[Boxerman]

Hi Folks, I'd like to pick your brains if I may?
The bike in question is a 2009 Electra EFI but I think this would apply to all bullets with a drum rear brake.
Is there any reason why I should not insert the rear wheel spindle from the sprocket / brake drum side?
The reason may be obvious but I cannot see it. It would make it easier to replace the rear wheel and line up the cush drive if the wheel is centralised on the spindle first.
I have tried this in the past, putting the spindle part way through, lining up the cush drive and putting the spacer in place to hold it while I remove the spindle and put it back in from the 'correct' side.
It seems that it would make more sense to just have the spindle that way round in the first place, but there may be a reason for it being the way it is?

I've asked this on another couple of forums so if you see it elsewhere, it'll still be me asking.

TIA
Frank

[Paul W]

Good going to ask a tech question and have it answered in less than an hour and a half!

We’re lucky on these forums (fora?) to have some very knowledgeable people willing to help others.

Sadly, I read that Hitchcock’s are closing down their own forum in a few days time. But thankfully they are directing people to this one, which they also support.

[richard211]

When you refer to the spindle are you refering to the axle? Here in India people insert the axle from the left because the muffler gets in the way when trying to install the axle from the right side. As long as the wheel stays in place and does not fall off any method would work. 

[Boxerman]

I've always referred to them as spindles, as in the parts book.
Regional differences. Like what our American cousins call a front wheel drive axle,  in the UK it is driveshaft.

Frank

[richard211]

I've always referred to them as spindles, as in the parts book.
Regional differences. Like what our American cousins call a front wheel drive axle,  in the UK it is driveshaft.

Frank

Yes you are right about it being called a spindle. The only reason the spindle / axle is installed from the left side is to avoid having to remove the muffler. In India most people have the rear wheel removed (in case of a flat tyre) by a mechanic or a tyre shop and in most cases the muffler is always hot. The motorcycle is usually on its centre stand and the motorcycle is pivoted over to the left while it's on the centre stand (it's a 2 person job, usually done at the side of the road), so that the rear wheel slides out, without having to remove the rear mudguard.

[Ceefer]

On my 2007 electra x model the spindle is inserted from the right which is a right hassle as you have to remove the silencer. Looking at the Hitchcocks drawings it should be from the left - so at some point its been put in the wrong way.... so I'll need to sort that.