Rear Axle Stuck

I've been trying to remove the rear axle from my '03 fatboy but it's stuck in a bad way. I've totally removed the nut and all the adjusters and it doesn't budge when tapped from the back end. I've also gone through a couple cans of penetrating oil and a ton of hammering and tapping to no avail (yes, unfortunately this includes the use of a 6 lb sledge). Last attempt I made was to heat and cool the spacers with a propane torch, heat again, tap...no progress. Has anybody experienced this problem and come up with a good solution? I hear that the MoCo fails to put anti-seize on these in most cases and am fairly certain that corrosion is contributing to the problem. Thanks for the help.

Does it appear to be stuck where the head of the axle meets the swingarm, or elsewhere such as spacer, adjuster, etc? Also, do you have the weight of the wheel tied up? Sometimes the weight of the rear wheel is enough to bind the axle. You can tie the wheel to the rear of the bike with a nylon strap. Just be sure to leave enough slack so that you can move the wheel around slightly to shim it off.

Does The Bolt Spin In The Racers. Maybe A Pair Of Vise Grips On The Head Side Of The Bolt With A Pull Rotate. If You Pound On It You Should Have Enough Threed To Put The Nut Back On, So You Can Pound On The Nut Istead Of The Bolt So You Don't Risk Mushrooming The Bolt. Good Luck!

I think with the useage of a 6 lb. sledgehammer, the "bolt" is probably already trashed.

It looks to me like it's possibly stuck between the inner sleeve/axle/and bearings...there's a bit of corrosion in this area. The left spacer spins freely, the right appeared stuck at first but after all my oiling,heating, tapping, it will now spin (although reluctantly) freely of the axle. There is a small notch on the spacer that I am able to get the corner of a flat head screwdriver in and then tap the driver with a hammer...anything less it won't move by itself.

I've been using the 6 pounder on the end with the nut threaded on and a 2x4 between to avoid damaging the end of the screw so it's still useable.

Today I purchased a hammer drill and another nut and will try double nutting the screw end, then attacking it with the hammer drill w/ a socket attachment...maybe the spinning and vibration will help? I sure hope so. Anyone tried this before?

I would be surprised if you get it out this way. If it does come out, you may have a toasted hub. All 2k and later wheels have sealed axle bearings. If there is corrosion in there that you can see you have a bigger problem than just the axle being stuck .

Before banging on it any more I would seriously consider cutting the axle off as close as possible to the hub and work it out.

Then, using a press and the correct support you can press out whatever is stuck

I Agree With Cd It's Time To Consider Getting A Sawzaw And Cutting The Axle Bolt. That Way All Your Looking At Is A New Bolt And Berings. Good Luck!

Thanks for the tips. After last night's trials, it looks like the bearings are practically welded to the hub and inner sleeve since all the other parts are rotating freely. I have to assume the sleeve is bound to the axle. Not sure about this but I'm not banging on this scooter anymore.

As for a sawzall, is this the best tool for the job? Haven't used one to cut through metal before. Guess I'll probably have to cut through the spacers too, I don't think these would be a hight priced item.

Thanks again. EZ

Question...I've heard inserting the axle from the left side is "not good" but I've never heard a reason for this. Maybe the rotation vs the threads? Anyhow, I know a lot of people have done it without problems....Any tips here? Thanks.

What Would Be The Advantage Of Putting It In Backwards? If It Works Either Way. I'd Put It Back The Way It Came Out, Just For The Piece Of Mind. Considering The Possiblity Of Getting A Loose Axle Bolt, Sounds To Me Like A Risk You Don't Have To Take. Good Luck!

so I don't have to remove my pipes the next time I want to take the wheel off!

Although removing the pipes is a hassle, would beat having the wheel come loose on it's own.

Then again, both my bikes are baggers, and have duals, so I have to take them off anyway.

Take a look at this post. It gives some answers
http://biketalk.directparts.com/showthread.php?t=1822&highlight=axle