Seized coupling.

[fatboy]

Once again you get an A plus for effort !
once again fatboy recommends leaving stuff soaking in diesel then leaving them soaking and soaking then drowning.
The oxidisation you are fighting against is as stubborn as dried on Weetabix,which gives up after a few soakings.
I rebuilt an old Ford Gritter/Snowplough, the corrosion was so severe it was almost impossible to see where bolts and rivets were on the chassis, I sheared only 3 bolts out of over 100 with yes, yawn, diesel, heat, patience

[D-Rider]

Heat ?

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

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

Crikey - I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine.

[blinkey501]

Heat ?

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

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

Crikey - I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine.

Ok naked flame dumb ass

[D-Rider]

Heat ?

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

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

Crikey - I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine.

Ok naked flame dumb ass

Ok ..... I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine ......

(and despite that, I didn't actually specify a flame ... just heat)

[KitchenSync]

Do as you mother told you. Every night before you go to bed, brush your teeth, say a prayer to your god/s/ess/esses, grease your Aprilia suspension...

or face the consequences:

You'll try cutting a keyway:


To try and get some purchase in the vice:


Then you'll try and drill the f*cker out:


In the end you'll spend an hour with a carbide dremel bit


and eventually


You'll get that damn thing out - but you may not be able to reuse it.



While you're at it you may as well drill out those sheared hugger fixings



and check out the swinging arm bearings - I reckon these are good for reuse?


I'd like to pin this all on previous owners, but I've owned this bike longer than any of them - just didn't realise how "bad" (aka dangerous) things were.

One does wonder about the wisdom of making a hollow swinging arm that can fill up with water and flood the bearings every time you put the brakes on.

Sorely tempted to put some grease nipples in (everything but the dogbone) - has anyone done that before?

[fatboy]

Well done !
Looks like a design flaw, worsened by mechanics not bothering to use anti sieze on assembly ( no excuse in Fatboy's book of doing stuff).
Fitting grease nipples may help but really would benefit from machining a spiral greaseway in any sleeve to ensure transportation to each end ect.
Final note of caution, any cutting marks made into any aluminium component should be ground smooth and polished to avoid leaving stress lines which can lead to fracture, an online search will reveal how critical this can be

[blinkey501]

Heat ?

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

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

Crikey - I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine.

Ok naked flame dumb ass

Ok ..... I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine ......

(and despite that, I didn't actually specify a flame ... just heat)

Oh sorry Andy.

What was you suggesting? Putting the arm in the oven? a hair dryer perhaps? putting it on a Radiator?

[MartDude]

Play nicely, chaps

[flatlander]

Wouldn't it have been easier just to replace the whole thing ?

[D-Rider]

Heat ?

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

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

Crikey - I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine.

Ok naked flame dumb ass

Ok ..... I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine ......

(and despite that, I didn't actually specify a flame ... just heat)

Oh sorry Andy.

What was you suggesting? Putting the arm in the oven? a hair dryer perhaps? putting it on a Radiator?

I wasn't being specific but since you ask, I'd probably start with the time-honoured method of wrapping an old towel around the part I wanted to expand and pour copious amounts of boiling water over it. That is often very effective.

I wouldn't rule out the gentle use of a blowlamp if it really was necessary - but it probably wouldn't be.

In the meantime I'm going through my collection of aluminium saucepans and frying pans to ensure I keep them well away from the gas hob ....

[blinkey501]

Heat ?

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

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

Crikey - I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine.

Ok naked flame dumb ass

Ok ..... I'll remember that next time I'm tempted to start an engine ......

(and despite that, I didn't actually specify a flame ... just heat)

Oh sorry Andy.

What was you suggesting? Putting the arm in the oven? a hair dryer perhaps? putting it on a Radiator?

I wasn't being specific but since you ask, I'd probably start with the time-honoured method of wrapping an old towel around the part I wanted to expand and pour copious amounts of boiling water over it. That is often very effective.

I wouldn't rule out the gentle use of a blowlamp if it really was necessary - but it probably wouldn't be.

In the meantime I'm going through my collection of aluminium saucepans and frying pans to ensure I keep them well away from the gas hob ....

Ah the good old small print. Different grade of aluminium andy.

And the truth of the matter Andy is I don't believe you, I DO think you meant use a naked flame.

And in the wrong hands this could distort or melt a key part of the suspension on the bike, remember we don't just have people on this forum with a lot of mechanical skill.

If I am honest you always like to have a joke on other peoples expense ready to quickly pick them up when you have chance.

This is why if you do this to me I will hit you head on.

For instance...... Do you remember when I said an oil pump would have enough pressure to operate the timing chain adjusters and you shot me down, and it turned out I was right?

Although you apologised, you don't like to be wrong!!!!

All I am saying some people are right some of the time, some most of the time but no one is right all of the time.

I know about fitting and welding, I do it everyday as a job. but I would shy away from conversations about computers as my knowledge on that subject is limited

Sorry to you andy and everybody else if this upsets or offends.

[mangocrazy]

Without wishing to get drawn into this spat, I'd make the following observations:

A naked flame can be used on aluminium, but caution must be exercised. The maximum heat I would use is that from a propane soldering torch on a low to medium setting, and then you must take care never to let the flame linger on one spot. You need to play the torch around the area, gradually letting the heat seep into the aluminium. This may take some time, as aluminium is very efficient at transferring heat away.

I've used this technique when fitting bearings; put the bearings in the freezer overnight, heat up the aluminium casing as above, and the bearings drop in with very little (if any) violence being required. Heat can also help when removing bearings, but generally (as FB has said) in conjunction with copious amounts of Plus Gas, or diesel, or similar.

Having said that, I've also destroyed aluminium sheet by the localised over-application of heat, so care does definitely need to be exercised.

[blinkey501]

Without wishing to get drawn into this spat, I'd make the following observations:

A naked flame can be used on aluminium, but caution must be exercised. The maximum heat I would use is that from a propane soldering torch on a low to medium setting, and then you must take care never to let the flame linger on one spot. You need to play the torch around the area, gradually letting the heat seep into the aluminium. This may take some time, as aluminium is very efficient at transferring heat away.

I've used this technique when fitting bearings; put the bearings in the freezer overnight, heat up the aluminium casing as above, and the bearings drop in with very little (if any) violence being required. Heat can also help when removing bearings, but generally (as FB has said) in conjunction with copious amounts of Plus Gas, or diesel, or similar.

Having said that, I've also destroyed aluminium sheet by the localised over-application of heat, so care does definitely need to be exercised.

Ok Graham thanks for that.

[blinkey501]

Sorry Andy I shouldn't read into things too much.
I accept you have a lot of knowledge on the bikes and just get on with it.
Sorry for my out burst folks....

[fatboy]

Mango managed to put the whole thing in perspective...
GENTLE heat,appropriate application can work wonders, too much heat makes scrap.
I was given a very beat up ali wing from a vintage lorry to try and redeem, I left it on top of the Rayburn for a few hours then gently beat the hell out of it with various shaped bits of hardwood...very pleased with the result.
Remember there is theory and practice, then the grey area inbetween !