[Hammern Hank]

I discovered a big puncture hole in my new rear Commander tire (2016 Night Rod) on the way home Wednesday evening. I am not a mechanic and was wondering if removing the rear wheel is something this group would recommend for a DIY project?

 

[coastrider]

Simple enough. Just be careful to keep the spacers in the correct order and location. Seems most people that have problems is caused by mixing up where the spacers go.

 

[rbabos]

I discovered a big puncture hole in my new rear Commander tire (2016 Night Rod) on the way home Wednesday evening. I am not a mechanic and was wondering if removing the rear wheel is something this group would recommend for a DIY project?

Removing is easy. When installing it, belt tension and alignment need to be addressed as part of the install. Service Manual is a good investment, even for what seems to be the easiest tasks on the surface. Belt eating a hole in the fuel tank, poor tracking down the road, and belt noise as well as breaking the inner sprocket flange off and excessive pressure on the trans bearing are all possible down sides of doing it wrong.
Ron

 

[Knut J]

Some metric tool too...

 

[Hammern Hank]

Thanks!

 

[kjlc1225]

And put lots of masking tape around the swing arm so you don't scratch it up. I learned the hard way.

 

[bogie]

Having the right tools helps - a large breaker bar for removal and a large torque wrench for final fitting. Some grease for the axle.

The workshop manual is invaluable even for simple jobs, the order you do things often makes the job easier, and of course it has the torque settings for everything.

 

[mikebehr00]

A motorcycle jack would be helpful. On other bikes that I've changed tires it really helped to be able to control the heigth when trying to get the axle out or back into the rear wheel when aligning the disc into the caliper and getting the belt on. Ditto on the manual! i've got tires coming in tomorrow so then I'll know if the v rod is much different then the other harley's I've done.

 

[Gearheadesw1]

As stated above, not hard, just mind the spacers, support the bike well. Install can be ticklish, lining up the belt, caliper, and axle at the same time might make you curse once or twice, but once you do it, it becomes easy.