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Seized? The bugger's more like welded in.

It's the bolt that's connecting the back of the suspensions triangle to the lug on the swinging arm. Clearly it's supposed to rotate and hasn't for quite some time as the triangles have been rotating around the bolt. How even with the most rotten bearings it's resisting enough torque/heat/hammer blows to move not even one millimeter is beyond me.

I've now had to remove the arm (mille conversion) and will take it to the workshops at my local hackspace for a bit of fettling.

Any tips? The bolt head is now rounded off - I guess I'm going to have to drill it out but that'll still leave a mega-seized bearing in place.

weld a smaller socket head on to a bar and whack it on then try it ? Don't think it would work and I wouldn't trust my mechanical ability but sounds good and could be a larf

Any chance of penetrating oil working on your seized coupling ? or a soak in some sort of liquid?

squid behave!!

<Jeremy Clarkson>Bigger hammer?</Jeremy Clarkson>

Sounds like it is properly stuck on. Not sure TBH. Usually would have gone begging for air tools/impact wrench if it were me but that won't work as you have already taken the head off the bolt.

Might be a Falco thing.

When Aprilia Performance serviced mine recently, the found a knackered bush/pin in the lower linkage. Half the chrome plating had worn off. Needless to say it was replaced.

As you have the swing arm off, things should become easier,
Patience and re applying diesel work wonders,as does gentle heat. Try to remove all corroded crap from each end of the bolt and nut.
Now you need a cheap poor quality spanner to weld to the bolt head, naff quality will weld better ( good quality spanner will become brittle after welding ), you need someone who knows how to weld....
Patience, wire brush, diesel heat, repeat, repeat ect

See see I said weld something

NickyT wrote:Might be a Falco thing.

When Aprilia Performance serviced mine recently, the found a knackered bush/pin in the lower linkage. Half the chrome plating had worn off. Needless to say it was replaced.

I think they're prone to seizing in the long term if not cleaned and lubed occasionally. I had the suspension done at 20k miles and the back was partially seized. I'm going to give it a couple more years then strip, clean, lube etc.

Here he goes again any excuse to get the lube out!

Go for the welded-on spanner method.

Use the diesel/heat/diesel/heat suggestion with caution!!!

Obiwan Kenobi wrote:Go for the welded-on spanner method.

Use the diesel/heat/diesel/heat suggestion with caution!!!

Diesel has a fairly high flash point and considering the work will be on ali linkages the heat has to be gentle as suggested, not as dodgy as it sounds !
Assuming a degree of common sense of course

That'll be one of the many reasons nobody has let me try it then

Swinging arm out and, thanks to newly activated membership of Nottingham Hackspace, a superbly equipped workshop!

Bloody hell - no wonder the triangles were worn out - they've been pivoting on the bolt for as long as I've been riding the bike.









I managed to press the bolt through the sleeve using a vice - but as to pressing the sleeve out of the swinging arm there's absolutely no way it'll move. Two appropriately sized sockets on either side and whacking the vice handle with a 5lb club hammer merely succeeded in denting the aluminium lug.

Considering there's just 50 little rusty needles holding it in they sure have got a good grip. I've chiselled out the seals but with the arm on it's side, wd40 goes nowhere after 15 minutes sitting in a pool.

I clamped the vice just on to the sleeve and even with maximum pressure it would just slip as I rocked the arm - it wouldn't be any more solid if it were welded in.

I think my only course of action is set aside a week or two and hacksaw it in two. There is a milling machine and a pillar drill but I don't think that would work out so well without a proper jig to hold it in the right position.

Furthermore - three stainless bolts sheared off - two for the hugger and one for the chainguard so I will need to get handy with the pillar drill and helicoil set. If you're working with your swinging arm - use anti-seize when you put the bolts back in!

Heat ?

... and if that doesn't work, drill it out ....

Penetrating oil ?

D-Rider wrote:Heat ?

... and if that doesn't work, drill it out ....

Don't use heat near aluminium!!!!!!

I could press the fooker out. Just bought a 12 tonne press. Very handy piece of kit if I say so myself.

I would chop the bolt off flush and push the lot out in one.