Stuck Spindle

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Rich_j

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Hi Folks

Not been around for a while, had to hack through the cobwebs to find the Commando at the back of the shed.
Chrome and ally have suffered a bit but nothing too bad with the exception of a rear wheel spindle won't withdraw.
It will turn, as it undoes it jacks the brake (drum type) away from the wheel spreading the swingarm.
Seems to be stuck in the bearings/spacer.
I've tried allowing it to spread and hitting the hub to try and shock it loose but no joy.

Any ideas how to get it free? I think I need to stop the swingarm spreading somehow but can't see an easy way of doing it.

Cheers

Rich
 
The axle usually is 2 pieces, make sure the LHS sprocket side is tight, then undo and pull out the longer RHS axle half.... Then undo sprocket side to remove all from swingarm.. Hope this helps :D :D
 
Axle is definitely sticking in one of the sleeves in the right side of the hub, possibly the bearing inner sleeve.

I'd get it to spread a bit, try to shoot some Kroil, PB-Blaster or WD-40 in the axle mating joints as much as possible, let set a few hours, then smack the swingarm right next to the axle with a big hammer (with a 2x4 or plywood in between!). Should shock it loose...
 
olChris said:
then undo and pull out the longer RHS axle half....
Click to expand...

That's the problem, it won't come out :cry:


grandpaul - Will try leaving it spread a bit with WD-40 as you suggest and see if it gives.

Rich
 
WD-40 is useless in this application (its useless in most applications)
you'd be better off with the Kroil, PB-Blaster

what works best is acetone (or diesel fuel) mixed with ATF (1:1)
Rich_j said:
olChris said:
then undo and pull out the longer RHS axle half....
Click to expand...

That's the problem, it won't come out :cry:


grandpaul - Will try leaving it spread a bit with WD-40 as you suggest and see if it gives.

Rich
Click to expand...
 
Does the speedo drive turn on the spindle? If they don't have the correct spacer in they can jam on the spindle and make it hard to get out.

Ian
 
Might try leaving dumb ass axle nut tight and then screw out the long axle before resorting to slicing/dicing. Speedo drive should be trapped fixed by crush force on the top hat spacer. It some how a lip got ground into long axle, oh oh metal ruining rending force may be needed after swing arm and shocks un done to release rear end for robust industrial scale attacks.
 
mikegray660 said:
WD-40 is useless in this application (its useless in most applications)
you'd be better off with the Kroil, PB-Blaster

what works best is acetone (or diesel fuel) mixed with ATF (1:1)
Rich_j said:
olChris said:
then undo and pull out the longer RHS axle half....
Click to expand...

That's the problem, it won't come out :cry:


grandpaul - Will try leaving it spread a bit with WD-40 as you suggest and see if it gives.

Rich
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
yes i agree wd40 is a water dispersant not a penetrating oil use plusgas etc ,,,,,,,,baz
 
wd/40 is merely a solvent and mild wiring terminal water displacer but will not protect metal much from moisture after seeing it floating on a rusting water layer over night more than once, Lack of lubrication has no effect on removing long axle but maybe very slightly easier to remove if no internal mechanical hang ups. I can't think of a more simple machine with such complex issues to get past so routinely.
 
I brought 2 tins of PB Blaster back from the US a few years ago, makes WD40 seem as good as water, spray it into stereo volume switches that no longer, twist the knob a couple of times and as good as new.
 
Nortoniggy said:
Does the speedo drive turn on the spindle? If they don't have the correct spacer in they can jam on the spindle and make it hard to get out.

Ian
Click to expand...

I don't think the issue can be with the speedo drive. The wheel is jacking away from the brake and won't slide towards it, indicates the problem is in the wheel.

Had some heat on it for a few hours today, no effect, but its difficult to get heat through to the spindle.

Also managed to get some clamps across thew swingarm to limit the spreading but they flexed too much to have a lot of effect.

Toying with the idea of rigging a scaffold bar frame to clamp up the swingarm.

Rich
 
yep, sounds like the central bearing spacer is seized on the axle which i wouldnt of thought would happen as they are normally a fairly loose fit on the axle, and of course its near impossible to get any penetrating oil inside.
you will probably have to get really serious (butcherous) maybe weld a heavy slide hammer on the head of the long axle , its hard to hit the stub axle without damaging it, but some good wallops on that side as well as the slide hammer,
perserverence will be the key it seems,
sound like a case of axle replacement , One Piece of course.......
 
Torontonian said:
Hack saw time ?? :?
Click to expand...
Yes, It is probably safe to say that the axel is toast or at least not advisable to use again. With that in mind should open some out of the box thinking. I might try to attach a slide hammer to it. This may require drilling laterally and pinning to gab it with a puller and attaching the slide hammer somehow.
Another option as Torontonian points out is the saw through the spacer and axel near the hub(sawsall). Pulling the spacer and speedo drive away will giving yourself clearance to remove the unit from the cushdrive. THEN you can have you way with it. The trashed spacer will add about $10 to the overall expence.
 
Trashed spacer, trashed bearings and spacers, trashed long and likely dummy axle and maybe popping out some drum if not already worn to usless in side. Trashed attitude towards such a simple device to service. Rust alone can not hang up bad as this case. Might weld on a big long bolt to rig up a puller which if don't work may have to add up costs of new rear hub versus new swing arm after cutting this one off. Can remove rear 'module' by slipping out swing arm spindle and undoing shocks. I've run into oppositely lipped spindle twice, ruined first swing arm but the loads to pull out spindle leaving grooves in its hardened surface so GT Enterprise famous frame man could not get it to pass a spindle again. Second time I knew better and gas cut sa off then took cradle to dozer shop and only took about 28,000 PSI to get spindle started then reduced to 18,000 lb to chase all the way out which didn't do cradle any good either but saved it so still in Trixie Combat. Was tricky to back up cradle not to turn to crumpled foil and hope your axle ain't so hung up.

Stuck Spindle
 
I'm not a big fan of "hitting things with hammers" to loosen them. How about some careful short bursts with an air impact wrench.
You'll need to spin the axle in by hand with a wrench then impact outwards for a few impacts over and over a few times.
The abrupt shock wave of force breaks stubborn corrosion bonds better than the brute force method.
I'm always amazed how well an impact wrench can remove a stubborn fastener without inflicting any
damage to surrounding parts (assuming proper use).

You can reinforce the swing arm to keep it from spreading with a long pipe clamp.
These use common water pipe for the actual pipe. Cheap enough to buy.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-i ... -3813.html

Penetrating oil is your friend as well. Lay the bike on it's side to help the oil flow down to the bearing race.
Penetrating oil is thin enough to slip past any seals. Patience here is the key.

And isn't heating the axle going to make it expand, making it even harder to extract from the bearing?

Mark
 
Unfortunately things as unusual bad hung up as this case seems to be may not respond to lesser concepts of tools to use. Hammers sammers, I say relax and just blow away the speedo drive then through the axle to get closer to riding again. I guess a SawsAll might work but hand hacking at it will wear your life time down to a nubbin.

Stuck Spindle
 
Just before you go ape with it, just confirm that the Left hand stub axle is not turning and that the Right hand spindle IS unscrewing? In other words you're not just turning the whole lot round having undone the LH nut. The two flats on the stub axle will not stop Arnold Shwartzenegger winding the whole lot round with a long bar.
That's where my money is. Remember this guy has not seen this bike for sometime and probably not seen the workshop manual either.
 
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