S3 Fork Link Pivot Bolt Removal

[skip123]

Stripping down S3 forks for refurb and repaint. Have removed one of the fork link pivot bolts without a problem. The other, despite having the nut loosened and being free to turn in the fork boot, refuses to come out. Have tried a bit of gentle persuasion with a hammer(!) and pressing the bolt out in a vice but it refuses to budge.

Have I missed something? Any ideas on what's going on or what else I can try to get the bolt out?

Thanks.

[Scooter Paul]

I have had the same issue recently with a Vega. One side came out clean as a whistle the other seized solid. The bolt will be seized in the inner bush so even if it turns what you are experiencing is the outer bush turning in the link. If you have the time try immersing the whole assembly in diesel or something for days. If not cut the ends of the bolt off flush with the outer fork and the drill the bolt enough to free the link. Don't increase the size of the hole in the leg though.
Paul.

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

Have had exactly the same. Did a fork rebuild last year for somebody. Normally a reasonably quick job. One out in minutes; the other would not play ball. Soaked in diesel to no avail.
As said ...Drill out. You need good brand new drill bits and it takes some time. Pig of a job !

[Meds]

I had the same problem,
Used a vice and a couple of kettles of boiling water.

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

If you can get it moving in a large engineering vice with a socket one side that can freely accommodate the other side of the bolt all well and good. Try moving it back and forth to break the corrosive seal. If not its drilling I'm afraid.

[MickYork]

I welded a bar onto the bolt head so it could be pulled easier, maybe the heat also helped.

[soulfecker]

If you can get it moving in a large engineering vice with a socket one side that can freely accommodate the other side of the bolt all well and good. Try moving it back and forth to break the corrosive seal. If not its drilling I'm afraid.

You do need a good vice at times. I thought I had when this happened!


Had to drill it out eventually, but without a vice to hold it.

Paul

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

Mines bigger than yours. Lol
Wow that must have been quite scary.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

I hope that was a vice 'on loan' from a previous place of work....

In my limited experience, they are the best kind

As for the fork link, a good, long soak in penetrant then a tight fitting bar through the adjacent empty leg on to the miscreant bolt (with nut refitted a few threads) & a good, well placed hammering can sometimes work.

[Andyf]

if the bolt is still proud, I have had some success with the methods described above. Place a large socket on a solid surface, hold the forks so that the fork-nut sits inside the socket - then hit the protruding section of the bolt. Put the nut back on the ends of the threads first to spread the load of the impact. Try really really hard not to strike the forks.

[soulfecker]

[quote="Warkton Tornado No.1"]I hope that was a vice 'on loan' from a previous place of work....

In my limited experience, they are the best kind

quote]

Yes, and it's replacement was bigger, better and newer!

Paul

[skip123]

Thanks for all your replies. Looks like I've got my work cut out. And my rather more lightweight vice probably had a lucky escape!

[neily03]

Same problem here, one side came out no problems the other won't budge. Tried it in my vice but it's only small so was bending the handle. Soaking in 3 in 1 over night and will try again tomorrow otherwise I'll have to take it to work and try a bigger vice.... What a pain in the a%$e.

[Scooterdude]

I had to drill one out once despite thrashing it with a large hammer.

Oh and get a Record vice, best out there.

[neily03]

Mine is a Record vice, only a No1 though with 3” jaws and that bolt is proper stuck

[neily03]

That didn't go well

[Storkfoot]

Have you tried lots of heat from a gas torch?

[neily03]

I’ve tried some heat but only from a plumbing type blow torch. Going to take them into work tomorrow where there’s better tools and a proper torch

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

I remember this thread well.
I left the forks soaking for a couple of days in diesel.
I used a proper blowtorch.
I have an enormous vice.

After all this I drilled it out.

[HxPaul]

Looks like you'll have a right job on getting it out of there,heat or no heat,because from what I can see,you've hit the bolt without putting the nut on first bending the end.