How do I get the axle bolt off

[elasesino]

I've searched the forums, have the manual, and the instructions below. I know they are reverse threads. The first axle bolt backed away, but the larger one just won't budge. Any suggestions? I've heated it, WD-40'd it, muscled it, but nothing seems to be working. Please help!


remove both rear wheels

take off the right rear hub

loosen the chain and take off the rear sprocket....leave the 4 retaining bolts loose

take the caliper off the disk...tie them up out of the way

loosen the axle nuts...remember that they are reverse threads...

remove the clip and then take the axle nuts off...then the collar

remove the brake hub

remove the circlip, then the brake stay

drive the axle out from the throttle side to the clutch side

do the same with the bearing carrier...


for pics, just go to any website that has a parts microfiche(an exploded view of the parts) and use that as a guide...most have that area of the 400ex as 2 different diagrams...the swingarm and the rear axle/drivechain

[Ryanwolfe911]

You need the special big wrenches for the nuts. They have a 1/2 inch drive on the end of them, so you can attatch really big breaker bars. That, and alot of heat. Sometimes you need an acetelyne torch to heat them up red hot, especially if your quad has been exposed to salt.

Sometimes though, they just loosen up for no reason. It's kinda hit and miss.

[elasesino]

Special wrench? which one? Do I buy it at the Honda dealership?

[mcgrath]

you just mean the locking nuts right beside the brake assembly?
I had a tough time getting mine off there is no trick the just get seized up. I used wd40 and muscle and wd40 and muscle and repeat. the large nut locks the smaller one on. I just used big pipe wrenches and a pipe on the handle for extra torque. eventually it loosend up and came off. cleaned it up good and went back on easy as pie. good luck

[Ryanwolfe911]

Either that, or 2 really big Crescent wrenches and alot of *** behine them.

[ngates788]

you loosened it up all the way to take the clip off first didnt you? or wont it budge either way you turn it?

[elasesino]

It won't budge either way I turn it. The smaller nut budged, and moved toward the brake rotor, but the larger one is stuck. I can see the retaining ring just inside the rim of the larger nut, but since it won't budge, there's no way to get to that retaining clip.

[hondaking52]

not much else to say, back off the locking nut(thin one) and then loosen the big nut that threads onto the collar, my first time was a b***** to get off, like said above,heat and wrench, do you have a big set of wrenchs?

[elasesino]

Yeah, I've got the big wrenches, lots of WD40, and a torch to heat it up. Going to try it again tonight. I think it's just being stubborn.

[hondaking52]

more then likely, we were about ready to cut mine off then it finally broke free, just make shure you are loosning it(turn the nut forwards). good luck

[elasesino]

Both nuts are reverse threaded, correct? Or is the thin one reverse threaded, and the wide one normal?

[hondaking52]

both reverse i think, i only have the big one on mine cause i have a RAD lock-nut but i'm pretty shure there both reverse

[elasesino]

OK, so after alot of muscle, we finally got it off tonight. Now, any tricks to getting brake hub off? We actually cracked it tonight trying to get it removed.

[mcgrath]

no it should slide off, your machine must have not been apart in a long time. I dead blow hammer is good to use to knock things apart without wrecking them. Make sure everything is well cleaned and lubed before reassembly or you will have to go through all this again next time.

[hondaking52]

c-clip off? if it is just lube it and try and break it free, shouldnt be anything holding it on besides the clip

[elasesino]

Yeah, my machine is a 2002. I bought it used, but I don't think the rear end has been touched in 7 years. Which I guess points to the quality of having a Honda, but damn, this stuff is on there.

I removed the c-clip, so there shouldn't be anything holding it on there. In theory, it should slide off, but it's being stubborn. I'll let it sit tonight with WD40 and give it another try tomorrow.

Any tips are appreciated though.

[elasesino]

Well, with a whole bunch of PB and pounding, I finally got the brake hub off. It's cracked, but It's off. After pounding on the bearings, I finally gave up and took the bearing carrier to a machine shop. Took the guy an hour to get them out. Needless to say, this project has been a b*tch.

Now I'm just waiting for some new o-rings to come in so I can put everything back together.

I wanted to say thank you for everyone's help. I couldn't have gotten this done without this forum.

[mcgrath]

not sure if you got the machine shop to press in the bearings but if you didnt, put them in the freezer when you take them out wipe a little lube around the outter race and tap in. This is how I did mine and went in easy as pie. Good Luck

[togup]

those factory nuts suck i got tired of them and cut them off and bought a RAD nut no more problems.