Rear Wheel Removal

[agedbikeman]

Hello
I read about 1500 rear wheel removal, but there is a problem to this with my bike as I have a Tow Pac Insta trike "E Trike" fitted. To rotate the mufflers I would have to competely remove the entire Insta trike assembly as the Insta trike chassis is under the bike and comes up the side of the mufflers in a sort of elongated U.
So my question is, instead of rotating the mufflers will they slide backwards in a straight line and completely remove from the bike without any sideways movement. If the muffler will not withdraw in a horizontal line then the whole instatrike kit must be dismantled and removed in order to remove the rear wheel. A simple tyre puncture becomes a major operation.
Any input welcome
Thanks
Alex

[Rambozo]

I was able to remove my wheel without rotating the mufllers. I just removed the bolts holding the rear support tabs, and nudged the mufflers a bit to slip the axle bolt out.

[agedbikeman]

With the "E" Trike kit, there is no room to nudge anything, the trike frame encircles the muffler

see how the trike frame is around the muffler

You can see from the photos it's either withdraw the muffler horizontally or drop the trike frame.
I have never yet had to remove the rear wheel, so I don't know what I'm in for.
Thanks anyway for your input.
Regards
Alex

[Rambozo]

Another option is to unhook the shocks so the swingarm can be lowered. I would guess that the trike kit probably would block that as well. Face it, your bike just has too many wheels.

[CrystalPistol]

Doesn't the "outrigger frame" block ingress /egress of the rear tire & wheel from the rear anyway? Seems to me, even if you get the axle out, the wheel and tire will only go down & out the bottom unless the "outrigger frame" is removed.

Raises a question, what if a flat on that rear OEM tire 300 miles from home?

[Rambozo]

Raises a question, what if a flat on that rear OEM tire 300 miles from home?

Seems like a plug or a tow truck.

[CrystalPistol]

or U-haul … my back up plan.

[agedbikeman]

Good thought about lowering the swing arm as one could unbolt shocks, it only needs to come down 3 or 4 inches so the axle passes under the mufflers, looking at the mufflers, is there enough room for the axle to pass? as there's manufactured dents in the mufflers so the head and nut of the axle doesn't hit the mufflers.
Don't think the trike frame will stopthe swingarm hinging down, I'm off to have another look at the situation.

I'm not thinking about wheel removal at the roadside, a plug or towtruck would have to do, it's when I get it home. I'm trying to pave the way for the future so I know exactly what to do.

If only someone could answer my original question as to wether the mufflers can be removed in a straight line, I would make sure everything was greased up to come off easily in the event.

Thanks for your input guys

[agedbikeman]

Reply to Crystal Pistol

Rear wheel is not blocked from back of bike by trike frame, this is Tow Pac's new model, trike frame goes inder bike just behind center stand, if it was their other model, 3 bolts and roll out the whole unit, no problem.

[Rambozo]

In theory yes, in practice not really. It really looks like you have close to zero clearance around your mufflers. Typically they require some movement to free them up on the pipes. Maybe some kind of slide hammer could pull them straight off, but I've never tried. To avoid leaks they pretty much require being stuck in place. If they fit so loose that they pull right off, I'm sure they would leak.

[Swagonmaster]

Without having tried it, I am going to hazzard a guess that the mufflers are going to give you a hard time in coming off really straight since the front of the pipes are angled in and the pictures make it look like there is very little room. It's possible "just barely enough room" might save the day but you will just have to try and see.

[agedbikeman]

Many thanks, that was the info I was looking for, I have maybe half an inch all round so a little twist back and forth might do it
I will suck it and see, will report back on my findings.

[CrystalPistol]

If only someone could answer my original question as to wether the mufflers can be removed in a straight line

No.

mufflers are going to give you a hard time in coming off really straight since the front of the pipes are angled in

This.

The front spigots of the mufflers turn inwards to join the middle chamber spigots, they over lap a good inch or 1.5 inches, maybe more, with sleeve like gaskets, the angle is near 30 degrees. To rotate the mufflers, they will need to "swing" outward at the same time. Because of the angle, to come straight back with no twisting, the front of the muffler will have to move laterally out & away from the bike until spigots un-overlap smaller middle chamber spigots … and the now fragile sleeve like gaskets.

[agedbikeman]

Thank you , now I know, I will have to decide how best to move the trike frame out of the way so the mufflers rotate.
The rear wheel needs to come off sometime so I can renovate the wheel rim lustre, so I can now play with it in my own time.
I'm indepted to your explanation
Best regards
Alex

[Charlie1Horse]

Check out the trike installation instructions. I think you will find that the entire trike kit is easily uninstalled leaving you with just the original bike and standard tire replacement. With that the mufflers are easily loosened and rotated out of the way of the axle bolt. There are many installation videos on the internet.
Russell

Those who say it cannot be done should try not to interrupt those who are doing it.

[WingAdmin]

Without having tried it, I am going to hazzard a guess that the mufflers are going to give you a hard time in coming off really straight since the front of the pipes are angled in and the pictures make it look like there is very little room. It's possible "just barely enough room" might save the day but you will just have to try and see.

I agree, from my experience working with those mufflers, in those pictures it doesn't look like there is going to be enough clearance in those pictures to move the muffler laterally enough to get it to disengage from the collector box outputs.