Removing rusted main pivot bolt

[Padowan]

Im trying to overhaul the missuss's Dakar suspension but am struggling to remove the main pivot bolt. I've removed the nut/washer on the RHS and the bolt was seized and didn't want to simply pull out. I've managed to rotate it with a breaker bar and got some WD40 in there and now it's moving better, but it's still held in fast. Tried knocking it from the RHS with a drift but it won't budge.

Any thoughts, other than continue to preservere with the bar and WD40?

Thanks.

 

[Dansin]

Sounds like the bearings are rusted in which isn't uncommon. Drifting it out is about as good as it gets. Plenty of grease when the new bearings go in. One of the inmates over on advrider has come up with a mod to seal the new installation. Details in a PDF here.

 

[Padowan]

It appears that the bolt is seized in the bearing sleeve. The bearing seems smooth enough, but when I'm moving the bolt the sleeve is rotating inside the bearing so I'm thinking that I'm not working WD40 into the problem area as the 2 parts are not moving relative to each other. Can anyone think of a way to jam the sleeve against the swingarm so that I can try to get the bolt to rotate inside it and hopefully crack the seize?

A drift and club hammer is not shifting it at all, so it's well stuck!

 

[robbie boy]

Try heating it up with a blow torch or heat gun, the cage will expand, should be enough to allow you to penetrate with wd40.
Good luck

 

[Padowan]

It's out. Ended up using an impact wrench on the bolt whilst simultaneously smacking the living bejesus out of the end. On removal of the swingarm there was no grease in either side and a lot of brown paste in the seized end. Poured out lots of fragments of needle roller from the duff end that I think I probably created when I had the 2ft breaker bar on the bolt!

Few bits to replace (bolt, bearings and sleeves), but very glad it's finally out.

Thanks for the advice!