD service manual and have read the procedures. But I still have some rookie questions:

1) I have a bottle jack lift called MEGA 1500:
http://www.cal-products.com/mega1500.html

I usually center the lifting surfaces of the lift under my scoot so that it is balanced when I jack it up. My question is if I do that, and then remove one of the wheels, will the bike be off balance and tipsy? (I really don't have a good ideal of how heavy the wheels are).

2) I read one of your posts in the Dyna Tech section, where you described motorcycle wheel balancers large enough to balance with rotors and drivepulley (rear wheel) still installed on wheels. This is what you would want if you were NOT servicing the wheel bearings, right?

In other words, my question is: I have to remove the brake discs (front) and brake disc/belt sprocket (rear) from the wheels in order to remove the bearings for cleaning/grease re-packing, right? If so, it sounds like I should re-pack the bearings first, fully re-assemble the wheels including re-installing brake discs on front and disc/rear sprocket on rear, THEN bring the wheels to cycle shop for new tire mounting/balancing. PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong! I've never done this before

3) You also mentioned in your post about aligning the dot on the tire with the valve stem. I looked on the tires that are on my bike now but saw no dot. What does this dot signify and why is this important? My new tires are the Dunlop D402 HD tires series blackwalls.

4) Is there a date code on these tires showing date of manufacture? Any trick to reading it?

Thanks so much HIPPO. I really am eager to learn how to do this stuff myself. And I'm relatively young (31 years old), so just think how much money you will be helping me save in HD labor costs over my Harley riding lifetime I have a dream of ridin' out west through your neck of the woods, and when I do I'll have to buy you a KEG of your favorite beer for all the great advice you give.

- OB99

 

[HIPPO]

1) I have a bottle jack lift called MEGA 1500:
http://www.cal-products.com/mega1500.html

I usually center the lifting surfaces of the lift under my scoot so that it is balanced when I jack it up. My question is if I do that, and then remove one of the wheels, will the bike be off balance and tipsy? (I really don't have a good ideal of how heavy the wheels are).

Ideally one the jack's support surfaces would fit into the recess of the crossmember to make the bike more level and stable. No problem, but if you are worried strap the bike to the jack.


2) I read one of your posts in the Dyna Tech section, where you described motorcycle wheel balancers large enough to balance with rotors and drivepulley (rear wheel) still installed on wheels. This is what you would want if you were NOT servicing the wheel bearings, right?

In other words, my question is: I have to remove the brake discs (front) and brake disc/belt sprocket (rear) from the wheels in order to remove the bearings for cleaning/grease re-packing, right? If so, it sounds like I should re-pack the bearings first, fully re-assemble the wheels including re-installing brake discs on front and disc/rear sprocket on rear, THEN bring the wheels to cycle shop for new tire mounting/balancing. PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong! I've never done this before

No, YOU don't have to remove anything to do the bearings. Lay a small piece of 2X4 across the seal and whack them in with a hammer. Then you can recess them to the original depht using a big socket. Very often the shop will remove one rotor in front and the pulley in rear so the wheel will fit on the tire machine. Do NOT let them use an air wrench, in particular to put them back


3) You also mentioned in your post about aligning the dot on the tire with the valve stem. I looked on the tires that are on my bike now but saw no dot. What does this dot signify and why is this important? My new tires are the Dunlop D402 HD tires series blackwalls.

The Dunlops have a yellow dot. It is the lightest point of the tire. It evens out the weight of the stem. It's the balance point. Wears off after a while. Normally I would not mention it but make sure the tires are mounted in the proper direction of rotation. They have an arrow on them. Some tires brands have no dot.


4) Is there a date code on these tires showing date of manufacture? Any trick to reading it?

Yes, there is. All sorts of info on the sidewalls. Three digit code means the week and last digit of year of manufacture. Can't remember right now how it is encoded, but if I look at a tire it comes back to me. Right now it's raining, so forget about it. LOL

 

[HIPPO]

Do the bearings AFTER the tires are put on and balanced, just before you mount them back on the bike. There might be some **** getting in there when they play with them.

Use red Loctite on the bolts for the pulley and rotors. I never let them put them back on, prefer to do it myself with a torque wrench.

 

[HIPPO]

If you have spoke wheels buy new tubes and rub strips. Forget the offshore ****. Use either Dunlop or other known brand of HEAVY DUTY tubes. I figure you would have mentioned it, but you never know.

 

[OldBoy99]

Thanks!!!

Thanks HIPPO,
You saved me alot of work. It's hard to tell (for a first timer) just by reading the manual what needs to come apart to get to the bearings.

I agree about the air tools - they suck for assembly I will torque any bolts myself with my trusty wrench!

Roger on the yellow dot and mounting direction Don't want **** in my bearings...will do them after new tires.

Nope on the spokes...I have good 'ole stock cast wheels.

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[HIPPO]

Forgot. On a 98 bike with cast wheels if you don't know the history, have them change the rubber stems.