2012 1700 Nomad Rear Tire Removal

[ironhorsemen]

Hi,

I'm going to remove my rear wheel to replace the tire. I have a 1500 Nomad with 100K which I know pretty well, even pulled the engine to replace cam plugs. I just picked out a 1700 and know nothing about belt drives.

Please advise,

- Richard
1500 Nomad
1700 Nomad

[DaPreacha]

I have the 2012 Nomad also and have replaced my rear tire twice so far. Not hard, just take your time and know you have to remove saddle bags, supports, and mufflers. Jack the bike up high and the wheel will come right out. Belt will slip off after you remove the axle. YouTube has a few videos on people doing it, really helps to watch someone else do it first!
A guy named Voyager Vlogger has some good videos that work with the nomad also.

[redjay]

The main issue will be do you have a motorcycle jack with arms long enough to span the chassis on the Voyager ?

Measure between the chassis rails on the Voyager and you will find the rails are farther apart than the 1500.

The Voyager has to go quite high in order to get the wheel out from under the fender.
Some guys remove the shock absorbers so the wheel stays on the ground while the bike is being raised.

Other than that it is no more difficult than a shaft drive 1500/1600.
Do not overtighten the belt.

Be careful as the weight shifts when the rear wheel is removed. Put blocks under the front wheel.

[ironhorsemen]

Redjay and DaPreacha,

Thanks to you both. My main concern is reinstalling the belt and belt tension.

Do either of you know of a step by step.

- Richard

[Peg]

I haven't altered the belt tension on my Voyager for the last several tire changes. Once you have the tension exactly where you want it, you never need to touch those adjusters or their locknuts ever again.

Put the jack under the bike. Take off the bags. Loosen the axle nut. Drop the left side muffler only by taking the two 10mm bolts out. Swivel it down on the front clamp till it's on the ground (no need to loosen the front clamp). Slightly jack up the bike just enough to take the weight off the suspension, take off the chrome trim both sides so you can remove suspension. Very small measures of raising / lowering will be required to get the suspension off.

Jack the bike up high until the tension comes off the belt, rear wheel stays on the ground. Remove bolts from brake caliper. You'll be able to push the axle right through and remove it, and tie up your brake caliper so it doesn't hang by the brake hose.

Jack the bike up even higher, roll the wheel out from underneath. If you're taking it to a shop for the change, lower the bike right down again in case there's an earthquake (that could be a step peculiar to NZ - your call, but it makes me feel safer to have it right down while it's delicately balanced like that. They don't call us the "shaky isles" for nothing).

Reverse the procedure to re-install the tire - making sure the adjuster collars are not loose, both sides, before it's tightened. Usually the belt will pull the left side tight, and a kick to the left side of the back of the tire towards the right will sort the right side adjuster.

[DaPreacha]

You can do it by feel or just buy an inexpensive belt tension tool off ebay. I just tighten mine until I can only turn the belt 45 degrees with my fingers halfway between the wheel and the pulley.

[JD Hog]

Originally Posted by Peg

I haven't altered the belt tension on my Voyager for the last several tire changes. Once you have the tension exactly where you want it, you never need to touch those adjusters or their locknuts ever again.

Put the jack under the bike. Take off the bags. Loosen the axle nut. Drop the left side muffler only by taking the two 10mm bolts out. Swivel it down on the front clamp till it's on the ground (no need to loosen the front clamp). Slightly jack up the bike just enough to take the weight off the suspension, take off the chrome trim both sides so you can remove suspension. Very small measures of raising / lowering will be required to get the suspension off.

Jack the bike up high until the tension comes off the belt, rear wheel stays on the ground. Remove bolts from brake caliper. You'll be able to push the axle right through and remove it, and tie up your brake caliper so it doesn't hang by the brake hose.

Jack the bike up even higher, roll the wheel out from underneath. If you're taking it to a shop for the change, lower the bike right down again in case there's an earthquake (that could be a step peculiar to NZ - your call, but it makes me feel safer to have it right down while it's delicately balanced like that. They don't call us the "shaky isles" for nothing).

Reverse the procedure to re-install the tire - making sure the adjuster collars are not loose, both sides, before it's tightened. Usually the belt will pull the left side tight, and a kick to the left side of the back of the tire towards the right will sort the right side adjuster.

Hey Peg, you're a genius!

Since I have never done this before and not much of a mechanic I was going to do it by the book but quickly switched over to your method and that was much easier. I have the wheel and tire at the shop for new tire mounting and will pick it up tomorrow and reinstall so i can do the front tire next.

Thanks again for this great tip!

[BrokeAss]

I jack mine up just high enough to get the rear tire off the floor and then just pop the rear fender off. Wheel then just rolls right out the back. My shop is far too busy to leave my bike 3ft in the air for 2-3 days while tires are being mounted.

[Peg]

Originally Posted by BrokeAss

... My shop is far too busy to leave my bike 3ft in the air for 2-3 days while tires are being mounted.

Mine too... So once the wheels are off I just lower the jack right down so everything rests on the ground while the wheels are away.

I've picked up another tip from "747pilot" that I've yet to try to further improve my rear wheel removal... Next time, I'm going to zip-tie the brake caliper to the swing-arm before I remove the axle, to save messing about trying to line it all up again when the axle goes back in.

[mbarr10]

lower the bike right down again in case there's an earthquake (that could be a step peculiar to NZ - your call, but it makes me feel safer to have it right down while it's delicately balanced like that. They don't call us the "shaky isles" for nothing).

Or your jack leaks. Like mine did. Lucky I had it in the front wheel chock, while I was not watching it. Never would have figured an earth quake though.

Nice thoughts Peg.