Question About Swing Arm Removal

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
I have a 2014 S10. I'm in the process of removing the rear swingarm for maintenance. I've reached the point in the procedure where it calls for the removal of the pivot shaft end plate. It's really tight between the U-joint and the pivot shaft end plate, and I can't get one of my ratchets with a hex driver bit in there to remove the socket head screws that hold it on. I tried one of my hex keys, and those screws are tight; I can envision stripping out the socket heads on them before I can get them loose with the hex key. I'm not sure I can even get to the lower screw and have enough room to work it out.

Question is, is it necessary to remove the pivot shaft end plate before you pull the pivot shaft and drop the swingarm? What is that plate doing, that makes it necessary to remove it before you remove the pivot shaft? If it is necessary, how did those of you that have done this maintenance get the end plate out?
 

Attachments

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Well, impatience won out over caution. I kept looking at the design and couldn't figure out why the end plate had to be removed, since all it seemed to be doing was holding in a nut that goes at the end of the pivot shaft. So, I removed the pivot shaft with the end plate in place. Nothing bad seemed to happen, so I guess all is well.
 

stutrump

Active Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
942
Location
london uk
Hi folks. I'm at this same point. I want to remove the swingarm and as RCinNC says, the manual suggests to remove the pivot shaft end plate.
I'm 99% sure that I wont be able too.
Not that I dont trust you RCinNC but I'm just curious what other S10 owners have done at this point??
 

tubebender

Active Member
Founding Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
656
Location
Oceanside, CA
RCinNC is correct and the manual is wrong. I did not have to remove the end plate either.

1578684626651.jpeg
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
I just noticed this thread was active again. One thing that happened after I posted my last entry was that, true to my prediction, I stripped out the head of the lower allen screw on that retaining plate when I was trying to remove it. I wanted to take it off just to figure out for sure if there was any reason that it needed to be removed during the procedure. This was after I removed the swingarm, which gave me more clearance to reach the screw. I knew it was tight, so I soaked it with PB Blaster and let it sit overnight before I tried to free it. Even with that, the socket head rounded out while I was trying to get it loose. So, unless I want to cut a slot in the screw with a hacksaw and try to remove it next time with an impact driver, that bracket is now there for the life of the bike.
 
B

ballisticexchris

Guest
Hi there RC, just get yourself a Allen head extractor tool or set. For home use Irwin tools makes a nice set. Or SnapOn/Matco make the commercial grade ones.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Hi there RC, just get yourself a Allen head extractor tool or set. For home use Irwin tools makes a nice set. Or SnapOn/Matco make the commercial grade ones.
Thanks Chris, I didn't know there was such an animal. I'll have to look for a set. Though, when I tackle this project next time, and presuming I can get the allen head screw out, a hex head is gonna go back in its place.
 

Don in Lodi

Well-Known Member
Founding Member
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
5,780
Location
Lodi Kalifornia
Sometimes a torx bit can be driven into the rounded out hole tight enough to give you added purchase so judicious use of an impact driver can get the offending bolt to pop.
 
Top