Fix It

A motorcycle chock, or stand, is critical for storing, transporting, making repairs, and performing maintenance on your motorbike. There are many different styles available and all have their pros and cons. Some are easier to use, more durable, and more versatile than others. There are several options when it comes to finding a wheel chock for your motorcycle.

Front Wheel Chock

There are many styles of front wheel chocks available. Having to maneuver the bikes front tire into the secure holding device is something they all have in common. Their differences are in construction. You can secure some to any surface, such as a trailer or garage floor for security. Others are portable. It is possible to adjust some manually for wheel width, and for others the chock adjusts automatically. With some, you just push the bike into the frame, and it sits flat in the frame. But with others, the front wheel sits in a cradle device, which means you must push a little harder to get the tire in. See the resources for some examples and reviews of front wheel chocks.

Rear Wheel Chock

Rear wheel chocks are a design made to push the rear of the bike up and hold it under the swingarm. The ideal rear wheel chock stand should work easily in one motion. When you push the stand, it should easily lift the bike onto the stand. Rear wheel chocks help to secure the bike for routine repairs, maintenance, cleaning or storage. There are many brands available, with the differences being primarily in the construction and attention to details (see resources).

Rear Wheel Rollers

Rear-wheel chock stands provide support via a stand onto which you roll the bike. Their design has an angle stand that the bike rolls up onto, and an inverted middle with rollers that keep the wheel turning until you stop it. Then, the bike sits comfortably in the stand. These stands (see resources) offer the same benefits as the other two types of chocks, primarily the ability to either park the bike or perform maintenance.

2001 Chevrolet Silverados use a hub-mounted wheel sensor system that consists of an electro-magnetic sensor and a notched reluctor wheel on each front wheel. The reluctor wheel spins at the same RPM as the wheel and the electro-magnetic sensor records this information in pulses. The PCM and ABS computers decode this information and use it determine wheel speed. By determining the wheel speed, both computers can tell if a wheel is locked up or spinning faster than the other. In order to diagnose a faulty wheel sensor, you must monitor the data stream with a scan tool and also confirm that each sensor is receiving voltage.

Instructions

1

Lift the front portion of vehicle with a jack and support it with jack stands; both front tires must be at least 6-inches off of the ground. Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels and apply the parking brake.

2

Switch the ignition to the ON position and connect a scan tool to the trucks data port under the dashboard below the steering wheel. Navigate to the live data menu and monitor the wheel speed sensors; they should both read zero.

3

Turn on the engine and lightly depress the throttle while monitoring the scan tool. The wheel speed sensor output readings should match the speedometer output. If one sensor does not then it is most likely faulty.

4

Turn off the engine but leave the ignition on and lie down on a mechanics creeper. Roll underneath the car and examine the wheel speed sensor wires for fraying or cuts.

5

Unplug the connector from the wheel speed sensor. Probe the light blue wire for the left-front wheel sensor and the tan wire for the right-front wheel sensor with a digital multimeter. The specified voltage value is 1.8 to 12 volts. If the multimeter reads less than 1.8 volts then find and repair the short in the wire and retest the sensor. If the voltage reading is within specification then replace the wheel speed sensor.

You can easily damage auto wheels through accidents, curbing or general wear and tear. A scuffed rim or a combination of scratches can make a wheel look unsightly, but it is entirely possible to restore damage inexpensively.

Preparation

It is important to have a clean working surface, so wash the wheels thoroughly before beginning to work. Sand wheels with P320 grit paper to provide an effective key, and you must add spot putty to minor dents and imperfections. You can rub spot putty to the surface level after it dries.

Priming

Mask the wheel using masking tape and paper. Use two full coats of automotive primer to cover the entire wheel and leave it to dry in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. After the primer has dried, rub it down lightly with a soft sanding pad to provide a key for the paint.

Painting

You must apply paint using several light coats. Wheel silver has a tendency to sag or run if you apply it in high volume. Check the wheel during the painting process to ensure all hidden areas receive a sufficient coating of color. Leave the wheel to dry completely before unmasking.

The bearing assemblies on vehicles allow the wheel to rotate, as well as keeping the wheels adhered to the vehicles body. Bearing types vary, but all perform the same function.

Types

There are two types of bearings: hub and wheel. Both employ the same physical characteristics of a bearing in that they house bearing spheres that are lubricated for spinning to allow the wheel to rotate.

Identification

A major difference between the two is how they are assembled. Wheel bearings can be taken apart, lubricated and reassembled to be used again. Hub bearings are prepacked at the manufacturers factory and are sold and installed as a complete unit. These cannot be taken apart for re-lubrication, but must be replaced.

Warning

Proper care and observation are necessities in keeping bearings lubricated and safe for use. If grinding noises are ignored or regular maintenance of the bearings is put off, lubrication can breakdown and allow the bearings to overheat or break.

There are three basic types of wheel lug nuts: conical; mag or shank style; and ball seat or spherical. When replacing a wheel or lug nuts, it is important that the correct lug nuts are used. The thread diameter, pitch and seat of different types of lug nuts are not the same and they are not interchangeable. Proper installation of a wheel requires that the lug-nut torque be set to the recommended specification for your vehicle to prevent damage.

Torque Specification Conditions

Torque specifications are for clean, dry threads that are free of dirt. Never apply anti-seize lubricants to the threads of a lug nut unless directed to do so. The use of anti-seize lubricants can result in inaccurate torque values that may cause over torquing and damage to the lug nuts or vehicle rotors and brake drums.

Lug Nut Specifications

The thread or shank diameter of a lug nut is the diameter of the stud part of the lug nut measured across the shank from the outer edges of the threads. Thread-pitch can mean the number of threads per inch, or if listed in millimeters, the distance in millimeters between the threads. The seat is the area on the wheel where the lug nut will tighten down.

Typical Torque Values

The proper torque specification for your vehicle can be found in your owners manual or your vehicles shop manual. If you cannot find the proper torque specification, the following values can be used until your vehicles exact torque value can be confirmed. You will need to know the shank diameter of your lug nut to find the typical torque range.

(Shank diameter) = (Torque range in foot-pounds)

12 mm = 70 to 80

14 mm = 85 to 90

7/16 inches = 70 to 80

1/2 inches = 75 to 85

9/16 inches = 135 to 145

5/8 inches = 125 to 135

Replacing the hub assembly on the front of your Jeep Cherokee is the only way to service the front wheel bearings. Because the hub assembly is a sealed unit, you cannot repair it without special tools. Replacement units for the Jeep front axles are readily available through most auto parts stores and of course the Jeep dealer network, however. The job can become time consuming, but in the end doing the work yourself can save you a substantial amount of money.

Instructions

1

Locate the hub nut and cotter pin in the center of the front wheel on the side on which you will be working. Remove the cotter pin from the shaft with a pair of needle-nose pliers, then discard it. Place a large socket (generally 36 to 45 mm) on the axle nut, and use a breaker bar to rotate the nut counterclockwise until it loosens.

2

Loosen the lug nuts with a lug wrench, then place a jack under the front of the Jeep. Raise it off the ground, and place a set of jack stands under the front axle to support the Jeep. Remove the wheels, and set them aside for now.

3

Locate the two brake caliper retaining bolts on the top of the brake caliper. Remove the two retaining pins with a socket, then ratchet the lift the caliper off the brake rotor. Support the caliper from the top of the suspension with twine to keep it from hanging on the brake hose.

4

Slide the brake rotor off the hub, and set it aside. Locate the three 12-point bolts on the backside of the steering knuckle that retain the hub to the steering knuckle. Remove all three bolts with a 12-point socket and a ratchet. Set the bolts aside.

5

Remove the axle nut from the axle shaft, and pull the hub out of the steering knuckle and off the axle. If it has rusted to the steering knuckle, use a cold chisel and hammer to work around the edge of the hub, separating it a little at a time. It will come out with enough persistence.

6

Clean the interior surface of the steering knuckle with some break clearer and a clean rag then coat it with some anti seize compound. Slide a new hub over the axle shaft and into the steering knuckle. Install the three 12-point retaining bolts from the back of the knuckle and into the hub. Tighten the bolts, drawing the hub completely into the knuckle.

7

Slide the rotor onto the new hub and wheel studs, then position the brake caliper on the rotor. Install the retaining pins into the caliper, and tighten them with a socket and ratchet.

8

Install the axle unit onto the axle shaft, and tighten it until snug. Torque the three 12-point bolts to 75 foot-lbs. with a torque wrench. Install the tire on the hub, and tighten the lug nuts until snug.

9

Raise the front of the Jeep off the jack stands, then remove the stands from under the axle. Lower the jack, setting the Jeep on the ground, and tighten the lug nuts the rest of the way with a lug wrench.

10

Tighten the axle nut to 175 foot-lbs. with a torque wrench, and install a new cotter pin in the end of the axle shaft, bending the legs over with a pair of pliers to hold it in place.