TOPIC:

The seized bolt is out – but what a job
After spraying with penetrating oil the head of the bolt eventually broke off after trying to get it to turn.
I then tried to draw it out using the nut with a spacer fitted under the nut and giving it a good whack with club hammer and a drift on the other end, until the thread stripped still without any sign of movement.
I next ground off both ends of the bolt flush with the frame lugs and cut a groove in the right hand lug the width of the bolt to allow the engine to be removed, the cut out bit was later welded back and spray painted.
Now things started to get really serious – one end of the bolt was drilled and tapped to fit an M8 Allen bolt fitted with a nut 2 well greased washers and a 15mm long spacer with a hole through it to allow the broken bolt to enter if/when it eventually moved.
The M8 nut was tightened to put tension onto the engine bolt and the crankcase boss was heated with a welding torch, the other end of the engine bolt was given a healthy whack or three with a club hammer before the bolts moved – at 1st just 1mm – then after re-tensioning the nut, heating and whacking again it move a little more, after soaking with more penetrating oil, an excuse for a little rest then more tensioning, heating and whacking it eventually came out after about 3 hours hard work.
After standing at least 10 years, unused in a damp farm outbuilding, I am sure my RC600 was an extreme case of neglect, but not a job I want to repeat or wish others to have to do, take the bolt out and grease it every years – so much easier
John

"If at first you don't succeed."

Well done.

I had good success getting the remains of the swing arm needle roller bearings out of the lad's YZ125 using a blow torch around the bearing housings and then a squirt of Holts "Shock & Unlock" freeze/penetrating oil spray. A good clout by a lump hammer with an old socket as a drift and the started shifting easily.

One of the bolts in the rear ssupension linkage was pretty bad. The 'collar' inside the needle rollers had seized on the pivot bolt. Plusgas and heat did the trick.

Do you grease the bolts with 'copper grease' or something else like graphite grease?

Talking of hard work, I got the ancient MX tyres off a couple of spare wheels that had been in my shed for years recently. That was tough even with the 'gorilla' tyre lever.

Hi Pete,
We don't have anything like this available here
Holts "Shock & Unlock" freeze/penetrating oil spray.

Do you grease the bolts with 'copper grease' or something else like graphite grease?
I like to use a lithium base grease as its water resistant

Talking of hard work, I got the ancient MX tyres off a couple of spare wheels that had been in my shed for years recently. That was tough even with the 'gorilla' tyre lever.[/quote]
Off road tyres with stiff side walls can be a struggle when they are new, old and age hardened can be a struggle
John