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DR 200 Swingarm bolt stuck DR 200 Swingarm bolt stuck
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  #1  
Old 23 Aug 2013
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DR 200 Swingarm bolt stuck
Bought a little DR/Djebel 200 as a project, just under a year ago. Finally got time to work on her and starting to strip the bike. So low and behold the swingarm bolt is stuck and I tried everything......it wont move. I have seen some horror stories on the interweb where guys are forced to cut off the swing arm. I will definitely not go that route.
The bolt is stuck to the metal sleeves going thru the engine casing. I cant really get in there to spray some lube because the outer seals are doing their job.

Now I have an idea of drilling a small little hole in the engine casing, and fill that cavity with some penetrating oil and let it sit for a while. Then the bolt should come right out....RIGHT???? Afterwards I can tap the hole and fit a grease nipple. I have seen alot of guys doing it on the swingarms etc.

Anyone here drilled a hole into the casing at the pivot area? Any bike for that matter

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Old 24 Aug 2013
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Don't drill just yet. Penetrating oil won't do much if it's so seized there's no way for the oil to seep through.

But firstly, you need to take the weight off the swingarm. It's putting stress on that bolt and gripping it tighter. Put the bike on a MX stand where the rear shock and linkages are unloaded.

Now, with a heat gun or gas torch, heat the metal around the bolt. On the spacers, the frame etc. BUT NOT THE BOLT....

Have an assistant hold the bike and then with a proper metal lump hammer, smash that bolt square in the face. It should budge. Then drift it out using some steel round bar.

Once out, rebuild with new bolt, bushes and bearings etc.
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Old 24 Aug 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted* View Post
Don't drill just yet. Penetrating oil won't do much if it's so seized there's no way for the oil to seep through.

But firstly, you need to take the weight off the swingarm. It's putting stress on that bolt and gripping it tighter. Put the bike on a MX stand where the rear shock and linkages are unloaded.

Now, with a heat gun or gas torch, heat the metal around the bolt. On the spacers, the frame etc. BUT NOT THE BOLT....

Have an assistant hold the bike and then with a proper metal lump hammer, smash that bolt square in the face. It should budge. Then drift it out using some steel round bar.

Once out, rebuild with new bolt, bushes and bearings etc.
Thanks for the advise. I have my eye on a Bernzomatic torch, maybe now would be a good time to buy one
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Old 25 Aug 2013
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Yes, heat is your friend here. That and a very large hammer. Remember, the object is to break the corrosion joint. Heating and cooling at the point where the bolt is stuck will help a lot. The best advice I have is get a Thor rawhide and copper hammer. Google your nearest supplier. If you intend keeping on with mechanicing, it'll be one of the best tools you will own. Then made sure you hit both ends of the bolt. You are trying to break the union.
A steel hammer can mushroom the bolt to the point where it won't fit back through the holes. That's where a copper hammer is great.
I've just give through exactly this problem with the rear axle on a 1983 TS125.

Cheers

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Old 25 Aug 2013
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I ran into this problem on a KLR650, which looks to be a similar design by the picture. The problem with trying to heat the spacers that are frozen is they don't make contact with anything you can get to from the outside, so there is no way to get heat on them. I resorted to a BFH (big freakin' hammer) and punch and pounded it out, ruining the bolt. I think the idea of drilling a hole and filing the cavity with penetrating oil is a good one. I did have the idea, which I have not tried, to drill and tap a hole in the hex head end of the swingarm bolt, and try to draw it off, like a gear puller. It would depend on how hard the bolt is. Please post up how you get on, as I need to lube the swingarm bearings on my KLR on of these days.
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Old 26 Aug 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nigel Marx View Post
Yes, heat is your friend here. That and a very large hammer. Remember, the object is to break the corrosion joint. Heating and cooling at the point where the bolt is stuck will help a lot. The best advice I have is get a Thor rawhide and copper hammer. Google your nearest supplier. If you intend keeping on with mechanicing, it'll be one of the best tools you will own. Then made sure you hit both ends of the bolt. You are trying to break the union.
A steel hammer can mushroom the bolt to the point where it won't fit back through the holes. That's where a copper hammer is great.
I've just give through exactly this problem with the rear axle on a 1983 TS125.

Cheers

Nigel in NZ
I have the Thor No.3. A great tool. Not always enough for proper seized bolts though. It just wrecks the copper head.

I do like a good Steel lump hammer though. You're right. It will kill the bolt and mushroom the head but that can be filed or ground off once the bolt is moving.
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Old 29 Aug 2013
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By the hammer of Thor! yeah copper hammer is the way.
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Old 30 Aug 2013
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I use a brass drift that I made out of a piece of round brass. The brass is soft enough that it won't distort the bolt threads. Word to the wise: don't hold the brass drift with your hand if its short! I smashed my thumb between a hammer and chisel once and 40 years later still remember the toe curling agony that resulted as half my thumb nail disappeared in a spray of blood.
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Old 30 Aug 2013
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Originally Posted by roger2002 View Post
I use a brass drift that I made out of a piece of round brass. The brass is soft enough that it won't distort the bolt threads. Word to the wise: don't hold the brass drift with your hand if its short! I smashed my thumb between a hammer and chisel once and 40 years later still remember the toe curling agony that resulted as half my thumb nail disappeared in a spray of blood.
I still only have half a finger nail on one finger due to a similar incident.

War wounds of the workshop....
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Old 31 Aug 2013
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Talking
Chicks dig scars.....

(c:

Cheers

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