I have found that it is possible to drill out the stuck aluminum shafts from the swing arms, I have done couple of mine & am now doing some for Eric, as long as the swing arm isn't bent it can be done, we never bothered years back, we just threw away the swing arm & ordered new, BUT now as everyone knows that's not possible..
I purchased two 3/4" drill bits @ $25.00 ea & welded about 10" of 1/2" rod to one of them, I can get 1/3 of the way through the shaft from both end with the regulars length bit, then I use the longer drill bit to get the rest drilled out..
I haven't tried drilling any of the steel shafts yet & I'm not sure if I will, LOL
Kenny
Drilling Suspension Swing Arms
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ICCSF 108
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Drilling Suspension Swing Arms
AKA: Kenny, Grumpy, Mr. Richard Head
"I Hunt For it, Purchase it, Haul it, Sometimes Repair it, Sometimes Break it, Then Fix it Again, Label it, Warehouse it, Talk About it, So NOW, HOW Can I Take Any Less $$ For It?"
"God I love the smell of KLOTZ in the morning, That smell, you know that Gasoline/Oil Smell, MAKES the whole place SMELL like.. LIKE VICTORY. You know someday the 2 strokers are gonna end..."
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"I Hunt For it, Purchase it, Haul it, Sometimes Repair it, Sometimes Break it, Then Fix it Again, Label it, Warehouse it, Talk About it, So NOW, HOW Can I Take Any Less $$ For It?"
"God I love the smell of KLOTZ in the morning, That smell, you know that Gasoline/Oil Smell, MAKES the whole place SMELL like.. LIKE VICTORY. You know someday the 2 strokers are gonna end..."
Do Anti-War Protesters have reunions? If so what do they TALK about?
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ChickenRat
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- Location: Hudson, WI
Re: Drilling Suspension Swing Arms
Kenny,
I don't have the tools needed to do this work so I drop it off at the local machine shop. With some of these, no matter what I do, I can't get them loose so they have to go in. They either press them out or drill them out and I've had good results either way. And the price hasn't been bad either.
After working on these vintage sleds for several years, I have come to the conclusion that maintenance is key. I have bought sleds that are physically perfect but mechanically a mess because of little/no maintenece. I have also bought sleds that have been run hard but have been properly maintained. A far as mechanical condition, many times these sleds are in much better shape and as such, easier to work on. Regular maintenance of these sleds, or anything for that matter, is definitely worth your time.
Robb
I don't have the tools needed to do this work so I drop it off at the local machine shop. With some of these, no matter what I do, I can't get them loose so they have to go in. They either press them out or drill them out and I've had good results either way. And the price hasn't been bad either.
After working on these vintage sleds for several years, I have come to the conclusion that maintenance is key. I have bought sleds that are physically perfect but mechanically a mess because of little/no maintenece. I have also bought sleds that have been run hard but have been properly maintained. A far as mechanical condition, many times these sleds are in much better shape and as such, easier to work on. Regular maintenance of these sleds, or anything for that matter, is definitely worth your time.
Robb
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Horicon Joe
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- Real Name: Joe Wanie
- Location: ROLLING PRAIRIE WI
Re: Drilling Suspension Swing Arms
This was to be one of my many next projects to solve this problem. I believe the best way to do it is to
build a fixture to re weld the brackets on to a new shaft. Most pipes have a bend in them and it is not worth the
time to drill them out. My thought was to cut off all the brackets and re mount them into a weld fixture and weld
them to a new shaft.
I believe some shafts were slightly bent from the factory. If you look on the back side of the shaft there is usually
two welds about 3" long connected to nothing ...... the only reason I believe they are there is to bring the pipe back to straight by heating it with the welds after the brackets were welded.
My fix would include a larger diameter OD tube and the same ID in order to easily make up the material that would
be missing from cutting the brackets off.
Joe
build a fixture to re weld the brackets on to a new shaft. Most pipes have a bend in them and it is not worth the
time to drill them out. My thought was to cut off all the brackets and re mount them into a weld fixture and weld
them to a new shaft.
I believe some shafts were slightly bent from the factory. If you look on the back side of the shaft there is usually
two welds about 3" long connected to nothing ...... the only reason I believe they are there is to bring the pipe back to straight by heating it with the welds after the brackets were welded.
My fix would include a larger diameter OD tube and the same ID in order to easily make up the material that would
be missing from cutting the brackets off.
Joe
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Jack Frost
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Re: Drilling Suspension Swing Arms
I found the quickest and least expensive way for myself to remove aluminum shafts that are stuck or bent is to heat the tube red hot with a torch and let the aluminum melt out. You might have to help it out with a small diameter round bar (3/8" is what I use) when it is in a semi-liquid state. Then when the shaft is all out I check to see if the tube is bent by placing it on the frame jig at work. If it turns out to be bent I clamp it to the frame jig and heat it red hot again. Once red and I mean red hot I drive a hardened steel 3/4" round bar through the tube and let it cool. When the bar is removed the tube is straight and ready for the blast cabinet to finnish it off. If the shaft is steel and stuck I heat the tube and shaft red hot then quench it in a pail of cold water. The sudden cooling will break any rust or corrosion and they can be hammered out with little effort. I usually make new aluminum shafts to put back in but will clean up the steel ones and reuse them. Most important step is lots and lots of anti sieze when you reassemble being aluminum or steel.
Dave
Dave
1978 340 CC Liquifire
I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included
I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included
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A1 SLEDER JIM
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Re: Drilling Suspension Swing Arms
this past weekend i replaced the front and rear springs on a 80 liquifire. on the front, i had to cut a 13 inch long slit through the steel outer tube and springs. it is a steel outer hollow tube on a solid steel shaft (tunnel mount) that was rusted solid then used a chisel two separate the innershaft from outer tube what a pia. i replaced the outer tube with a piece of stainless steel tube and alot of moly lube. a few weeks before did my nicer one with no problem. on assembly i always use moly and antiseize .
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Horicon Joe
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Re: Drilling Suspension Swing Arms
Dave .... I am looking forward to trying this out! Should be interesting ......
Thanks for the tip.
Joe
Thanks for the tip.
Joe
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