Begin teardown with the bike anchored securely on a central scissor stand. Break loose the axle nuts and sprocket bolts before lifting both tires off the ground. Once elevated, release chain tension by backing off the swingarm adjusters, slide the rear axle out, and dismount the 18-inch dirt assembly. Repeat for the front axle, paying close attention to the orientation and placement of the factory dust seals and side wheel spacers.
Installation requires strict adherence to mechanical sequence. Mount the new 17-inch front wheel into the fork lugs, threading the 20mm axle through with a light coating of waterproof marine grease. Do not tighten the axle nut to final spec immediately. Spin the front wheel, pump the front brake lever four times, and compress the front forks downward three times to let the fork legs settle naturally on the axle shoulder.
Tighten the front axle nut to 75 Nm (55 ft-lb), followed by the fork lug pinch bolts to 15 Nm (11 ft-lb). On the rear assembly, slide the 17x4.25 rim into the swingarm slots, slip the drive chain around the rear sprocket, and push the 22mm axle through. Tighten the rear axle nut to 110 Nm (81 ft-lb) only after verifying axle block alignment on both sides with an external caliper rather than relying solely on the stamped swingarm marks.
