Anything in particular I should know before I remove the rear wheel of my '04 620 in order to get a new tire? - thanks.

I'd have a look at the parts diagram before you do so - just so you'll have an idea of what to expect.

It's not a real big deal, but there are a couple spacer/washer items that you'll need to keep track of their position and orientation.

hmmmm..., I'm looking at that. Is it really necessary to remove the sprocket and brake disk in order to put on a tire?

Shouldn't be.  Might call your shop and ask them though.  I did a front tire change with discs on.

You don't have to remove the brake disc.

It's best to remove the sprocket/carrier assembly, as it's only held on by the friction of the pins in the cush drive.
Grab the sprocket and wiggle it while pulling, and it'll walk off.

There's an axle spacer on the sprocket side that's conical, the narrow end *must* go toward the wheel when you reassemble.

ahhh, yes... that's the kind of thing I usually find out the hard way. Thanks, ya'll.

Quote from: Speeddog on July 30, 2008, 09:01:26 AM
There's an axle spacer on the sprocket side that's conical, the narrow end *must* go toward the wheel when you reassemble.

Oh yeah there is .  When my mechanic buddy helped me with that front tire, we also did my rear rotor.  When the wheel was going back on, he was dealing with the sprocket side and put that spacer on back wards.  We spun the wheel before tightening the axle nuts... spun free - Great!  Tightened the axle nuts and it was locked solid.  After some fussing about, I finally asked if he'd installed any spacers.  "Yeah, I put it back"  "Which way did you put it back?" "Um..."

Yeah, it was on inside out... Good thing it's is *really* easy to tell if you've done that.. since the wheel will NOT move. 

This is the spacer that so many people seem to put in backwards.  The more pointed side goes in and the flat side goes against the swingarm.  Don't put it in backwards.

Quote from: ScottRNelson on August 08, 2008, 05:36:26 AM
This is the spacer that so many people seem to put in backwards.  The more pointed side goes in and the flat side goes against the swingarm.  Don't put it in backwards.

#$%@&*^@!!!!
Ended up taking my bike in to the local Kawasaki shop (cuz there's no ducati shop near) and having them replace the tire (cuz I needed to get my bike inspected also). Rode it about 500 mi last weekend to visit my mom, no problems. For some reason I was inspecting the rear sprocket tonight and thought, 'isn't that spacer in backwards from what the guys on dmf told me?'
Double-checked, and sure enuff it was!
Took off the wheel and reassembled it properly, NPF. (I did get a chance to figger out that the axle slides back in a WHOLE lot easier from the sprocket side).
Weird. Any thoughts?

(yuu, feel free to chime in and tell me to use the 'search' function, ha-ha!)

^^ Yet another reason why I spent so much money on a NoMar tire changer.

Quote from: bullet boy on September 11, 2008, 06:38:07 PM
<snip>

(yuu, feel free to chime in and tell me to use the 'search' function, ha-ha!)

Hey man, Yuu has done nothing but help you, both in this thread and in the spark plug thread where howie and uclabiker commented. You may have meant this statement as a joke but its really not comin off that way so I thought you might like to know. 

And thank you Yuu and others for posting this information. Very helpful! 

Quote from: bullet boy on September 11, 2008, 06:38:07 PM
(yuu, feel free to chime in and tell me to use the 'search' function, ha-ha!)

I will.  Go search here - http://www.ducatimonster.org/forums/search.php - it's more your speed.

Quote from: JBubble on September 12, 2008, 08:46:41 AM
Hey man, Yuu has done nothing but help you, both in this thread and in the spark plug thread where howie and uclabiker commented. You may have meant this statement as a joke but its really not comin off that way so I thought you might like to know. 

Whew! Touchy bunch. Guess its time for me to invest in a manual.

As I said before - when I apologized for coming off rude - Thanks, all, for the help.

Quote from: bullet boy on September 12, 2008, 09:09:57 AM
Whew! Touchy bunch. Guess its time for me to invest in a manual.

As I said before - when I apologized for coming off rude - Thanks, all, for the help.

Perhaps some introspection is in order on your part.  In two instances you've been called to the carpet for being rude, by 3 separate people.  Perhaps it's not that people are touchy, but perhaps that your communication style is less than endearing.  Simple logical deductions says that when there's 1 commonality amongst multiple problems, than that commonality is the most likely fault.   You're that commonality.

You tell me to 'get a life' when I tried to direct you to multiple sources for the information you wanted, and suggested that you use the search since it's great for finding all sorts of info.  Perhaps it was trying to 'teach you to fish' in a way.   Instead of being polite and saying a simple thanks for the suggestion, or even saying nothing - you chose to fire off a barb.  That comes off as rude and makes you look like an ingrate. 

You follow that up with with a reference back to the original 'get a life' comment your older thread where I'd at least taken some effort to help you again.  Was there any positive point to that?  You can't legitimately say there is.

So it's not really that people are touchy, it's that you are representing yourself poorly and as rude.

You're right - I could have been more sensitive towards your feelings - I have always valued your input.

Having said that, I originally asked a straightforward question. If you didn't know or chose not to share - fine. Instead, you chose to take the time to to tell me to 'use the search button' or 'look in the manual'. Why would someone who posts such a smug answer on a mc board be surprised to get a smart-ass reply?
As I have said, I am sorry to get cross-wise with you and your buds for what I never intended to be a slight, and I am done defending myself on this.