Stuck Pivot Bolt

[muddzilla94]

my pivot bolt is stuck on my 04 r and it wont budge it wont even turn with a impact how can i get it out without cutting it or will i have to cut it?

[eastside 400]

do you have access to an impact hammer/air hammer?

[450Rfutureracer]

torch and sledge hammer, takes some good effort to get em out

[Ruf Racing]

If the above suggestions don't work, you may need to cut it out.

[muddzilla94]

im going to try a air hammer tomorrow and see if that works

[fastac]

tip it on its side and spray with PB Blaster do ity a couple of times before you start beating on it

[muddzilla94]

so an air hammer wont budge it, sledge hammer wont budge it, nothin will move this thing. will i have to cut it out and what should i use if i do have to?

[atv fan 28]

On my 250R i cut the bolt with a sawzall. I was replacing the swingarm so i didnt care weather i nicked it or not. I just made sure not to cut the frame rail.

[Smoker]

Originally posted by fastac
tip it on its side and spray with PB Blaster do ity a couple of times before you start beating on it

PB will do miracles for seized stuff.

[300racer]

i would cut it out. and when you replace it take the pivot bolt out every month or so and grease it up well and this wont happen agian.

[450R NOOB]

Originally posted by 300racer
i would cut it out. and when you replace it take the pivot bolt out every month or so and grease it up well and this wont happen agian.

x2. Instead of beating on it and possibly screwing up something, just cut it out. Take the air box and rear shock off and cut the collars in half with a blow torch. Easiest way. Then grease every month like I'm going to once I get mine back together.

[muddzilla94]

since the bolt is hollow im goin to put a set screw on one side and a grease fitting on the other and drill a couple small holes in it and pump it full of grease every so often

[muddzilla94]

a cannot get a sawzaw to even put a notch in this bolt, will i have to use a torch to cut ut?

[Rob440EX]

I just had to do this a month ago to a 02 400ex i worked on for a guy. I used a 4 hard disk grinder with a 6 inch cutoff wheel instead of the grinding disk. Worked great. But destroyed the swingarm. You will have to get a new swingarm, pivot bolt, bushings and bearings if you go this route. And anti sieze the crap out of the pivot bolt and inside of the needle bearing bushings. Shouldn't have to re-anti-seize every month. Maybe every 6 months. Unless u are all about the mud!

[muddzilla94]

i hate the mud, i guess the guy that had it before me liked it alot tho. im setting mine up for drag, going to be a 508 stroker

[310ESR]

Just cut it out with a torch. Be careful and take your time. I spent two days straight trying finally cut it out. You have to realize if the bolt is stuck what else is screwed up.

[muddzilla94]

i cut it out with a torch yesterday, it was stuck in the motor, ill have to take it and get it pressed out

[eprovenzano]

I'm dealing with the same issue. On my 99 400, the swingarm bolt has never been serviced. I ended up cutting the bolt with a torch. I've got the swingarm bushing / bearings out, but I cannot get the bolt out the the engine. Did you have to get yours pressed out or how did you get your out?

Thanks for the help.

[antwanrttg]

Originally posted by muddzilla94
since the bolt is hollow im goin to put a set screw on one side and a grease fitting on the other and drill a couple small holes in it and pump it full of grease every so often

This should work for keeping the bolt from getting seized, BUT don't forget you will need to pull the swingarm and grease the needle bearings occasionally as well.

I greased the pivot bolt every other ride but completely neglected the bearings ... one of the bushings seized inside the needle bearing and shattered and now I am replacing everything.

[DnB_racing]

also make sure all ground in your electrical system are good..

poor grounds cause more electrolysis and your pivot is very prone to oxidation, which is electrical corrosion...

oxidation will cause the seizure more then dirt and mud,, use a non conductive type grease to help stop the oxidation( dielectric grease works great)

[quad2xtreme]

sawzall fits right in between the swingarm and engine bushings if you remove the subframe and shocks. You can jack the quad pretty high which leaves plenty of room to get the sawzall in there.

[irondaddy44]

did anyone ever come up with a good way to get bolt out of the motor after cut? im about to cut mine tomorrow. this is the worst part of working on these.

[muddzilla94]

i never could find a easy way to get mine out, set it on its side for 24 hrs and covered it with pb blaster tried heating the bolt tried the locktight freezing spray, easiest way is to just cut it with a torch, be careful not to melt your engine cases or swingarm tho

[DnB_racing]

here is a link to why its sticking in the first place, its caused by oxidation which is electrical corrosion, before your next assembly think about your grounds

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=457496

[Dave400ex]

The easiest fix is to have Pappy molycoat your new pivot bolt. I haven't had any issues since. I could push mine out with my finger.

[DnB_racing]

Originally posted by Dave400ex
The easiest fix is to have Pappy molycoat your new pivot bolt. I haven't had any issues since. I could push mine out with my finger. very true!!! moly coating does an excellent job insulating the pivot and completely removing it from being an unwanted path to ground
but you still have to consider the integrity of the ground connection to the block and frame,
make sure at least one motor mount bolt is to bare metal, and the bolt is treated with a good conductive type grease(nolox), along with your coil ground screw, or you will just move a problem.

the nature of these machines makes them susceptible to ground issues, by the means of the spark needing the block to frame to harness grounds nice and clean,
and on a machine that's in mud and water all the time it makes it necessary to to check and clean and lube grounds regularly

[quad2xtreme]

Originally posted by DnB_racing
very true!!!
but you still have to consider the integrity of the ground connection to the block and frame,
make sure at least one motor mount bolt is to bare metal, and the bolt is treated with a good conductive type grease(nolox), along with your coil ground screw, or you will just move a problem.

the nature of these machines makes them susceptible to ground issues, by the means of the spark needing the block to frame to harness grounds nice and clean,
and on a machine that's in mud and water all the time it makes it necessary to to check and clean and lube grounds regularly


Thanks for responding to my PM. Does it make sense to install a special purpose ground from somewhere on the motor to the frame (to eliminate the regular engine mounts from serving as grounding routes? If so, any recommendation on location and size of wire?

Thx,

Jon

[DnB_racing]

Originally posted by quad2xtreme
Thanks for responding to my PM. Does it make sense to install a special purpose ground from somewhere on the motor to the frame (to eliminate the regular engine mounts from serving as grounding routes? If so, any recommendation on location and size of wire?

Thx,

Jon that definitely would never hurt! but if the mounts are well cleaned and protected with a conductive lube, there shouldn't ever be an issue,
but if you want to add a ground jumper, again it needs to be properly treated,and any place that's out of the way would work. the wire doesnt have to be too big, #10 automotive or marine grade wire would work good.

one thing a lot of people dont realize is at the factory the bolts are already treated with the right treatment for the purpose, and when we rebuild, most of the time are just reinstalled without any thought of the full purpose of each bolt, there is more to it then just holding something together

[Ruf Racing]

New bolt, lub it, stick it! :D No problems.:macho

[fast1500]

i just had this problem on my 04. i just got a 10 pound sledge hammer and a 5 pound hammer and held the 5 pound on the bolt and hit the other with the 10 pound. came out after a few hits. just keep it lubed as ur doin it. and keep the old bolt if u ever have to hit it through. only thing that worked for me. i didnt want to cut it. and you need two people. o and disconect the rear shock and put a jack underneath the quad to take sum pressure off the swinger. hope this helps