Topic: Trouble removing front axle

[mrbucket123]

So I'm trying replace the front wheel bearings on my 750 and I'm a little stuck.  Some previous owner must have thought it'd be a nice practical joke to build a bike with every part from a different year.  The frame is a K4, the motor a K3, and as best as I can tell the wheels and swingarm are K7 or K8. 

I've removed the front axle nut, along with the bearing retainer (easier than I thought it'd be from reading some posts here) and the spacer behind the retainer.  I can't seem to get the axle to slide out of the bearings.  It looks like there is a little bit of crap built up on the axle but I wouldn't think that would be holding it in as much as it is.

I've sprayed some penetrating oil on the axle, and pounded away with a mallet, but it doesn't seem to want to budge at all.  A picture of where I'm at is below.



Am I going about this correctly, or is there something else I need to do to get the axle out? 

[MCRider]

Wow, I don't know about your model specifically, but I've never heard of an axle that just didn't slide out easily, maybe a tap to get it started. Inner races of the bearings must be rusted to it, or vice versa. The fact that the bearing retainer came off easily makes me suspicious its been worked on before. Rust doesn't mean it was necessarily under water. Condensation, or having a power washer used on it can rust them up.

Soak it good.

You mentioned a mallet. I'd use a hard faced ball peen hammer, put the nut back on the axle to protect the threads, and just wail on it.  You are replaciong the bearings?

But before you do that, you may want to hear from some others.   

[mrbucket123]

Thanks for the reply.

I guess it's possible it has been worked on before, but I did have to drill out the punch marks on the bearing retainer, and the threads didn't looks like someone had previously removed it and forced it back in or anything.

Some of the rotor bolts were pretty rusty, I had to give them a few whacks with a brass punch before they came out.  2 out of 5 were covered in rust on the surface.  I took the rust off with a die grinder, but that may indicate some moisture found its way into the hub.

Like you said, I'll let it soak a couple of days, I have to wait until the new bearings get here anyway.  I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something before I start wailing on it.  I'll try using something harder than the rubber mallet, with the nut on to protect the threads.  Man, that was a bear to get off, thank god for air impacts. 

[Steve F]

If you're planning on "wailing" on it, protect the threads with the nut, and use a block of hard wood to protect the nut from damage, and use a solid hammer, not a plastic or rubber mallet.  Start with light hammer blows at first.

[swan]

Soak the bearings in penetrant overnight. Use a punch with a hammer to avoid mushrooming your axle end. Also you could try pressing your axle out with a press or rig up a vice or bar clamp to push it out.

Good luck.

[Alan F.]

+1 on pressing it out, but be careful.  Maybe add some heat to the hammering?  a little junk on the axle will affect your removal, but I suspect the spacer in between left and right wheel bearings may be rusted to the axle.  Leave the wheel on its side and spray it with PB Blaster or Kroil twice each day for a while, then get your hammer.

[mystic_1]

then get your hammer.

Use a Dead Blow Hammer, such as this one:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00938359000P?vName=Tools




mystic_1

[Alan F.]

Ah yes the upgraded B.F.H.

[Don R]

Try some kroil. It works better than it should.

[mrbucket123]

Well I soaked it for a few days and every day I'd hit it for a while with the deadblow, but that never worked.  So I eventually got fed up put the nut back on and gave it a hard whack with a small sledge and that broke it loose.

There wasn't any rust on the axle, either inner bearing surface, or the spacer between the bearings.  Maybe the axle is tweaked just a little and that was causing the problem?

Either way, thanks for the suggestions!

[MCRider]

Well I soaked it for a few days and every day I'd hit it for a while with the deadblow, but that never worked.  So I eventually got fed up put the nut back on and gave it a hard whack with a small sledge and that broke it loose.

There wasn't any rust on the axle, either inner bearing surface, or the spacer between the bearings.  Maybe the axle is tweaked just a little and that was causing the problem?

Either way, thanks for the suggestions!

Yeah! +1 for wailing! Sometimes it works and sometimes... it doesn't.

I can't imagine its bent but you'll have to check. I think it was just microscopic rust that was loosend and moved out with all the solvent.

[mutt]

the rare tale in which a bigger hammer makes for a happy ending.....can you get someone to set the axle in v blocks & check for true?
and some white lithium grease on reass'y.......

[Alan F.]

Either way, thanks for the suggestions!

  They'll help some other member with the same problem sooner or later, as will your solution.

The axle may not be bent, maybe it just has a raised ding on it that was hanging it up.  you could softly pass a flat file over it to find and remove any high spots.

and some white lithium grease on reass'y.......

You may want to clean it down with solvent first to get any grit off of it, then grease lightly.  I hate trying to fit bearings or axles without any lubrication, it's like asking for trouble.