[kma_jg]

I went to the suspension guys this morning to get the upgraded rear spring, but they called to tell me they can't get the lower shock nut out.
Took the bike home and I can't get it to budge.

I used my Milwaukee M18 Fuel rattle gun (not a small one) and the 8mm Hex socket and gave it some without luck.
Alsomtried by alternating left and right and WD40. Nothing.

Any suggestions?

 

[TiDuc]

I went to the suspension guys this morning to get the upgraded rear spring, but they called to tell me they can't get the lower shock nut out.
Took the bike home and I can't get it to budge.

I used my Milwaukee M18 Fuel rattle gun (not a small one) and the 8mm Hex socket and gave it some without luck.
Alsomtried by alternating left and right and WD40. Nothing.

Any suggestions?

Not the route you want to hear but mucho heat!

I have never found a bolt I could not remove by welding something to the head...I have used a TIG to heat a bolt head hot enough to loosen the threads and turn it out...Worse case I have welded nuts or tools to the bolt head and it always works....In your case I think you can not reach it, but as a last resort. I would set a large Tungsten very long in the cup and run it down so you can arc in the bottom of the hex , not enough to deform the bolt, but enough to super heat the bolt. It will come out, but not for the faint of heart! I do not envy your predicament.

 

[kma_jg]

Not the route you want to hear but mucho heat!

I have never found a bolt I could not remove by welding something to the head...I have used a TIG to heat a bolt head hot enough to loosen the threads and turn it out...Worse case I have welded nuts or tools to the bolt head and it always works....In your case I think you can not reach it, but as a last resort. I would set a large Tungsten very long in the cup and run it down so you can arc in the bottom of the hex , not enough to deform the bolt, but enough to super heat the bolt. It will come out, but not for the faint of heart! I do not envy your predicament.

Heat was going to be my next attempt, but the hole with the nut inside is not very big and surrounded by the swing arm. The metal of the swing arm will be softer than the nut, so I don't want to apply too much too quickly otherwise things might get more stuck.

 

[TiDuc]

The problem with just throwing a torch on it is you cannot concentrate the heat where it needs to be…And with the swingarm painted and made of aluminum, too much heat is a problem. That’s why I suggested the method I did…If you look at my cheesy little sketch I hope it makes the idea clearer.

The tungsten extends all the way into the hole into the very center (Bottom) of the hex bolt head. Then the arc is superheating only the bolt. The heat radiates out from the bolt loosening the lock tight and corrosion on the threads. You can actually ground the tungsten against the bottom of the bolt head, but does not seem to heat as well….however it is safer than risking deforming the hex that your allen socket has to fit into. Again to prevent deforming the hex shape for your tool I would make 2 or 3 applications of heat over the period of 2 or 3 minutes. Then insert the hex socket and give a couple good whacks with the hammer to fully seat it. Your impact wrench on and you’ll be good to go.

It’s not really that difficult, just hard to explain….I have never met a bolt I could not get out with a TIG welder. Good luck

If the bolt head was not buried inside that recessed hole it would be no problem at all. You could easily weld a nut directly on the bolt head and so much heat is transferred then the bolt spins easily out.

 

[kma_jg]

Thanks for the sketch. I have a small butane gas soldering iron with a blowtorch nozzle that I'll try. It is pretty small at the nozzle end and should concentrate the heat.
I don't have a welder to heat the bolt.
Tricky little bastard.

 

[Rosco61]

Heat

Applying heat to the bolt will expand the bolt and it's threads into the swing arm thereby making it more difficult to remove possibly.
On the other hand it may loosen or melt the thread locker if there is any on there.
Good luck.

 

[fastrob691]

I know this sounds weird but did they unload the suspension?

Sounds obvious but I couldn't get mine to budge till I unloaded it then it came right out. These bikes also have a degree of free play built in which is strange as well.

 

[kma_jg]

Not sure how to confirm that it's unloaded, but the bikes in urban, single rider. I can lift the swingarm from the rear a little and the wheel is off.

 

[kma_jg]

Who's your daddy? [email protected]#$ng bolt.
I had to drill it out.

 

[MTScott2]

What swear words did you use???
Any you didn't use?
I have heated a socket up to red hot and set it on the offending bolt to transfer heat, then use a different (not ruined) socket to loosen

and if you just keep on hammering with a impact it does create its own heat ( I have gone for minutes and minutes at a time to loosen nuts on studs ( industrial work on not my equipment!) Some times it works and sometimes it doesn't.

WD40 is for sewing machines!!

Blame the suspension dudes for tightening it too much in error of going the right way!!