Help!!! Stuck rear axle

[dakarjim]

hi

i've just about finished servicing my bike, and thought i'd save the chain and sprockets till last as it should be a relatively simple job

however; i cannot get the rear axle out!!

i've undone and removed the nut and washer from the right hand side, slackened off the chain adjusters and removed the old chain from the sprocket.

the wheel will spin freely, and can be pushed forward/backward in the swinging arm (one of the chain adjusters felt really stiff to start with but worked loose ok). i can also rotate the axle by hand if i grab both ends and make sure the wheel is square in the swing arm

but it just will not come out i've tried turning it as i tap it, tapping it, hitting it, and almost battering it with a rubber mallet but its getting to the point where i'm worried about causing damage!

has anyone else had this problem?

any advice/ideas (or offers to come and fix it ) would be great

thanks

Jim

 

[rc mad]

Might find it's not been lubed the last time it was fitted and its sticking on the bearings, sounds like you need to beat it off with a hammer, refit the nut before you do tho, so you don't damage the threads. Also a bit of steel over the nut will stop damage to the nut. Wear ear protection cos it'll get real loud

Be prepared for knackered bearings too

 

[dakarjim]

Might find it's not been lubed the last time it was fitted and its sticking on the bearings, sounds like you need to beat it off with a hammer, refit the nut before you do tho, so you don't damage the threads. Also a bit of steel over the nut will stop damage to the nut. Wear ear protection cos it'll get real loud

Be prepared for knackered bearings too

i'd thought that might be the case with the bearings

i was worried about damaging bigger things like swingarm or attached bits and bobs - at least wheel bearings aren't too expensive

big hammer and some elbow grease then?

 

[rc mad]

yup, that's what i'd do. I'd probably use a drift to get the hammer away from the axle a bit too, to lessen the risk of damaging anything by a mis swing.

I have used a 1/4 drive socket extension as a drift before, not recommended but it worked

 

[Timolgra]

It'll be seized on the spacers, spray with some WD then as said get a big hammer out.

 

[brassmonkey001]

Use something softer than steel as a drift, like copper or brass or even a bit of hardwood so you don't damage the threads. And thrash fcuk out of it with a big hammer.
I take it the weight is off the wheel?

 

[dakarjim]

yeah, bike is on centrestand, and the chain is off the sprocket and out of the way

was using a rubber mallet earlier as i didnt want to knacker the end of the axle, but i'm not sure if it has enough weight behind it

might be looking at lump of wood and feckin big lumphammer next (after a good squirt of WD40) good to know i can just batter it though

gonna be like therapy after the day i've had today!!!!!

 

[brassmonkey001]

Just try supporting the wheel as you hit it with the mallet, maybe the weight of the wheel is stopping it coming through. Unlikely I know, but if it's seized in the bearings as well...

 

[VAL. H.]

Don't forget to support the bike. The centre stand will not be enough.

I'd put it on the side stand and chock the front wheel, worth tying the front wheel to the side stand too.


Val.


PS: When swinging the big hammer; Keep your knee out of the way

 

[dakarjim]

many thanks for all the advice


got the axle out, finally.............

took a really good belt with a hammer (via a block of wood)

then had to drift it all the way through to the brake disc as it never got easy enough to just pull out

weird thing is, cant see anything at all that could have caused it; cleaned everything up, greased the axle and it went through the hub both ways nice and easy

 

[rc mad]

Chalk it down to the bike being difficult. There may have been a small amount of corrosion on something that got removed when you knocked it out. Was it dry or greased when you took it out?

 

[dakarjim]

Bone dry!!!

Rode through some fairly deep flood water a few times, maybe some got in and knack'd the grease

who knows!!!