[sooner518]

Im trying to overhaul the pivot on my superlight. I got the shock bolts off with no problems but I have been desparately trying to get the pivot bolt out of the bearings for about an hour now. It is almost completely seized up inside the bearings. (yes, I have already loosened the pinch bolts)

I have gotten it to move to one side a little bit, perhaps 2 or 3 mm, but thats it. I've tried squirting lube in there. Ive been beating the hell out of my punch and I am just short of sawing the damn thing in half just to get it out of there! Does anyone have any helpful tips for loosening this seized bolt from the bearing? Thanks

 

[Mountain Medic]

I did the same thing on my 99SL. Copious amounts of wd40 and I beat it out with a hammer and a large punch. I kept the nut on it to protect the threads. It will come out, but it took a lot of pounding. (first time it was serviced in 8 years.... oops)

 

[sooner518]

I did the same thing on my 99SL. Copious amounts of wd40 and I beat it out with a hammer and a large punch. I kept the nut on it to protect the threads. It will come out, but it took a lot of pounding. (first time it was serviced in 8 years.... oops)

2 hours of beating on that thing and I cant get it to budge more than a few mm's to each side. the only way i could get it to budge was to take the nut off one side, and tighten the other side's nut which, if tightened all the way, would pull the bolt through a little bit, until the nut reached the end of the threads. Then I took it off, and did the same thing to the other side.

I figured that if I did that a few times, it would loosen up enough that I could knock it out, but in the end, it didn't work. I dont have the time or the patience (or the skill apparently) to do it, so Im walking the frame down the street to the LBS in the morning.

 

[Mountain Medic]

hmmm, try using washers as spacers to gain more thread to pull the axel through with the nut idea.

or go to the lbs and have them use a press to push it out.

 

[sooner518]

hmmm, try using washers as spacers to gain more thread to pull the axel through with the nut idea.

or go to the lbs and have them use a press to push it out.

dang that washer idea is a good one. unfortunately, i dont have any the right size and the stores are closed. oh well. ill let the LBS do it and charge me a couple bucks

 

[sooner518]

just got it back from the LBS. When I asked them how they got it out, they said "I guess we just hit it harder than you did"

Took me another hour to get the new bearings in, the new pivot bolt in, the new shock bolts and everything in, and alot of hammering on that punch. I didnt think the punch would come in handy so much, but you pretty much have to have it to get all those things to fit snug.