HELP chain adjuster bolts seized!

[Mudshark]

Okay..... I have a MAJOR PROBLEM.... the chain adjuster bolts are seized into
the swing-arm. They will only turn about a 3/4 turn under EXTREME FORCE.
I twisted off a 1/4" drive (my own stupidity) trying to get them to go further.

I've been WD40'ing them and turning them in and out as far as they will go.
It does not seem to be helping.. much, I've been at it for 1.5 hours!

HELP what to I do to get them out??

[MadKaw]

did you try heating them?

[FuriouSly]

OOppss.. stuck this in the wrong post before...   

Don't keep trying to remove them like you are unless you want to snap the bolts and have to drill/tap to a larger bolt.  What has happened is corrosion/rust has built up on the threaded portion of the bolt extending into the swingarm.  By trying to remove it you are just mashing that crap into the fragile threads of the aluminum swingarm and will seize the steel bolt snapping it off.

I am not sure of the swingarm on the KX5, but most alum swings have small drain holes for water accumulation on the underside of the arms near the adjuster bolts.  I am at work and don't have access to look at my KX5 to double check that info though.

Anyway, you need to either lay your bike on its side or remove the swingarm to remedy the situation.  Make sure to elevate the front end up about two feet or so higher than the rear end.

First: If you don't have holes, drill some small 1/16 inch holes about a inch or so back from where you believe the bolt is exposed on the underside of the swingarm tubes.  This will give you access for a spary nozzle tube to fit inside the arm bar.
Second:  Spray alot of break free, wd40, anti-seize type lube into the swingarm until you are sure it is fully soaking the threaded portion of the bolt completely.  Please be careful with an ignition source because the fume and liquid left behind will be very flammable.  Let this sit for a least an hour if not overnight.
Third:  Slowly remove the bolt out a few threads and then back in again to break the crud free.  The bolt should come out easily and then all the crud will drain out through the bolt hole.  YOu can put silicone over the hole when you are rebuilding the bike later to keep contaminants from reentering the swingarm.

Sly

[Mudshark]

Thanks Sly,
hehe... I've put PB Buster in one side of the the swingarm and Liquid Wrench
in the other........ the race is on. Well I can't race the bike, may as well race
the penetrating oils 
I let it sit for a hour, tapped the bolts "gently" with a dead blow hammer, as per
instructions....
Now we wait till the morning. I'll work on them in the day light.
All I did was undo and pull the rear linkage and shock bottom bolts, this
dropped the angle well enough the get the fluids down to the bottom....
provided that there are no ribs inside the swingarm... 

I'll have a few beers tonight and forget about it till the morning 

[Polar-Bus]

Heres what I did on my '97 KX250 with the imfamous "siezed from never being antisiezed" adj. bolts. Drill a small .125" hole in the top of the swingarm right on top of the bolt. Then stick the hose from the can of penatrating oil into the hole and spray once a day for a few days. The oil will hopefully loosen the crud and rust from the inside of the bolts. After you get the bolts out, dab a bit of RTV sealant on the drilled hole to keep out water and mud.

PS I like PB Blaster, and another AWESOME oil made by GM called GM heat riser penatrating oil. You can get it at any GM/Chevy dealer

[Mudshark]

Report:
NOTE: I am trying to screw these things back into the swingarm, at least
I know that the threads on the outside are clean. To get the oil to penetrate
I am doing a bit of tighten / loosen though, but the general direction is in.

This morning the side with the LW seems to have loosened a tiny bit.
I can get it to turn a bit further than yesterday, but still have to use a lot
of force to move it.
The PBB side is till as stubborn, although at one pint last night I heard the
bolt move in the threads (yeah, I couldn't wait all night  )
but this morning I just succeeded in bending the bolt, it didn't want to turn.
I have also strained the biceps in my left arm, so pulling also hurts me now...
jeez I'm getting old! 
it's hard to hold the bike and pull on these things at the same time, it keeps
wanting to fall over so I have suspended it from the roof to help me a bit.

[MadKaw]

sounds like you're havin a hell of a time with it man. I wonder if somebody before you might have crossthreaded them...surely not both huh. hit that nut with the map gas and see if it will expand a little....might work.

[Mudshark]

sounds like you're havin a hell of a time with it man. I wonder if somebody before you might have crossthreaded them...surely not both huh. hit that nut with the map gas and see if it will expand a little....might work.

Yup it was tough... I gave up in the end.... I had to cut the two adjuster bolts
off, drill them out and tap some fresh threads in there.
It all worked out great, a bit more effort that I wanted ..... but hey look at this.
Not too crappy for a '03?





Next is a new top end and clutch, But that can wait till spring

[MadKaw]

she's lookin good man. should be a nice day for ridin tommorrow...we're kinda plannin on goin to Ferris to MotoXpit.

[Mudshark]

I envy you... I still have to wait for this to heal...



Just 2 more weeks and it comes out of the "boot" into a sneaker, I can start
bending it and getting it used to abuse for a for more weeks, then it'll fit back into
a MX boot 
I tell you, working on the bike with this foot has been the toughest part of the whole
thing. 

[GDubb]

OUch... that looks like it hurts.  Lower extremity injuries are the worst cause you spend alot of time on your butt and its hard to get around.  I skateboarded my whole life until just this last year so I've had more than my share of foot/ankle injuries.  Its a bid downer when mobility is that limited. Can be downright depressing.  Good luck with that foot... I must have missed the story behind that on here somewhere... or was it not bike related?

[Mudshark]

It got caught under a root while riding some woods. It broke the bridge of my foot.
Well only the bone that the big toe sits on and the one next to it.
Lucky I had boots on....
I've put on about 6 lbs sitting on my butt.... I'm hoping the KX gets it back off
for me 

[MadKaw]

that looks like it hurts, dude! well the 2 weeks will come and go, my bike has been broke long time it seems like. any rehab on the foot? its gonna need to losen up after being in that boot for so long. good luck with that crap man. you'll be ridin gbeforer to long.

[Mudshark]

I see the Doc on Thursday  I think it'll come out of the boot thing then.
I've been a good boy, I've done all the toe bending and stretching that he
told me to do, Plus I've been walking quite a bit with the bike re-build and all.
It feels ready to me .... what do  I know 

[MadKaw]

well...you'll know for sure the first time you come down from a jump...


keep it clean and take ALL the antibiotics they give ya...NO INFECTION!