Swingarm Spindle Seized - HELP

[cello]

Need to get the engine out of the frame and the blasted swingarm spindle wont budge. THe bike is a Husky WR250 but imagine all bikes are the same - the spindle as been liberally soaked in WD40 to loosen it and the weight of the bike is on a stand , the back wheel has been reomoved but still it wont budge.

Would appreciate any advice on how to remove this sucker as hitting it with a lump hammer and a drift dont seem to work .

Thanks

Cello

 

[KDX1]

cello,
you could try putting some heat to it with a propane torch. If it it is seized chances are the bearings are toast too so you will have to replace them. Good luck.

 

[Ol'89r]

the spindle as been liberally soaked in WD40 to loosen it

Would appreciate any advice on how to remove this sucker as hitting it with a lump hammer and a drift dont seem to work .

cello.

Lay the bike on it's side and lay a couple of 2X4's or 4X4 pieces of wood under the frame on either side of the swingarm bolt to back up the frame. Then try with the hammer and drift.

Also, WD40 is not that good of a penetrating oil. Check your local hardware store for a good penetrating oil.

KDX1's idea of a little heat will help also.

 

[JasonJ]

It took 3 guys to get the one out of my old IT 250. One guy trying to spin the axle shaft with an impact gun, one guy smacking the other side with sledge hammer, and one guy heating with an Oxey Asettalen tourch. When it finally started to turn and move, we switched from a sledge to an air hammer to start pounding it out while it was spinning. The alluminum in the swing arm wicks to much heat to use anyting but a serious tourch in most cases. Other than that, we would have had to rig the bike ino a hydrolic press to push it out. BTW: I had the nut on the end to chace the threads but we hit is so hard, I had to gring the end of the axle down just to get the nut off :eek: . My swing arm bearings were so beat I was pumping grease into a fitting I tapped in every ride.

 

[500_boy]

I had the same problem on my 1985 CR500, what we ended up doing was putting a bolt inside the pivot bolt so we would not fray the end of the bolt and make it work to come out. Then with an air hammer I pounded on it, and my dad would turn it with an impact on the other side, I also would move the swingarm back and forth and up and down to try and loosen the bearings. After about a half hour and the expense of my hearing for the night we finally got it out. It just takes patience and alot of pounding. You have to use an air hammer, A big sledge, or heat, will just wreck something on your bike especially with all the aluminum on them. Good luck.

 

[Bodge]

Get a bushing driver, you can beat the hell out of it, if that fails cut it out.

 

[Supafly_MX]

Re:

Hi there i had the same problem with my 93 CR125. Tried hammering it with 4 pound hammer, heating it, soaking it with brake fluid and no luck. Eventually i took it to the engineers and they tried using a Press and it still didnt budge. Eventually they had to cut the dam thing off (swingarm pivot). When i got the pieces back i found that the bearings had been alomst welded itself on to the frame !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Neways good luck trying to take it out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers
Supafly_MX

 

[cello]

I Did IT !

Thanks for the advice ...

Ended up soaking it in WD40/Oil after laying it on its side and supporting the frame with some wood.

Now the engine is out I can get on with the job of replacing the main/big ends .....

Cheers Guys

 

[JasonJ]

Cool, dont forget to use gratuitous protions of never seize compound when putting it back together! :cool:

 

[1966mustang]

Anti Seize is wut i use and it works grrrreat

 

[cello]

Swingarm BEarings Removal

Any idea whats the best way to remove the swingarm bearings - roller bearings.

They look shot and some of the rollers are missing . Guess I need a hammer and drift and some brute force !

 

[TrailHead]

I used a torch and a press to press them out. Easy as pie.

 

[kx851]

Once I found roller bearings that had melted to the inside of the swingarm (probably due to lack of maintenance). I tried to hammer them out using a socket that was a little smaller than the hole in the swingarm. That didn't work. I ended up destroying the races by trying to pry a screwdriver behind them. It scarred the inside of the swingarm. Little pieces of the races would break off after pounding or prying. Fortunately it did not scar the swingarm too much. The new races still fit securely. It took several hours. Good luck.

 

[nickyd]

i second the heat and use of a press. well worth not ruining the swingarm.

 

[ukracer]

Had problem myself once, make sure the other side is not in a recess behind a notch in the swingarm. So the spindle has to be twisted slightly to remove from behind so it can then be knocked out. I also used a metal rod as thick as the hole for the swingarm bolt to then knock the bolt out ,without risk of missing the bolt and damaging thread. Not very clear i know sorry. Hope it was of some help.