What's the best way to remove the wheel. I don't see a phillips screw or any screw for that matter on the speedo. Do I need to remove the brake caliper? Which there are 3 sets of 2 allen bolts to remove on the caliper, which ones do I take out?

In other words, the service manual and cyclepedia manual have been of no use here. I'm stuck. Please help.

 

what are you trying to do?

 

Replace a tube in the front tire.

I got the wheel off. On the 09 there is no screws holding the speedometer in, it just separates off and hangs from the line.

I accidentally removed two 9mm allen screws from the caliper side. If you are facing your bike, the brake pad to the left is freed by these two screws. I seated the pad in and screwed them back in. I didn't remove the caliper at all and the wheel came right out.

Assuming I get the tube in OK, will I need any readjustments on the brakes, or am I good as long as I don't squeeze em together while the wheel is off?

 

yep, you're okay. just don't squeeze them together or you'll be in trouble. did you have a flat or just installing better tubes?

 

I had a flat. I thought it was a thorn, but it wasn't. I felt on the inside of the tire where a little thorn was poking in (still is...it's in there good). I didn't feel anything. So I submerged the tube in water and the culprit immediately identified itself as the valve stem. It actually began to separate from the tube. I probably could've gotten away with some kind of gunk sealer around the outside of the stem/tube, but I'm in a garage, with a brand new tube.

The tube is the same exact brand/size as the replacement. I'm having some issues getting the stem to go through the hole in the rim. I've got it lined up no problem, but I think the rim liner is blocking it up. I can see where if I'm not careful, I can stress the stem/tube connection and this could happen again.

Gonna watch the dirt bike tire change video again. I must be doing something wrong here. I'm so close!

Would the slime/gunk fixed this? This wasn't just a small 2mm hole, 1/4 of the valve stem was separated from the tube.

 

Leave the valve stem nut OFF when you've installed the tube. Just fit a valve cap. Lets the valve move a little. If lucky you'll notice it has moved before it tears a hole.

 

Well, the tire seems to be holding air! I think my tire gauged crapped out though. Went by the air compressor gauge. I didn't leave the 1st stem bolt off. I re-watched that dirt bike tire video, and the stem just popped right through the hole no problem. That guy is right. If it's too hard, you're doing it wrong.

Brakes feel slightly mushy, but they still grab pretty good. I haven't been on the bike for a week so it might just be my imagination.

Wheel spun freely. I forgot to check to see if it spun freely once the wheel was torqued and brakes squeezed. Do you think that'll be an issue? It seems to be OK after a quick ride around the yard.

I'll be pretty disapointed if I walk out to a flat tire in the morning. Goin' on my first real DS ride tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

Bon Voyage.

 

Ironically, I just finished repairing my front tube as well. Exactly the same proble, there was a tear at the bottom of the valve stem,. Mine was only about 2mm long and I was using HD tube in the front! I thought these were indestructible? Anyhow, I went and bought a new regular tube, but when I got home I decided to try and patch the HD tube. I have had crappy luck changing the front tires and pinching tubes, so I figured if I could get the HD tube to hold air-it would be my best chance of getting the bike back to a ridable state. I still had a patch and flammable glue leftover from my last tire change, so I cut a hole in the center of the patch for the stem to poke through and removed the botom nut and concave washer from the tube. roughed up the area, slobbered the glue all over it, set it on fire, blew it out when the glue boiled, and slipped the patch down over the stem. Rubbed it on real good, replaced the washer and nut, snugged them up, replaced the tire and tube and wooohooo!!! Got it first crack!

So really is it better to snug the second nut and try to get the tube to stay still on the rim or leave the outer nut loose? I felt maybe the tube moving inside the rim allowed the edge of the washer to pinch the tube, but I may be wrong.

 

I dunno about the washers. Let us know if your glue job holds up. Went on a ride today and I realized I didn't fill the tire enough. it was low, maybe around 12-15 psi. This was a good thing later on as we went down some steep rocky terrain. A DR650 stripped out and myself were the only 2 guys that went for it. A Vstrom650 and a TransAlp decided backtrack and meet back up on the main road.