Xhumeka
03-22-2010, 04:08 PM
I picked up an '85 250SX a couple months ago and I finally have time to start getting it ride-ready.
I went to examine the front axle, bearings, etc, and for the life of me, I can't seem to get the axle out.
I know that axles tend to be problematic on these old machines, but I've always been able to eventually get the sucker out, but this time I'm hitting a road block...
I started off with loosening the pincher nuts on the RH fork (4 nuts) and then tried to un-thread the axle... wouldn't budge with my impact wrench (air).
I thought at first that most likely the problem was a rusty bearing sleeve/collar, so I removed the wheel, dropped the LH fork out of the trike, and tried again (axle/drum hanging loose from the LH fork).
STILL wouldn't budge with my air impact wrench... so after re-checking my shop manual to make sure i wasn't overlooking something obvious I took out "OLD RELIABLE" which is my electric impact wrench (approx 250 lb/ft torque) that has never failed me in the past - it either removes the bolt, or snaps it off trying!
STILL wouldn't budge... so unless I'm still missing something obvious, it seems to me that the axle is seized where it threads into the LH fork. My immediate thought is HEAT IT UP, but I remember reading it's dangerous to apply heat to forks so I thought I'd check with you experts first.
I tried PB blaster, but it's very hard to get it to soak into where the axle threads into the fork...
Help greatly appreciated!!
I went to examine the front axle, bearings, etc, and for the life of me, I can't seem to get the axle out.
I know that axles tend to be problematic on these old machines, but I've always been able to eventually get the sucker out, but this time I'm hitting a road block...
I started off with loosening the pincher nuts on the RH fork (4 nuts) and then tried to un-thread the axle... wouldn't budge with my impact wrench (air).
I thought at first that most likely the problem was a rusty bearing sleeve/collar, so I removed the wheel, dropped the LH fork out of the trike, and tried again (axle/drum hanging loose from the LH fork).
STILL wouldn't budge with my air impact wrench... so after re-checking my shop manual to make sure i wasn't overlooking something obvious I took out "OLD RELIABLE" which is my electric impact wrench (approx 250 lb/ft torque) that has never failed me in the past - it either removes the bolt, or snaps it off trying!
STILL wouldn't budge... so unless I'm still missing something obvious, it seems to me that the axle is seized where it threads into the LH fork. My immediate thought is HEAT IT UP, but I remember reading it's dangerous to apply heat to forks so I thought I'd check with you experts first.
I tried PB blaster, but it's very hard to get it to soak into where the axle threads into the fork...
Help greatly appreciated!!