250sx front axle stuck!

[atc350xer]

I went to pull my forks off to install the new fork boots today, and the front axle is really stuck in the brake drum assembly. I almost broke a ratchet trying to get that wheel off of there. I did get the wheel off the forks, but I want to get that axle out and get some grease on it. I've tried penetrating oil and a little heat... and I'd prefer not to take it somewhere and have it pressed out. I'm worried about breaking something... any suggestions?

[dirtface]

OH Matt, this stinks!! I have been down this exact road twice now. I think both times I had to destroy parts and find good ones. The axles freezes to the steel collar that is pressed inside the brake backing plate. I will look and see if i have any extra parts, but I have really been getting cleaned out of SX front end parts in the last couple months. Hopefully someone on here has a educated helpful answer for you, I'm just here for moral support and parts on this one, sorry.

[atc350xer]

Thanks for the bad news, Doug! lol

[dirtface]

I have a beat up, but usable axle and I do have one backing plate that you are welcome too.I have 1985 stuff, I don't know if it is different than yours. I have never tried this and don't know if it would work. But people restoring old Farmall tractors heat up rusted/ frozen parts and "sweat" canning wax into it. They say the stuff will unthread or slide right apart when you do this. Sorry, this is all I have. Good luck and let me know if you need these parts.

[deathman53]

I ran into this on a 85 250r, if you don't want to destroy the axle, just press it out. Buy new bearings and seals also, do it all while you are working on it.

[bcredneck]

heat the brake as much as posible and dip the axle in water and imediatly hammer it

[Dirtcrasher]

You probably will break the brake backing plate (say that 10X fast, :lol:) on a press as it is cast and there is no good way to hold it. Also, the collar next to it ill be seized on there too.

Always tear these and swingarm bolts out ever so often and use waterproof grease on them.

At this point, whats more important? Axle or backing plate? I'd stuff the axle in a lathe and drill it out to save the collar and brake backing plate.

If the axle is more important, I'd use a cut off wheel and cut the collar and backing plate off and save the axle.

Your choice.

Hey, you can try heat and lubes but if it's like most of them, you are not going to get it off unscathed if I haven't been able to in the past. Too hard to hold unless you make a tube to get near the ID with a notch cut for the brake stay and then try a press.

Good luck :beer

[atc350xer]

Oh man, this sucks. I'll try heat and brass hammer, then I'll try a socket/bottle jack. I may be posting in the classifieds in the next few days :(
Doug: thanks for the offer bud... not sure if '85 and '87 are the same, but I'll bet they are, at least on the front end.

[dirtface]

They are yours if you need them,if you want pictures to compare, just ask. Good luck!!!

[atc007]

X6 on all the bad news... No magic bullets here.. they SUCK ,,worse than other ATC's ,, SX's and Big Reds are the WORST ! Good luck !!!

[atc350xer]

Thanks for the advice and good wishes guys... good news! I went out and wailed on it with a 3lb. sledge and it s l o w l y came out. No apparent damage! Seems that 25 year old grease has some amazing properties, and lubrication is not one of them. No rust, just really dry grease. I'll put 'er back together tomorrow. *whew*

[dirtface]

Got really lucky on that one, Matt!! Congrats!!

[atc350xer]

Well... remember when I said "no apparent damage"? I mushroomed the bolt a bit, I didn't think it would matter much because it's tapered, but it messed it up. I ground and filed it, but I don't have a die(or even an old nut) big enough to straighten the threads out. Guess I'll have to find my wee files and try to dress the threads up as good as I can.

[dirtface]

The one that I have here is probably usable, the threads look ok. But it looks like someone took the four bolt clamp off and turned it out with a pipe wrench. I'll e-mail you pictures. Be careful, I have at least two maybe three sets of forks here that the threaded fork is stripped out, so be careful if you're trying to thread your axle into the fork.

[atc350xer]

Yeah Doug, it's probably best that it wouldn't go in, or I'd have a trashed fork as well. I threaded in a old 350x axle in, and the aluminum seems fine. Now I need a big die or another axle.