Front wheel bolt stuck

Bennett59
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Bakersfield, CA US
I've tried multiple things brand new crf front axle bolt is so tight just stripping out bolt and smashed in can not remove at all

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Paw Paw 271
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Benton, LA US
3/8/2017 8:09pm
A good 6 point socket will break it loose. If that does not work then I would suggest a nut cracker.
Remember that the front wheel is installed at the dealer, so they may be able to help.

Paw Paw
F1 Moto
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10/20/2015
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Buxton AU
3/8/2017 8:44pm
Get a pin punch & hammer on the rounded areas to form back towards original shape of nut.
This will help on two fronts.the 6 point socket will have more to grip on & the action of hitting the nut will help shock it loose.
Hope this helps,should work out ok.
Bennett59
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Bakersfield, CA US
3/8/2017 8:51pm
Yea seems the guy putting the front wheel on when all hulk on it I'm try heating it up also
speed_racer
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Aiea, HI US
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1939th
3/8/2017 10:19pm
loosen all the pinch bolts and the only tighten the furthest pinch bolt from the nut and make sure to use a better socket that is a good 22mm.

The Shop

3/9/2017 4:48am
Take an old box end wrench ( one u don't care about) and put it over the nut and tack weld it to the nut. Then use a hammer and smack the opposite end of the wrench. Between the sharp blows from the hammer and the heat from tacking it you should be able to get it... You will have to get a new nut anyway.
Bennett59
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Bakersfield, CA US
3/9/2017 7:41am
Thanks for the idea guys I think I'm wait till after this weekend and then do some off these ideas. I really want to ride, loving the bike and my local dealer never stock anything so will have to order the nut
FGR01
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AZ US
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3/9/2017 11:42am
Take an old box end wrench ( one u don't care about) and put it over the nut and tack weld it to the nut. Then...
Take an old box end wrench ( one u don't care about) and put it over the nut and tack weld it to the nut. Then use a hammer and smack the opposite end of the wrench. Between the sharp blows from the hammer and the heat from tacking it you should be able to get it... You will have to get a new nut anyway.
The nut is aluminum. Can't weld a steel wrench to it.
Paw Paw 271
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3/9/2017 1:10pm
Take an old box end wrench ( one u don't care about) and put it over the nut and tack weld it to the nut. Then...
Take an old box end wrench ( one u don't care about) and put it over the nut and tack weld it to the nut. Then use a hammer and smack the opposite end of the wrench. Between the sharp blows from the hammer and the heat from tacking it you should be able to get it... You will have to get a new nut anyway.
FGR01 wrote:
The nut is aluminum. Can't weld a steel wrench to it.
X2

Paw Paw
3/9/2017 4:02pm
Leverage is much more controllable than beating with a hammer. A 2-3 foot piece of pipe over a breaker bar, with a good fitting six point socket , or how about a half inch air impact gun turned on kill ? Probably going to have to file the nut to get a good fit from the next size smaller socket, be it American or metric.
Rockinar
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Katy, TX US
3/9/2017 10:52pm

My guess is you tried to use some crappy box end wrench or something on it and just stripped it. That's because the torque spec on that nut is 94 foot pounds. Being a new bike, I guarantee it was at 94 foot pounds. That's no combo wrench job. Your 12" Harbor Freight combo wrench and your muscles don't not have that kind of leverage and wont do the trick. You will just strip it.

You need a breaker bar for that torque.






Plan A is try Vice Grips with some leverage bar (plastic PVC pipe slipped over the wrench would work) on it and a little heat on the nut (nut is toast anyways).

Plan B would be Nut Cracker.

Plan C would be a Dremel and cut the nut horizontal with the axel and when the cut gets down near the axel I bet you can spin it off with a punch and hammer.

Plan D would be take the walk of shame and confess to the dealer, ask for forgiveness and help.


For future reference, get a quality set of metric impact sockets and a nice long breaker bar for things like the axle nuts. A good old fashion breaker bar and lots of leverage even beats my pneumatic impact gun.

Acidreamer
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Mansfield, OH US
3/10/2017 6:11am
Weld a piece of aluminum rod to it if you can weld or know someone. That will give you some leverage. When you go to remove it, heat it up to deactivate any loctite AND expand the nut.

If that fails youll have to cut the nut in half or cut through the axle itself and replace it.

When you go to reinstall it, blue loctite and the proper torque spec should be used. You dont need to use a breaker bar on it. Be sure to put new grease on the axle.
Bennett59
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Bakersfield, CA US
3/10/2017 7:09am
I have a very nice set of tools, before I attempted to even break it free I noticed the nut was kind of pinched in one spot. The dealer is 3hrs away and there the same ppl who fired up my Husqvarna and just dumped into gear before the hydraulic clutch had time to warm up and told me that my whole clutch was bad, and that just rebuilt forks that I didn't even use seals where blown?
Rockinar
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3/10/2017 11:43am
Bennett59 wrote:
I have a very nice set of tools, before I attempted to even break it free I noticed the nut was kind of pinched in one...
I have a very nice set of tools, before I attempted to even break it free I noticed the nut was kind of pinched in one spot. The dealer is 3hrs away and there the same ppl who fired up my Husqvarna and just dumped into gear before the hydraulic clutch had time to warm up and told me that my whole clutch was bad, and that just rebuilt forks that I didn't even use seals where blown?


Yeah, no need to drive 3 hour for that. Good news is the nut is totally exposed and you have lots of options. That nut will be actually pretty easy to remove.

My first thought would be to use heat on it. Heat works wonders. Heat it up the nut ( couple seconds) with a propane torch and try to use Vice Grips with leverage. As mentioned, Vice Grips can potentially clamp down "too tight" on the nut, essentially squeezing the nut even tighter on the bolt and be counter productive. It's worth a try though.

If you have a Dremel and a punch you can cut a groove in it down to the axel (dont cut into the axel), put a little heat on the nut, put the punch in the groove and hit it with a hammer and try to spin the nut off. It kinda acts as a poor man's impact wrench. I have used that trick a couple times. Worst case you can just cut a groove in the nut down to the axel (lengthwise in line with the axel) and it will come off. You don't have to cut the flange part of the nut and risk cutting into your fork. Just cut into the main part of the nut. Ht it with a punch or tug on it with some Vice Grips. It will come off.




526
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Colgate, WI US
3/10/2017 12:19pm
You want to cool the nut that will help to be removed, I think the auto parts stores cell a blast of Freon or something like Freon to quickly cool it. They do this with spark plugs stuck in Alum heads.
wsc96
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AU
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451st
3/10/2017 1:28pm
Do you mean cool the bolt?
Acidreamer
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Mansfield, OH US
3/10/2017 5:16pm
Cooling it will shrink everything. You want to heat it up. Cooling the steel with aluminum will tighten up the aluminum before the steel actually shrinks. If you heat it the aluminum will expand faster than the steel.
smoothies862
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OH US
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3/10/2017 5:26pm
after you fix this. go over all your bolts,grease things etc.. use a torque wrench. double check your dealer. they don't love your bike as much as you do,lol. good luck.
Bennett59
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Bakersfield, CA US
3/10/2017 5:43pm
Thanks for idea guys l, defiantly will go over everything for sure, went and bought I real good quality socket for future work
BobPA
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PA US
3/10/2017 8:09pm
Ill give you 6 grand for the bike...Already damaged Whistling
Bennett59
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Bakersfield, CA US
3/13/2017 10:59am
I got it off with less work then previously thought, big 1/2 socket breaker bar and had my wife hold the bike still moved a second locked up, then I had to stand on it finally broke free and came off new nut ordered.
Paw Paw 271
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Benton, LA US
3/13/2017 5:34pm
FYI: Any time you mix steel with an alloy ( axle vs nut) use anti sieze.

Paw Paw
Rockinar
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Katy, TX US
3/14/2017 8:23pm
Bennett59 wrote:
I got it off with less work then previously thought, big 1/2 socket breaker bar and had my wife hold the bike still moved a second...
I got it off with less work then previously thought, big 1/2 socket breaker bar and had my wife hold the bike still moved a second locked up, then I had to stand on it finally broke free and came off new nut ordered.
Good old breaker bar will move anything than can be moved.

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