Author Topic: Help, smallblock riders! (Read 2850 times)

mhershon · « **on:** June 17, 2020, 04:12:11 PM »

What size (giant) allen wrench fits the front axle of a V7? And why don't sets of allen wrenches include 7s? Those are all my questions for today. Thanks!

Noguzznoglory · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2020, 04:19:18 PM »

i forgot what size the hex was (19mm?) but a T60 torx worked on it. no one had the allen bit

Dirk_S · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2020, 04:32:08 PM »

14mm for the modern V7s.

(I carry a hex socket adaptor in my tool roll)

mhershon · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2020, 07:12:31 PM »

I still need help... I bodged up a tool from a 3/8" bolt and two nuts locked together. It worked fine. I found my seven so I could get the brake caliper off. I removed the two little pinch bolts from the bottom of the right fork leg. The axle started to turn quite easily. I decided to leave the wheel on the ground until the axle was loose. The axle became impossible to turn, just as the face of the right side, the Allen side, was flush with the fork bottom. I tried and tried and could not budge the axle -- in either direction. I put it all back together in disgust, feeling like a damn duffer. I sprayed silicone spray on both ends of the axle. Nothing worked. What did I do wrong? Help me, guys....

twowheeladdict · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2020, 07:20:10 PM »

Quote from: mhershon on June 17, 2020, 07:12:31 PM

I still need help... I bodged up a tool from a 3/8" bolt and two nuts locked together. It worked fine. I found my seven so I could get the brake caliper off. I removed the two little pinch bolts from the bottom of the right fork leg. The axle started to turn quite easily. I decided to leave the wheel on the ground until the axle was loose. The axle became impossible to turn, just as the face of the right side, the Allen side, was flush with the fork bottom. I tried and tried and could not budge the axle -- in either direction. I put it all back together in disgust, feeling like a damn duffer. I sprayed silicone spray on both ends of the axle. Nothing worked. What did I do wrong? Help me, guys....

You probably bound it up if left weight on the wheel. Raise the front just enough to the tire is putting no pressure on the floor.

Cam3512 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2020, 07:26:32 PM »

Maynard,

Do you have a scissor jack up under the sump? If so, like mentioned above, crank up the front end a little higher. You might have to gently tap the axle with a hammer and wood dowel to coax it out.

Cam

Roebling3 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2020, 08:00:48 PM »

Am I correct? You are trying to slide the axle free of the forks and wheel, while you have acknowledged having the front tire touching the floor/ground. Are there tightening screws at the bottom of both forks? Does the bike have a front fender? Can you imagine what happens when the axle comes out. JACK the bike up up. Spin the wheel. Tap the axle. R3~

mhershon · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2020, 08:07:43 PM »

The axle is threaded into the bottom of the lefthand fork leg. I don't understand where I'd tap. I have a fender and a fork brace so I figure the axle should stay in alignment if the wheel is touching the ground or spinning free. Right? The axle turned smoothly a turn or two and then just stopped. The two pinchbolts are completely out of the right fork bottom. I just don't get it... I did raise the scissors jack just a bit to lift the front but it didn't seem to matter. I'm sorry to be so negative but nothing worked. I'm missing something. I must be.

Dirk_S · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2020, 08:14:28 PM »

Physics (Newton’s Third Law): If you have the front of the bike resting on the ground, you also have force from the ground pushing back, which means it’s pushing the wheel (bearings) against the axle, and the axle against the forks. You’re gonna have a tough time getting the axle out, let alone what happens when the axle would finally pop out without support holding up the front end. Get the front end lifted, unthread the axle back as far as it’ll go, then tap it out from the other side of the axle with something.

Cam3512 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2020, 09:02:37 PM »

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F401212987959

mhershon · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2020, 09:51:14 PM »

I ordered one, Cam! I'll try it again tomorrow with the weight off the front wheel. It feels like more than the drag of the weight of the wheel on the axle. The axle feels frozen in place. I'll try again and let you know what happens. Thanks, all of you!

Kiwi_Roy · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2020, 10:03:28 PM »

My V7 came with a short piece of 14 mm hex section, use it with a 14mm wrench, should come out easily.
There is no need to drop the calliper off with a single disk.

greer · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2020, 05:41:06 AM »

Quote from: Kiwi_Roy on June 17, 2020, 10:03:28 PM

My V7 came with a short piece of 14 mm hex section

Mine did too, very handy I thought, but no wrench for using it so I've nabbed an old leftover out of the drawer.

Sarah

Vagrant · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2020, 06:42:36 AM »

I assume when you had it backed out a couple of turns you shot a drop of lube in from the threaded side.

mhershon · « **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2020, 07:02:14 AM »

I did lube both ends. I haven't found that piece of fourteen but I'll look. And I'll lift the front end clear of the floor slightly. I honestly thought I was doing everything correctly and when the axle stopped turning, I was baffled. I'll post again in a couple of hours. Thanks, everyone!

kingoffleece · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2020, 08:59:38 AM »

I see another future story in MSL soon............... .................

mhershon · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2020, 10:10:58 AM »

Oh-kay... I lifted the front end so the wheel spins. I loosened the two pinch bolts on the fork bottom. I tried in vain with my Mickey Mouse tool to move the axle. As I mentioned, I have ordered a half-inch drive 14mm Allen socket and will try again when it arrives. Meanwhile, I have buttoned everything back up, meaning the pinch bolts and brake caliper. I looked but did not find a piece of 14mm hex stock in my OEM toolkit. I should mention that there is not one 7mm hex wrench or 14mm hex wrench in my local Ace Hardware. The helpful man assures me that no Ace will have either. Is it true that you do not need to remove the brake caliper to remove/replace a V7 front wheel?

Dirk_S · « **Reply #17 on:** June 18, 2020, 10:22:25 AM »

Do not need to remove the brake caliper to remove wheel.

I got my 14mm hex socket at my local AutoZone (Duralast brand). Not sure which V7 you have, but the V7II toolkits did not come with this cool 14mm hex bit that folks talk so fondly of.

Once you get the socket, a good tug should loosen the axle easy enough.

malik · « **Reply #18 on:** June 18, 2020, 03:42:07 PM »

My 2010 toolkit came with the 14mm hex bit, in the 2014 it was absent. It sounds as if it's back with the III's. If you're having a problem, the socket on the end of a hefty bar is more reassuring. Generally, I loosen off the 2 pinch bolts on the RH fork leg & give the axle a half turn while the front wheel is on the ground, then lift & do the rest in the air. There's quite a bit of thread there. I'm going to have to do again later today - I've a split gaiter to replace, so I may as well do the fork oil while I'm at it. DON'T forget to loosen off the pinch bolts first, the axle won't even budge while they are still tight (how do I know that??). Hopefully, using the correct tool will work for you. Usually once you get it started, you can keep turning until the thread is all the way out. Once there, taking the weight of the wheel with one hand, you can slide out the axle with the other.

Keep track of the 2 spacers, don't mix them up, mark them if you have to. If you get it wrong, then the caliper is not centred over the rotor. I found out the hard way. Whoops.

I can't see the pad wear well enough with the caliper on the rotor (must be old eyes), so I take it off to inspect. I no longer buy Allen key kits without the 7mm - they are out there, but not common.

mhershon · « **Reply #19 on:** June 18, 2020, 04:18:47 PM »

Malik, you mean the axle spacers, not the black spacers between the caliper and the ears on the fork slider, right? I wonder if someone had the wheel off and reinstalled the axle bone dry. That would account for the stickiness, I think. I can't see the pad wear either, but I had the caliper off yesterday and at 27,000 miles there's lots of pad left. Yay, Brembo!

I always think: They sell these V7s primarily to today's youth, plaid shirts and authenticity, and they put easily lost spacers behind the brake caliper, spec odd-size tools to remove the front axle and front caliper... They must genuinely expect that all the bikes will be dealer serviced. And maybe they're right. Maybe guys like us are the exceptions. And maybe after I have the 14mm hex wrench in my toolbox I won't be wondering about these things any longer...

kingoffleece · « **Reply #20 on:** June 18, 2020, 05:58:04 PM »

THERE you go! it's half written already

Cam3512 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 19, 2020, 07:19:01 AM »

Whatever you see in that pathetic stock tool kit was what I got with the bike. When Jim Hamlin installed the fork gaiters, I had him change the fork oil. So the front wheel HAS been off (check the book). No doubt Jim put everything back together correctly.

Wait for the right tool and you'll get it!

mhershon · « **Reply #22 on:** June 19, 2020, 08:54:37 AM »

That's my plan, Cam. I guess I'm spoiled by years of Japanese bikes and very few surprises. I'm having to get used to new practices with the V7. After I've done all these things once, I'll be fine.

nsmith · « **Reply #23 on:** June 19, 2020, 10:06:55 AM »

Just sayin whenever I loosen the pinch bolts I leave them threaded in place and give them a good wallop with a dead blow hammer. This will spread the pinch point so it can't cause any unwanted drag.

mhershon · « **Reply #24 on:** June 19, 2020, 10:49:25 AM »

What a great idea! I've been loosening pinch bolts like those for years and never thought to give them a little whack! I'll do it from now on!

Cam3512 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 19, 2020, 10:53:41 AM »

STOP! Don't wallop anything on the fork with a hammer unless you wanna break something!

Especially that pinch bolt.

John A · « **Reply #26 on:** June 19, 2020, 10:54:26 AM »

Be judicious, the leg can easily crack, especially on the side that the large end goes as it’s thinner.

mhershon · « **Reply #27 on:** June 19, 2020, 02:07:38 PM »

If I wallop, whack or tap, I promise I'll be judicious. Hey, John A, did I get the spelling of "judicious" right? That means not to wallop too hard, correct?

malik · « **Reply #28 on:** June 19, 2020, 05:07:52 PM »

Quote from: mhershon on June 18, 2020, 04:18:47 PM

Malik, you mean the axle spacers, not the black spacers between the caliper and the ears on the fork slider, right? ......

Yes, those suckers. They are the same colour, so not hard to mix up. The washer-like spacers on the caliper don't seem to care which is top or bottom.

mhershon · « **Reply #29 on:** June 19, 2020, 05:33:36 PM »

Would it matter which hemisphere the bike is in? Both of those black spacers dropped on the garage floor when I took off the caliper. I thought at first they fit under the caliper mount bolts in the recesses in the fork tabs or ears or whatever they're called. But when I put them behind those tabs the pads lined up perfectly on the rotor. That's everything about the operation that went perfectly for me. I love that little V7 and I am afraid I sound like I hate it, but it makes me feel like such a klutz (do you say that in Oz?) when I deal with its wheels. Getting them off. I struggle. Give me another, oh, 50,000 miles and I'll be on top off all this stuff...

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Author Topic: Help, smallblock riders! (Read 2850 times)