Spreading Those Difficult Forks

[the tinker]

Some front forks are really difficult to install or remove the wheel when working alone. Especially on these Hawthorne springers.
Working by yourself it is very hard to spread the forks and drop the wheel in. Short of threading the axle all the way over and then back again. If you are working by yourself this is not a knuckle friendly task.
Here is an easy way;
Tie a short length of rope to a door knob and the other end tied to one side of the fork and pull taunt.
Leave some excess rope to pull through the wheel and tie to the opposite fork. Then tie a loop to act as a handle.
Grasp the loop and pull the forks apart while dropping the wheel in place.

 

[CrazyDave]

Bike Rustlin' They do that at the county fair here, but they use small cows.

 

[Robertriley]

lol...those forks SUCK to put a rim in. It looked like a murder scene when I was done, blood everywhere! I don't miss doing that at all.