Replacing front tire wheel bearings - GS850

[61lincoln]

I'm setting up to replace the front wheel bearings on my GS850GL and need to get the front tire off the ground, so I'm looking for a way to keep the bike stable to remove it. I purchased a front fork stand but the whole thing wants to tip when I begin moving the stand to lift it into position. I have the bike in gear so the rear wheel doesn't move, but it don't think it will be stable enough to wrench on it once its up. First, how do i get this wheel off the ground safely to remove, and second, is there a good way to stabilize it so I won't drop it??

 

[tom203]

Sure..hang it high... I use a ratchet puller off ceiling to put a little upwards tension on triple tree..with my 650 on centerstand , this gives a little stability when front wheel is off..bike can't fall if it's hanging!

 

[bwringer]

Simplest is to put the bike on the centerstand, then use a jack under the front of the frame and engine against a block of wood to tip it backwards just until the rear tire touches. This doesn't take much force.

I've also seen folks put a 50 pound bag of sand, salt, or something similar on the rear seat to tip the bike back. You just have to be careful what direction you're pulling on front end bolts.

It's possible you might need to remove the front fender bolts and loosen the rear fender bolts in order to clear the fender with the tire. A ratcheting 12mm wrench comes in handy for reaching these with the wheel mounted.

There are lots of ways to get the front end up in the air. Hanging from the ceiling works, too.

Loosen the axle, caliper bolts, etc. before elevation so you don't have to apply a lot of force.