Rear wheel removal and brake inspections

After riding home from Dublin through storms, I reversed into the garage and prepared to put Sherbert on their centerstand. During my proven technique, The solution for GoldWing Centerstand weaklings, I thought I had left the parking brake on since Dublin!

Perhaps the technique is so subconsciously ingrained now, I just couldn't recall if I'd pulled the lever on now or hadn't released it after parking. It was a moment.

Assuming the worst and unable to prove the best outcome, it was necessary to dig into the parking brake calliper and check the pads. This means only one thing: it's back to Chris Dickinson's Cruiseman's Garage video tutorials.

Removing the rear fender

I've installed the Vantrue F1 Dashcam on the rear fender and I was uncertain how easily I'd be able to disconnect its cable. On removing the rear fender, I recalled I had wrapped insulation tape around the connector to save it from all the crus it was inevitably to wade in. 

This complicated things a little while unwinding the tape. No big deal and something to recall the next time is to disconnect the Vantrue cable before unplugging the licence plate light connector. It'll be easier, I'm sure.

The rear fender pops off a bar, which needs removed too. It's so not difficult.

Removing the rear wheel

An exhaust cover needs removing before attacking the rear wheel. It's not difficult to undo the allen bolt from its underside and pull it forward off its slides. It was useful to get some tar remover in there too.

The wheel lug nuts are rather lovely chromium plated affairs. A 19mm socket loosens them before the wheel pulls free of the axel. Then it's a matter of leaning the wheel top-to-right a little and twisting it through the gaping hole at the back of the bike.

Job done.

Almost a job done. The rear is a complete mess of cow shit and dead badgers. It took a little while to clean it up. It's an obvious Honda oversight not to have extended the inside fender more to prevent crud building up on the shock assembly and centerstand, and more. I can't find a product to do that either.

Rear wheel cleaning and damage

THe rear wheel is pretty cruddy. Most of the grime and tar came off and there's still dark residues the brush and mild detergent couldn't remove.

On closer inspection and when dry, the paint looks like it's beginning to blister or delaminate, or something. This may be a time to ask Honda Ireland if that's normal for its age and before the 3-year Warranty expires.

Inspecting the parking brake calliper

I couldn't visualise the parking brake pads well enough to decide if they were buggered or not. Removal was the only option to be safe.

With the wheel removed we can loosen the two parking brake pad carrier pins. They were on tight for something meant to be torqued to 17 ft/lbs, so loosening them off now makes sense. Thanks Chris!

Next it's squirrelling the 12mm socket onto the parking brake calliper bolts. These are single-use according to Honda and as usual, I reserved them safely and planned to Locktite them with threadlock on reassembly. I found removing the bottom bolt first allowed improved access to the top one, which still needed loosening to get some rotation in the calliper. It seemed to make things easier though.

With the calliper dangling those pad hanger pins can come out and the pads drop out.

I'm delighted both pads are meaty and there's no evidence that I wore one or the other down riding with the parking brake on. Phew!

The pads, pins, and calliper got a good cleaning and reassembly was the reverse of disassemby when remembering to apply the Loctite thread lock.

They parking brake proved a little out of adjustment. It's some while since I last played with them. There's a Cruiseman's Garage video for this too and it's not so difficult second time around.

I used an old vernier calliper thing my Dad left behind to measure for the 42mm space between the lever and centre of the cable pin. It took a good couple of full turns of the adjuster nut to get it back into tolerance.

The last piece in this puzzle is to adjust the pad piston. You unlock the 12mm nut and use a 6mm open ended spanner to turn the adjuster. Simple enough again.

Inspecting the rear brake pads and calliper

Following another of Cruiseman's Garage video tutorials, I removed the rear pads' hanger pin and dropped the pads out for inspection. They're almost like new in thickness. I know becasue I just bougfht a set of pads thinking they'd be worn by now. Wow. 

You'd expect more wear and then, I am light on the brakes even when with pillion. Good planning like with IPSGA and engine braking usually outperform brakes in my book.

I'd really like to drop the calliper and give the pistons a good seeing to and it looks too tight in there. I'm guessing a full de-gunge would need an exhaust taken off and there's just not time today. Still, I gave them a good squirt with cleaner for good measure.

Replacing the pads is easy and a little fiddly getting them to house just right. It's probably impossible to mis-seat them as the hanger pin won't engage before they're homed snugly. It's an easy enough task. It just needs a modicum of patience other people might have.

Reassembly

With the rear brake hanger pin tight and the parking brake bolts all torqued to specification, it's just a matter of getting the wheel and rear fender back on.

The wheel's not that heavy and after an injury to my left wrist, it's too heavy to lift with one arm from the recumbent position. I figured my little piece of wood used to place Sherbert on their centerstand would make an improvised ramp. It did, too. I'm so clever.

The parking brake applied, I carefully torqued the nuts to 80 ft/lbs. Safely done, the exhaust cover, rear fender bar, and rear fender need replacing. I remembered to rewind some fresh black insulating tape around the Vantrue connection and tuck it away. Another job done and done well.

A good clean

Having worked straight from my return from Dublin, now was the time to give Sherbert a good clean down and dry.

There, that's our first play around with Sherbert's backside and undercarriage. Nothing to fear and only things to take care on like threadlock and correct toques. Otherwise it's all about kinesthetics and wishing I had a Big Blue motorcycle lift! My back would thank me, I know.