KX 250 Swingarm Problem Please help!!

[Camouflage_twenty6]

Whats up fellas and ladies. Tonite my brother and I were going threw my KX 250 03 model that I purchased 1 week ago. We went under the plastic checks the oils and everything possible that didnt include internals. We then went to adjust the chain, and found a problem :ugg:. When we got things where we wanted them, I was going to adjust the bolt on the side of the swing arm, the left side was great but the right side wouldnt budge. I dont know what to do, The head of the bolt was rounded off, so I tried to back the other nut against the head of the bolt and back it out that way. The dang thing is frozen in the swing arm. I pulled out the torch and put some heat on it for way long enough the darn thing will not move!!. What the heck could be holdin that bolt in the swingarm? Honestly I tried everything breaker bar, just to the point of well its gonna break loose or break off. So i quit while I was ahead, and it was still usable. I still need to get that dang thing outta there. Please anyone who knows maybe what is inside the swingarm or what coulda happened so I can fix it thanx!!!.

 

[wornknobby]

take out all the motor mounts, then see if the bolt will move as you lift the engine up and down, atleast this could break it loose alittle.
then flip the bike on its side and spray penitrating oil on it, let gravity suck down through the spaces, this will also help,

after a couple of days of soaking, just use a really solid punch(i used a solid round peice of steel, and use a sledge hammer.

realize though, if you do this you will more than likely mushroom the head of the bolt so be ready to buy a new one. (like $30) :ohmy: :bang: :yikes:

 

[rickyd]

Try with the heat, then when it gets hot, put a candle on there, hopefully the wax can penetrate and free it up.. Hope this helps..
RIck

 

[DWreck]

take out all the motor mounts, then see if the bolt will move as you lift the engine up and down, atleast this could break it loose alittle.
then flip the bike on its side and spray penitrating oil on it, let gravity suck down through the spaces, this will also help,

after a couple of days of soaking, just use a really solid punch(i used a solid round peice of steel, and use a sledge hammer.

realize though, if you do this you will more than likely mushroom the head of the bolt so be ready to buy a new one. (like $30) :ohmy: :bang: :yikes:

?!

I think he's talking about the chain adjuster bolt, not the main swing arm bolt.

There is nothing special inside the swing arm. It is made of Aluminum and the bolt isn't so if you don't keep a little grease or anti-seize on it this happens.

I have never tried wax, but penetrating oil and heat with some tapping on the bolt with a hammer should loosen it. If all else fails and you break it off in the swing arm there is a kit called Swing Arm Buddy that works pretty well.

Or you can try a reverse drill bit (if the bolt has broken) and see if that works. If not you will need to drill it out and either put an insert in the swing arm or try and find a chain adjuster like my Gas Gas has that goes around the swingarm bolt and doesn't need the threads in the swingarm.

This is one of the joys of buying a used bike. Good luck.

 

[Camouflage_twenty6]

Hey thanks to everyone who replyed. man you guys give some great advise everyone had a good idea. Its appricated. Now imma try both of those of course if one dont work ill use the other. :eek: Yeah sadly, I mean the bike really screams, at least so far. I got plans to tear it down this winter and redo the top end, clutch and other things needed. well well try it see what happens. Any other ideas feel free to lay them down here. I'll pick them up later. Thanks! :cool:

 

[rickyd]

Did ya get em out??

 

[j32]

wheel adjuster? yea pennatratening oil should help , but heating it should do it
the swingarm is hollow heat it up but not too much and try tightining it a little first
if it breaks drill it out,i know it sounds easier than acctually doing it
worse comes to worse it can be welded redrilled and tapped and rethredded
but i hope it doesnt get that bad for ya

 

[Rcannon]

I tried some PB laster this weekend. Oddly enough, it was also on a 2003 kx chain adjuster bolt.. It worked like a champ.

I imagine any penetrating oil woudl work, but I can vouch for PB blaster doing a good job.

 

[Camouflage_twenty6]

Hey whats up, I havent yet had a chance to work on the swing arm, I work for a prizon and my brother works for a grocery store, so we work opposite hours. but im tracking on all of your information and tips. were gonna try and get that thing out, I just get weary talkin about drillin and cuttin on that thing. Thanks for all your help

 

[jeredh]

i got new rubber mounted on the kx250 tonight, and was about to tighten the chain, and BOTH bolts that thread into the swingarm (to tighten chain) were essentially seized in the swingarm.

each bolt took about 30 minutes to extract, using a socket. kawasaki never ceases to amaze me.

the bike is 3 years old, and the bolts seized to the swingarm from the *inside*.

the bolts looked like they oxidized or something on the inside, and backing them out took a lot of muscle b/c the threads were "melted" together on the inside.

the swingarm had muddy water in it, which likely caused the bolts to get funked up.

WTF?

we heavily coated the inside of swingarm with WD-40, swished it around and drained the swingarm. Then i put another heavy coating of WD, and got an air compressor and shot the sludge out/around the swingarm and forced it out of the bolt hole on opposite side of swingarm.

single-handedly the biggest pain of the ass "maintenance" i've had to do on this bike. changing the top end was easier than this ****.

ok. i had to vent.

 

[robbieisurfriend]

I had the same thing on my YZ. The damn adjuster was so seized It took me several hours to budge. I used a torch and got it hot, used penetrating oil and beat on it. After i got it to budge I just ran it back and forth. It was a complete bitch. I was told this happens because the cast swing arm is hollow and dirt and **** get inside it and completely lock up your threads. Pretty sure it happens on almost every bike be it 2 or 20 years old. I completely mangled mine getting it out also. I agree, its bull****!

 

[todd36]

Brush some ANTI-SEIZE on them every year and you will never have a problem again

 

[flying flea]

the same thing has happened to my kdx's oil drain bolt. it was rounded off and seized in the case from being tightened too hard by the previous owner. i sort of ghettoed it, but it worked for me. clean the bolt, and weld a larger , 3 or 4 inch bolt to the top of it. spray it don't with water as soon as your done or you could melt some rubber. get a wrench and turn slowly. worked for me.