[burke]

Maybe this sounds dumb, but when I put my wheels on without a lift, I sit on the floor and put my feet under the tire to lift it while I put the axle through. I have no issues and it's not that uncomfortable either.

NOT dumb and works

 

[burke]

AS long as the axle slides in perfectly (with no effort or wiggling) without wheel..YES it's you.

before re-installing the wheel.. I always insert the the axle thru the wheel hub first to reallign the the shaft with the wheel bearings on each side.

I have had the hub shaft shift a little and get caught on one side. Depending on what you just did to the wheel this can be whats happening to you.

Unless you have a good adjustable and smooth moving lift... there will be some amount of difficulty. If the axle/threads are getting hung your bike is not high enough off the ground and/or ever so slightly tilted most likely.

If you lift is fixed height.stand facing the headlight with the wheel between your feet...or on your feet depending on how far you have to lift the wheel..

if it's still catching ..try wiggling the wheel side to side a bit or lifting the fork bottle.

The bottom line is it is less difficult IF every thing else is perfect.. forks/tubes are 100% straight, aligned and at equal height, equal suspension adjustment...calipers/brake pads/discs are all parallel /not warped.

 

[burke]

Ghostrider21 wheel lifter looks useful!!