Off Center...I refer to this as "catywampussed"

[lawman504]

I was admiring my beast today (no not that one perv...my VMAX i mean) and noticed the rear wheel is "catywampussed" from the rest of the bike. Translated from redneck to english = the rear wheel/tire isnt aligned with the fender or the license plate. Why is this??? Is something wrong???

 

[DMAN999]

I'd guess that it has a 170/80-15 Rear Tire on it and someone did the Washer Swap.
That moves the tire slightly to the right so that the tire clears the Swing Arm on the shaft side.

 

[lawman504]

Dmann, im getting ready to upgrade to a 170\80\15 Metzeler Ultra from the stock size. In fact you can see it wrapped in plastic on the right of the picture. Is this gonna effect my new tire?

 

[[email protected]]

The rear wheel is offset to the right from the factory.
When you take it apart double check to make sure everything is in the right spot. Should be no washer or spacers on the left side.

 

[lawman504]

The rear wheel is offset to the right from the factory.
When you take it apart double check to make sure everything is in the right spot. Should be no washer or spacers on the left side.

To be honest, im kinda skeert to take it off myself. Never had a shaft driven bike before. The phobea of the rear wheel passing me down the road makes me hesitate. Lol. If you all tell me its a cake walk and point me in the right direction, maybe i'll do it. Lol. Shop wants $74 to mount and balance if i take them the whole bike. If i mount it myself, ive got a place that will balance it for $7. Hmmm.....

 

[lawman504]

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=13338

I found this....any other helpful info or confidence builder?

 

[MaxMidnight]

It is not uncommon for the wheels to be out of line but there is always the possibility that it the mudguard/ lamp that is skewwhiff.
Don't rely on visual clues such as the ones you have picked up but do so with a strait edge between the wheels.

Unless it is giving you great issues then probably easiest to ignore it and enjoy riding.

However, should you not be able to sleep at nights then you can get a degree of correction by replacing the fixed LH swinging arm pivot with the adjustable RH one.

 

[satariel666]

As mentioned the rear fender and the rear section of frame as well
is not a good reference to messure. Also I bealive your wheel offset
is in tollerance. They came with factory offset due the driveshaft.

 

[Miles Long]

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=13338

I found this....any other helpful info or confidence builder?

Not a difficult job at all, George, providing that you have the stock exhaust and rear shocks, and have retained your centerstand. Keep in mind that you don't have to remove the stock 13"shocks, if you are just removing the wheel.
Re-read post #25 in the above link. Installing the wheel/tire was always the hardest part for me. Not any more!
Cheers!
p.s. don't forget to clean and then re-grease the mating splines, while you have the wheel off the bike.

 

[lawman504]

Sounds good folks. I feel better now. "skewwhiff" never heard that before. Lol!

 

[lawman504]

Miles....i do not have the centerstand, i have a Cobra exhaust, but fairly sure the shocks are stock...maybe not. They dont look 28 years old at all. Perfectly sheened up.

 

[DMAN999]

Miles....i do not have the centerstand, i have a Cobra exhaust, but fairly sure the shocks are stock...maybe not. They dont look 28 years old at all. Perfectly sheened up.

As long as you have some kind of Bike lift you should be fine.
As stated earlier, removing our Rear Wheel is really simple.
If you follow that guide you linked and skip the part about removing the Rear Shocks and you'll be fine.
I have been taking my Wheels in for Tire replacement since I bought it 11 years ago.
As for the Washer Swap most people don't have to do it unless their specific 170 tire rubs the swingarm on the left side.
There should be a washer on the Right side as seen in that guide.
The washer swap moves that washer to the Right between the wheel and the Final Drive.

 

[lawman504]

Where do i get the washer to swap? Just in case.

 

[DMAN999]

The Washer I Pointed to in the Attached Picture gets moved to the Inside hub of the Final Drive for the washer swap.
Most 170's fit fine without doing the washer swap though.

PS
Here's a thread with Pictures of the Washer Swap in case you end up having to do it:
http://69.27.101.36/showthread.php?t=3878

 

[lawman504]

Thanks buddy. :beer:

 

[Traumahawk]

Things are so much easier with a lift, and so here's the one that I bought over a year ago.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atv-motorcycle-lift-2792.html

 

[ninjaneer]

To be honest, im kinda skeert to take it off myself. Never had a shaft driven bike before. The phobea of the rear wheel passing me down the road makes me hesitate. Lol. If you all tell me its a cake walk and point me in the right direction, maybe i'll do it. Lol. Shop wants $74 to mount and balance if i take them the whole bike. If i mount it myself, ive got a place that will balance it for $7. Hmmm.....

dont sweat it. i'm a pooter jockey who up until the past couple only ever changed oil and replaced brake pads on a cage. i've dismounted the rear wheel twice now with the help of the folks here. didnt read all of this thread, but if it hasnt already been mentioned, there is a great "how-to remove rear wheel" thread in the how-to section.

Regards from my Taptalking Hercules Android