Before I Replace The Rear Wheel?

[gregor]

I’ve taken my rear wheel off for the first time to have a new tyre fitted. Anything I should clean /check before reassembly? Brake pads look fine.
I notice there is some copper based anti seize on the bolts- is this stuff OK to use again or must I risk the bone dry assembly method?

[grwrockster]

Copper grease doesn't 'go off' so if you don't have any fresh stuff, I'd say it's better to leave what you've got on the threads already in place rather than put the bolts in 'dry'.

I think the purpose of copper grease is it helps to prevent the different materials (the steel of the bolt & the alloy of the bevel drive) from corroding together and seizing, without being so slippery that it flies all over the place or helps the bolts work loose. For sure it's easier to get the wheel off next time if there's a trace of copper gloop on the threads

[NoRRmad]

Hm. I just checked my Clymer manual to be sure. It says no lubrication to the wheel bolts, which makes some sense, since lube will reduce the torque required to stretch the bolt to failure. I'd clean everything real good, make sure to install the tapered sleeves on the wheel bolts, and put it together with exactly the right torque reading, which, I think I remember, is 105 Newton-Meters.

[garr2]

When reassembling make sure you reinstall the shim/washer between the wheel hub and the final drive. They are easy to loose and forget about.
Rear wheel bolts should be clean but dry for the reason given by NoRRmad.
Initial torque 50 Nm, final torque 105 Nm.
Bolts tightened in a crosswise order.

Ian

[CycleRob]

The service manual specifically says clean and dry threads. This pic shows why you should never grease lugnuts or lugbolts.



EDIT: To change photo host from PhotoBucket to the faster, less intrusive Postimage.org

[grwrockster]

I'll check mine next time more carefully then! They looked fine when I changed the tyres earlier this month, but I'll scrutinise them next time I've got the wheel off!

Will admit I've put (a tiny bit of) copper grease on my rear wheel bolts - simply because when I got the bike it was 3 yrs old and mint, & with only 2000 miles, so guessing on the OE tyres (Bridgestones which I was surprised by btw). When it came time to change the rear tyre, the wheel bolts were squealing with complaint when I undid them (being dry-fitted and left to oxidise for over 3-years I thought). Also the rear wheel didn't want to come off the splines -it was stuck and took a bit of persuasion to get off! I think the original owner kept it immaculately clean, but went a bit mad with the pressure washer perhaps?

I also had the final drive pivots start to creak pretty early too and had to change those - I'm guessing though that was perhaps BMW not applying enough grease or an incorrect torque on assembly though?.

I recently came across and bought a complete used Final Drive and Swingarm as a spare (my Rockster is non-ABS, but this is off an ABS model that was turned into a Trike). Got it c/w the torque arm, ABS Sensor and the Wheel bolts, so I have some spares if mine look anything like CycleRob's pics!

[gregor]

Thanks guys. I replaced them dry although my instinct was definitely to use copper grease. The shim hit the floor but it is definitely in place now.
Just need some dry weather to bed in the new tyre. Raining after an impromptu family barbeque.