front wheel removal

[bigbore2]

I need to remove the front wheel and fix the howl coming from hub/speedo gear misalignment.  How do I remove the front wheel without the bike tipping forward or is it to just put on the center stand as it is balanced for that?  I think that is what I did on my previous bike 76 KZ 900 as once the front wheel weight is off, the bike tips back onto rear wheel.

[markmartin]

Go to this post in the files.  http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1911.0.
Open the attachment and look down through the first few pictures.  There is a picture of a stand that I built from some scrap 2x6 and plywood, that I use whenever I have any front end work.  

I've heard of others using a car jack up against the bottom of the motor to suppoert the front of the bike, but I've never tried this myself.

[1tinindian]

I put mine on the center stand, use a car floor jack that has a rubber pad, right under the engine drain plug.
I lift right on the exhaust pipes.
No problems, done it many times with my FJ as well as my GS1100.

Leon

[SlowOldGuy]

I remove the lower fairing and run a 2x4 from a small jack behind the front wheel up to the bottom of the lower triple clamp.  This tilts the bike back onto the rear wheel.

I have a wooden stand that I made which fits under the lower frame rails and will very securely hold the bike in this position.  Next time I use it, I'll try to snap some pictures.

DavidR.

[cjard]

i put a jerry can full of gas in the top pannier box. with the weight of the front wheel off it sits on the back wheel nicely

[ribbert]

Keep it simple, I raise my front wheel weekly for cleaning. I leave the fairing on and use a bottle jack on the lug in front of the sump plug. I've  done this literally hundreds of times without incident.
Noel

[bigbore2]

Thanx for all the replies- I have a car floor jack that will do nicely. Slowoldguy, I like your idea.  No one mentioned having their wife sit on the back of the seat while you do your work. 

[tmkaos]

I also use a car jack under the sump to rock the bike back onto the rear wheel - one thing to take note of is that if your jack like mine is hydraulic, I've never yet come across a hydraulic jack that will maintain pressure for more than 24 hours, I always jam a block of wood into my jack so it cannot let itself down overnight. Not a problem if it's just an afternoons lift but if the job stretches out it'l save you from coming back to the garage and finding your FJ doing a handstand 

[Wedge]

I also had the howling up front. I replaced the speedo cable hoping that would fix it but no joy. So I found a "zeroed" out speedometer on eBay, installed it, it and the howl is gone. I need to loosen the screws holding it in place because the needle is bouncing around way too much.

[Steve_in_Florida]

No one mentioned having their wife sit on the back of the seat while you do your work. 

It was antics like this that earned me a well deserved divorce!