Seized Alternator

[Roymondo]

Oh gawd - Now I'm really worried! No garage and use the thing all year round - I can sense the pressure building up inside my alternator already!

 

[Dazlove]

I use mine all year round, and the alternator seized a few weeks ago.

Made it an interesting ride home, first the death squeal, followed by battery light glaring. I was in the middle of nowhere so pressed on, bike then started it's phased shutdown, first dash, a mile of so later, headlight, mile or so rear light, finally engine!

Managed to coast the last mile to the nearest town where I could stop by a street light.

Heaven knows what anyone thought as I whistled along in stealth mode!

A very nice BMW man picked me up and then a very nice dealer diagnosed and replaced the alternator under warranty - who says it's not worth it.

Many thanks BMW Emergency Service and Bahnstormers Alton

Best regards

Dazlove

 

[VAL. H.]

Thinking out loud, if you have an electric fan heater (typically 1kw) you could blow hot air over the wishbone for 20 minutes or so to get it very hot, then try undoing the bolt assuming you get a Torx driver into the bolt head. IIRC the loctite softens above 100C but obviously be careful what else you heat up in the area.

Will the paint start to melt on the wishbone before I get it hot enough? Could I use a soldering iron on the threaded end, is that likely to work, or will it take all day to get it hot enough???


Val.

 

[Roymondo]

The problem with heating the bolt rather than the wishbone is that the former will expand into the latter, making it grip even more firmly.

 

[Pukmeister]

Will the paint start to melt on the wishbone before I get it hot enough? Could I use a soldering iron on the threaded end, is that likely to work, or will it take all day to get it hot enough???


Val.

You want a broad spread of heat not a direct "pencil flame" effect, hence suggesting a fan heater. When I last removed my front shock I used a Black & Decker hot air paint stripper gun on the threaded side of the lower shock bolt/wishbone but kept it moving to prevent scorching the painted finish and avoided close contact. Once hot the bolt unscrewed with reasonable force without binding, first using a breaker bar then swapping to a ratchet.

I think a soldering iron on the bolt end would take all day.

Have you found a way to undo the bolt yet, eg hammer a Torx drive bit into it? Without a method of undoing the bolt, the hot air on the threads won't make any difference to your dilemma.

 

[VAL. H.]

You want a broad spread of heat not a direct "pencil flame" effect, hence suggesting a fan heater. When I last removed my front shock I used a Black & Decker hot air paint stripper gun on the threaded side of the lower shock bolt/wishbone but kept it moving to prevent scorching the painted finish and avoided close contact. Once hot the bolt unscrewed with reasonable force without binding, first using a breaker bar then swapping to a ratchet.

I think a soldering iron on the bolt end would take all day.

Have you found a way to undo the bolt yet, eg hammer a Torx drive bit into it? Without a method of undoing the bolt, the hot air on the threads won't make any difference to your dilemma.

I'm hoping that with less resistance from the locktight I may be able to undo the bolt. I was moving it back and forth with the ratchet till I slipped and rounded the outer edges of the socket shoulders the bit fits into. If I hold it in someone else might be able to undo it.

Trouble is I can only get at it at the weekends. 12-14 hour days with a 1hr 45min round trip commute counts out evening fettling.


Val.