Topic: Cannot get front axle to break loose

[killersoundz]

  This dangon' front axle on one of my donor wheels will not break loose. I need it it's the only front axle I have! I even had another person crank on one side while I cranked on the other. Tried heating it up. No bueno !

Any tips? This thing stinks

[Don R]

Heat, lube, repeat. Don't set anything on fire.

[Terry in Australia]

Use a longer lever mate. I quite often use an old fork tube as a "lever" for a spanner or screwdriver, but a yard of steel pipe makes undoing stuff very easy indeed. Cheers, Terry.

[754]

 Put a spike or rod in the vise for the hole end, then try a socket on other end .6pt if you got it..

[wvshooter]

Put a spike or rod in the vise for the hole end, then try a socket on other end .6pt if you got it..

Followed the Old Timers advice.

Guess being an "old timer" he's learned a couple things along the way. Worked like a charm.

[iron_worker]

I used a 1/4" extension (fit nicely through the whole). Then crank the extension down in a vice with as little of it sticking out as possible to avoid bending. Then crank on the other side of the axle with a wrench/impact... should come out.

IW

[camelman]

I've bent a couple tools trying to loosen those nuts. Try an impact wrench. If you don't have one, then take the wheel to a shop. They'll usually pull those off for $5 or less.

[Hondawggie]

Extreme cold can also be used -- if you have access to one of those large full-size freezers, or a restaurant freezer, or some liquid nitrogen, get the parts cold then whack it loose.   Heat expands, cold contracts.    Freon is another coolant that people used to use on stuck parts but I don't know with all the tree huggers if you can even get freon anymore.

The only thing is, if your 'donor wheels' are what you plan to use in your project -- and the inside diameter of the hub is in that condition, with froze up bearings (I guess?), have a good look at the surfaces there if and when you get the axle out.

The axle rotation is really important -- when something like that may have been damaged during forced disassembly, I don't use it. 

With an antique bike I don't want to worry about anything unless I have to, it might be best to get a new part without that problem.   If it was a stuck kickstand bolt?  No biggie.  A frozen turn signal mount bolt?  Who cares.

But a damaged, moving mating surface? On one of the only 2 wheels on the bike?  No thanks.  Friction, heat, possible failure.