Author Topic: rear V7 wheel installation (Read 2295 times)

mhershon · « **on:** October 03, 2019, 06:48:52 PM »

Well, guys...

I wore out my rear tire. So I had to remove and replace my first-generation V7's rear wheel, an exercise in frustration, I'd say. I took the wheel out, meaning I removed both mufflers and the final drive unit. Took me forever to get the wheel out of the swinging arm and past the rear fender. I got a tire installed on my wheel by the nice guys at TFOG in Golden, CO, another Pilot Activ. I cannot get the rubber shock absorbers in the rear wheel to index onto the vanes on the back of the final drive. As you know, the rubber pieces fall out at the slightest suggestion of tilt or the drop of a hat. It's nearly six o'clock in the evening; I've been working on that bike since before noon, minus the time it took to drive to Golden and TFOG.

No way in the world can I get the wheel onto those vanes. This is not my first rodeo nor is this my first shaft-drive motorcycle. I've struggled to get rear wheels installed in the past, but this is the worst experience like it I can recall. It's 5:45PM Denver time and I hate this motorcycle. Help me...please.

kingoffleece · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2019, 07:14:03 PM »

Only left side muffler needs to be removed. Bike on lift, remove brake caliper and bungee out of the way, loosen rear wheel, scissors jack under sump (with board to distribute weight) and wheel comes out with a bit of fiddling.

I have a helper to reinstall rear wheel. They help locate wheel from right side of bike while the rubber id relocated with the help of a flashlight and a long thin screwdriver to align said rubber. I'll wager some of the others here can do it by themselves.

JoeKirby · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2019, 07:47:58 PM »

It is easier than you think. Remove only the left muffler AND left shock completely. You can get the wheel in and out while on the center stand alone. By removing the shock, you can tilt the wheel just a bit the left, keeping the rubber in the rim by gravity.

mhershon · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2019, 08:14:41 PM »

I have the left side shock swiveled back and tied out of the way. I reinstalled the final drive. I don't have a lift or a helper. I do have a long screwdriver and a flashlight. I'll try again in the morning. There is no way that I could do this on the roadside if I flatted the rear tire. Am I the only guy who ever got discouraged by this task?

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2019, 08:49:57 PM »

Quote from: mhershon on October 03, 2019, 08:14:41 PM

There is no way that I could do this on the roadside if I flatted the rear tire.

the perfect reason to have tubeless rims, I patched one on a freeway in about 5 minutes.

Yukonica · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2019, 09:16:20 PM »

Either a dab of grease or black silicone... holds the rubber 'bumpers' where they belong while you gentle move the wheel in place then use a spacer under the tire (2x4) to lift it up enough to slide the axel back in place. Greasing the axel also makes life easier. Replacing first two tires was a bugger until I was shown this 'trick'.

Rich A · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2019, 09:31:34 PM »

I just did this a couple of days ago. Do you have a center stand? If the bike is on a center stand, you'll only have to lift the wheel up an inch or maybe two. Lie on the ground, put the rubber pieces in place, work from the right-hand side of the bike. From there you can see when the rubbers and the vanes are aligned. Should just slide in.

Rich A

mhershon · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2019, 10:57:52 PM »

In the morning I'll buy some black silicon and raise the wheel off the floor an inch or so. Thanks, guys, for responding to my call for help!

kingoffleece · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2019, 11:08:48 PM »

It'll make a good story for the magazine.

And I completly forgot to mention the lower shock fixing needs to be removed and the shock moved out of the way. DUH!

sign216 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2019, 05:55:44 AM »

I wrote a tutorial for the spine lube/final drive removal, that includes removing the rear wheel. The tutorial is based on the V7 1st model, but might have some tips.

Joe

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sign216/albums/72157625569987011

davedel44 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2019, 06:37:58 AM »

Just did this Wednesday. Ditto remove left pipe, shock and caliper out of way. Silicone 👌 It's doable alone but better with helper.

Dave
Galveston

kingoffleece · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2019, 07:35:56 AM »

To the OP,
I'm too old and now wiser (ha!) to attempt most stuff without a lift, a garage, and all the proper parts in place prior to attempting a fix.
having read your columns for years I remember the one about performing some maintenance in a dimly lit garage. Find a friend with a lift and sissors jack or similar. Makes life a lot easier.

malik · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2019, 07:47:31 AM »

I've done it a few time - over 300,000km on my V7s & I change my own tyres, plus the half dozen or so flats - even so, sometimes it just doesn't want to go on. Take a break, have a beer, a cuppa, a sleep, go for a long walk. Often, then it will just slip on & you wonder what all the fuss was about. Hey, it's Italian.

I have found it useful to stick blocks of wood (about 2 in) under the centrestand - this raises the mudguard enough to easily get the wheel past that interference. Other times I've found it helpful to have a block under the right side of the centrestand only - those cush rubbers then don't fall out quite so easily. If the tyre is fully aired, it's tight to get the rubber past the tangs on the final drive - you've got to wiggle it. Yes, sometimes those tangs get in the way - lift the wheel higher & move it around - it does go on. Don't forget to put the lower left shock bolt in BEFORE replacing the caliper and the axle (been there, done that, more than once) - on the first series V7 the screw won't go in & locate properly, otherwise. This particular "feature" was changed with the 1TB.

Everyone who had had a rear wheel off a V7, or a Breva or Nevada (& probably the older smallblocks, too) has been there. You're not alone. This situation (and not a few others in the world of guzzi) is one where a tendency to procrastinate may be a virtue. If it gets too hard, give up, try again tomorrow.

jacksonracingcomau · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2019, 08:03:16 AM »

Quote from: malik on October 04, 2019, 07:47:31 AM

I've done it a few time - over 300,000km on my V7s & I change my own tyres, plus the half dozen or so flats - even so, sometimes it just doesn't want to go on. Take a break, have a beer, a cuppa, a sleep, go for a long walk. Often, then it will just slip on & you wonder what all the fuss was about. Hey, it's Italian.

I have found it useful to stick blocks of wood (about 2 in) under the centrestand - this raises the mudguard enough to easily get the wheel past that interference. Other times I've found it helpful to have a block under the right side of the centrestand only - those cush rubbers then don't fall out quite so easily. If the tyre is fully aired, it's tight to get the rubber past the tangs on the final drive - you've got to wiggle it. Yes, sometimes those tangs get in the way - lift the wheel higher & move it around - it does go on. Don't forget to put the lower left shock bolt in BEFORE replacing the caliper and the axle (been there, done that, more than once) - on the first series V7 the screw won't go in & locate properly, otherwise. This particular "feature" was changed with the 1TB.

Everyone who had had a rear wheel off a V7, or a Breva or Nevada (& probably the older smallblocks, too) has been there. You're not alone. This situation (and not a few others in the world of guzzi) is one where a tendency to procrastinate may be a virtue. If it gets too hard, give up, try again tomorrow.

Piece of piss compared to software updates for old gits tho’

mhershon · « **Reply #14 on:** October 04, 2019, 08:31:50 AM »

What great comments! I'm going to get some silicone and approach the problem with fresh eyes. My bike IS a first-generation V7. This is the first time I've felt that it wasn't a great bike. Once I get that wheel back on it'll be a great bike again. Aside from the super suggestions, I genuinely appreciate the support!

mhershon · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2019, 01:14:19 PM »

Well, I got it installed. Maybe the silicon helped, or the flashlight and long screwdriver. I loosened the bottom of the right shock and put the axle through in the wrong direction to guide the wheel onto the vanes in the final drive. The operation, remove and install plus get the tire installed on the wheel, took almost 24 hours, including 8 hours of sleep. I hope I hope this new tire lasts forever.

Thanks, all of you who helped and supported me in this time of need.

SmithSwede · « **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2019, 01:46:40 PM »

I’ve glued the rubber bits in with a gooey kind of fabric glue. They can move and flex, but don’t fall out creating murderous rage.

Other suggestions—before you remove the rear wheel from the drive hub, mark their alignment with a yellow grease pencil. Then on reinstallation, line up the yellow marks.

Inflate the rear tire and make sure the bead is seated. Then deflate the tire on reinstall. It is smaller and mushier and easier to maneuver that way. Then reinflate.

Finally, it is possible to simply remove the drive hub AND the rear wheel together. Then reinstall together. This isn’t the best way, though.

voncrump · « **Reply #17 on:** October 04, 2019, 03:09:54 PM »

It’s a shame Guzzi didn’t stick with the early system.
On the Lario, remove nut, remove Swing arm end clamp, slide axle out, shift wheel over and out.
The disc stayed on the drive.
The spacer was part of the axle.
Very clever.
Anyway, that’s progress for yah.
Cheers, voncrump

mhershon · « **Reply #18 on:** October 04, 2019, 03:48:04 PM »

Thanks, guys! If you can think of the brand and description of that glue, let me know. I'll do it next time...and I surely use the yellow crayon to mark the alignment of the vanes. Great idea!

Again, thanks for the commiseration and support. I struggled with this hour after hour...trying to avoid that murderous rage!

your friend Maynard

malik · « **Reply #19 on:** October 04, 2019, 08:02:48 PM »

Murderous rage? Motorcycling is supposed to be fun. If you're not having fun, something's askew. Your Italian mistress prefers to be wooed, rather than confronted. Perservering in the face of mounting frustration just doesn't seem to work well. Think Mediterranean, rather than Germanic. If at first you don't succeed, give up. Take a break, have a drink, make lunch, whatever... come back to it later. Aside from the rear wheel, this bike has a few other design features (quirks, bugs, sodding arse-about stupidities) that could, if allowed, raise temperatures - access to the air filter, for example, is unfortunate; but there is a knack, learned only by experience; the QD connection at the fuel pump (there is a knack, learned only by experience); getting the inlet manifolds off (to remove the throttle bodies, to get to the Screw of Doom, to get to the clutch), or even worse, getting those hoses back on - you guessed it, there's a knack, learned.... But it's all part of the wonderful tapestry of owning Italian machinery. (It could be worse, you could be stuck with an old Ducati).

Cam3512 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 04, 2019, 08:17:01 PM »

Good job buddy, knew you could do it. I do recall giving you the silicone or grease tip for keeping the cush rubbers in place. Hopefully the love affair continues. Remember to grease the splines?

Cam

SmithSwede · « **Reply #21 on:** October 04, 2019, 08:57:29 PM »

Quote from: mhershon on October 04, 2019, 03:48:04 PM

If you can think of the brand and description of that glue, let me know.

I use Fabri-Tac made by Beacon. Glue on bottom of the cush rubber so they stick in the hub. But I smear a little silicon grease on the sides of the metal vanes so they go in slick past the rubber cush parts.

SmithSwede · « **Reply #22 on:** October 04, 2019, 09:02:52 PM »

Malik speaks wisely (except for the gibe about old Ducatis).

It really is amazing how often everything goes smoothly once you take a good break and come back for a fresh try.

I submit, however, that Maynard is too new to the Guzzi world to be exposed to knowledge about the existence of the Screw of Doom.

Muzz · « **Reply #23 on:** October 04, 2019, 11:23:51 PM »

Quote from: SmithSwede on October 04, 2019, 08:57:29 PM

But I smear a little silicon grease on the sides of the metal vanes so they go in slick past the rubber cush parts.

This. Makes a difference

mhershon · « **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2019, 09:01:46 AM »

Thanks, guys! The next time I do this I'll glue the rubber shock absorbers in place with Fabri-Tech and smear something super slick on the vanes! You know, I can do most of the maintenance stuff on this bike but inevitably I'll run into problems I can't solve. Even before I flew back east to pick up the bike, the previous owner told me to start following this site. Thank you, Cam, and thanks, guys!

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Author Topic: rear V7 wheel installation (Read 2295 times)