My hammer isn't big enough...

[7thirtyseven]

Anyone have any tricks for getting a swingarm bolt out, yes it's been two yrs but it looks like it'll be an eternity till the next time it's out. It's soaking up penetrating oil right now.... Any tricks?

[brentn]

Things can get very tight in this situation. I've had to hammer the shit out of a couple of them, and the best tricks I've found that always work are the following;

-Use penetrating lube in a can with a straw, spray it right in there and through the cracks where the bolt slides through the engine etc.

-Use a long socket driver extension, I have one that's about a foot and a half long and you can use it to push the swing arm bolt out. A regular nail hammer, a large one, should work well enough to push the bolt out with the extension.

If the extension bottoms out and you cannot pull the bolt out by hand, then hammer it back in, then out, back in then out, it will eventually loosen up.

[Greg Y]

if you can get it out enough to grab it and twist with a wrench from the other side...it will help. just be careful.....too much pounding will swell the end and make it tighter. oil and or heat might be the only way.

[orangyktmthing]

A deadblow hammer and a brass drift

[7thirtyseven]

Sooo, the conclusion is more brute force?

[brentn]

Yep.

I didn't manage to mushroom any of the swing arm bolts that i dealt with in the past, but I suppose it could happen so yea, use some moderation.

I once did the same thing for a rear axel and ended up with a super long one after. The socket driver extension was pressed into the inner part of the axel lol. We could not for the life of it, get that friggen extension out. I tried heating it up etc and nothing.

We brought it down to one of our local mechanic shops and they got it out in 2 seconds no charge ?

True story?

[7thirtyseven]

If it doesn't move in the morning I'm taking a sledge hammer to the other side of it. That otta bring it to it's senses.

[Budlite]

Yamaha swingarm pivot bolts have a habit of hanging on the thrust bearings on the end of the swingarm under the cap against the frame. Usually it's easier to just cut the shaft into 3 pieces and replace it. They don't cost much. They can be almost impossible to remove otherwise. Yours make come out, then again you may have the subborn one.

[akpilot7]

If the swingarm bolt won't move at all, it is seized. Yamaha made the bolt hollow, so put a propane torch into the bolt so the flame passes through to the other side. The heat will break the corrosion bonds, and the bolt will move.

If the swingarm bolt moves, but then hangs up, the bolt has grooves worn in it. Loosen all of the engine mounting bolts. This will allow the engine to shift as needed to allow the swingarm bolt to pass through.

[trail_mate]

You're not the only one ---- my hammer isn't big either mate, requires prosthetics ?

[7thirtyseven]

Thanks

[KTMrideR146]

let the penatrating oil sit for a day. spray it like 3-5 times during that day. then get a brass bar that will fit inside the hole where the swingarm bolt goes. Then just beat the shit out of the brass bar with a mallet untill u can grab it with some vice grips. Have someone hold up on the swingarm (take the shock out first) and just twist and pull as hard as u can (thats wat she said) with the vice grips.

[Padgett]

If you have an air hammer, that works real well. Good luck.

[06yz]

I have always had to beat mine out w/ a hammer and a bar, just like every one else. I'm always sure to use a bar that is bigger than the hole on the bolt, so it doesn't get stuck.

MAX!!!

[7thirtyseven]

So, after dousing it several times in all manner of sprays that claimed to be able to loosen the taxmans hold on your money I started out fresh this morning, no go. A buddy came over and we uped the amplitude of the swings of the mallet. No go. Doused some more. Decided to play it safe and headed to the local shop to order a new bolt because I was getting a bigger mallot. While purchasing said instrument of distruction noticed heat guns on sale, bought it too, knowing I should not be trusted with open falme of a torch in current mood. Came home heated, heaved and broke my perfect punch. Took a break and calmed down to a semblance of sanity just in time for my local mechanical guru ( and ktm owner wanting to secretly gloat) to show up with another perfect bar. Heat, couple of good raps later...... Tadaaaa one mangled bolt on the floor, one swingarm in my hands. 30 mins later brand new bearings installed and the bike is waiting for the new bolt!!!!!

Moral of the story...... It will get cleaned and greased EVERY year!