Remounting Front Tire - 1200SE 2017 GRiSO

Ok, when I took the front tire off via the steps in the manual it was easy. Now when I'm trying to get the axle back through the forks it is stopping before I can see the threads on the axle. It makes it all the way through the fork, then stops right before the threads would come through.

There is none of the spacer coming through the fork on the non-threaded side of the axle. I've beaten on it with a mallet to no avail, and don't see a reason that the other spacer shouldn't be coming through. The fork does seem to be narrower now than it was before, because the wheel is directly against the fork, but I'm not sure how the forks would have narrowed while on the front stand.

Suggestions? I've searched videos and topics and no one else seems to have had this issue. Can take photos if helpful.

Is it not just hanging up on the shoulder of the spindle? You need to lift the wheel and center the spindle for it to slip into the fork leg.

You are going in from the correct side?

Photos[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Pete Roper wrote:

Is it not just hanging up on the shoulder of the spindle? You need to lift the wheel and center the spindle for it to slip into the fork leg.

You are going in from the correct side?

It is hanging up, but when I try to lift the wheel it isn't budging. I thought that might work.

The axle won't push through anymore, and it is going through the same side that I removed it from.

Pete Roper wrote:

Is it not just hanging up on the shoulder of the spindle? You need to lift the wheel and center the spindle for it to slip into the fork leg.

You are going in from the correct side?

I tried twisting it through too, but that didn't help. I thought maybe the threaded side needed to thread through the fork, but there are no threads on the fork.

I'm thinking of dropping the front stand down to see if that makes a different, but I don't like the idea of having everything all loosey goosey.

And all of the pitch bolts are loose. It really doesn't make any sense. This is the first time I've swapped tires on this bike, but have done it countless times on my BMW and Triumph. I'm fairly mechanically able, but this is very frustrating.

Looking at that I'd say that the front fork lift is probably part of the problem. Do you have a central stand of some sort? If so put it up on that and then use a jack under the sump to take the weight off the front end. My guess is that once the spindle came out the forks have moved under the weight placed on them so the spindle can't slip through. How are you stabilising the bike when it's on that stand?

Pete Roper wrote:

Looking at that I'd say that the front fork lift is probably part of the problem. Do you have a central stand of some sort? If so put it up on that and then use a jack under the sump to take the weight off the front end. My guess is that once the spindle came out the forks have moved under the weight placed on them so the spindle can't slip through. How are you stabilising the bike when it's on that stand?

Right now it is on a Becker Technik center stand and a normal, motorcycle front fork stand that lifts from under the bottom of the forks. I'll have to figure out another way to lift the front end. The center stand is so far back that it leaves most of the bike's weight on to the front side. I tried lifting it by the front tire to slip a jack stand under the exhaust before using the front fork lift, but that didn't seem like a stable option.

I've seen people use a scissor jack, like from a car, to lift the front. I'm not sure I trust that, especially lifting from the only real option, the oil pan. I'm not sure I have a choice though.

I don't know what Guzzi was thinking, making this bike so difficult to get up in the air. They discontinued their rear stand, and I don't know what they expect people to do to work on the front end. Maybe a triple clamp lift would work better...

Don't pump it up using the exhaust!

If it's on an HB stand you should be able to jack it up under the sump, (Spread the load with a bit of wood.). Once all load is off the forks and the rear wheel touches the ground you should have ample ability to jiggle the wheel around until the spindle slips through.

Alright, I will try that in the morning. Too frustrated and too many beers to mess with it now.

I've used a jack (with wood) under the front half of the sump with the bike on the Becker Technik stand. It's pretty stable. You only need to jack the front up a few millimetres.

If you can get your front stand up even 25 mm, that would be sufficient to get clearance. Though to be fair, many of us have a jack under the sump, which lifts the front into the air nicely. Mine has a nice flat piece of 9 ply on it - up under the sump is no issue.

As others have said, you've got to put a jack under the sump and get the weight off the front entirely.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Zaccary same as mine...

I don't have a scissor lift so I arranged a 3 foot nylon sling under the frame behind the steering head (removed the side wings first) and lifted it that way using a winch from above. It worked well. The axle slipped right in.

I haven't had time to saw a chunk of wood, and I need to see what type of jack is in my Mazda. Weather has been crap the last two days anyway. Wouldn't have been able to break in the tires.

It is good to have a method to lift and drop the front wheel remotely to line it up.

I usually put a brick in front of the weel and a wooden lever over a brick uner the back so i can push down on the lever with my hand or foot at the same time as looking down the hole a the spindle end.

Generally if it wont go I find that i am making the wrong assumptions about which way it is out of line

I realized my error now. I put it up on a scissor jack, but got the same result.

A previously unmentioned detail is that I'm swapping my wire spoked wheels out for cast wheels from a Breva. The rear mounted on with now issues. The front requires a different axle/spacer combination. I found one for sale on ebay from a parts dealer in Ohio, ordered it last night.

Hoping to finish things up this week.

The devil is always in the detail....I also have both wire & cast wheel....and with different axles and spacers for the front !

So, the ole "previously unmentioned detail" huh

That happens a lot in DC.