I have just bought a second Fantic 200 as a winter project to do up and I need to get the frame and swingarm blasted and powder coated (or painted - can't decide). I have removed the two small bolts from each end of the swingarm spindle and I've removed the two pinch bolts from where the spindle passes through the frame. So to my mind it should "tap" out now but it's fixed solid.

Can anyone tell me how to remove it please? It's driving me up the wall!

Thanks

Mag

Its threaded into the frame

How does it unscrew then? There's no way to get hold of it to turn it and the small bolts that come out of either end don't seem strong enough to tighten right in and then undo a left handed thread (if that's what it is).

Still confused!

Edited October 28, 201312 yr by maggar

The swinging atm spindle has a slot for an allen key on the rh side. Turn it anticlockwise.

Okay, I've now identified the problem; my other Fantic 200 is as you describe Eddie but this "new" one doesn't have an Allen key slot on either side it just has a very small threaded central hole for a bolt with a washer - presumably to stop the bar being used as a spindle from slipping out. There appears to be a steel bush at either end too. I think this bar is now seized inside the frame tube as smacking it with a chuffing big drift and lump hammer hasn't moved it a bit.

My worry is that, even after a bit of heat and a bigger hammer has removed the "spindle" (hopefully!) the internal part of the frame tube is obviously different to the standard one now so how am I going to replace it with the normal spindle (always assuming I can find one)?

Edited October 28, 201312 yr by maggar

Take some time before getting too rough with it.

Plenty of heat and penetrating fluid

I cant see it being stuck in the actual swinging arm itself. There are two nylon bushes one at each end and clearance in the middle. It is possible that if the spindle has rusted in this centre bit making it too big to knock through. However even if this was the case the shaft should turn.

It is most likely fast in the frame at one or both of the ends. I would definitly try to get the spindle to turn before hammering incase it is threaded in the frame. Drill a hole in the LH size approx 10'2mm and hammer a 10mm allen or torx key in. If it still wont turn use a bigger drill and drill the spindle end out. It should knock out then when you have drilled the thread out.

Good Luck

When I bought my bike the thread on the end of the shaft was bent. It must have been used for a jump and had a very hard landing. It did come out once it started to move but needed a lot of leverage

Thanks Eddie.

As it turns out the threads in the frame are no more! The spindle is stepped at the opposite end as normal but instead of threads it seats into bronze bushes and has the two bolted in end caps to stop it "floating" out. The whole thing had seized up so the spindle was turning in the bushes. It is now out (thanks to a 60 tonne press) and the frame is stripped down ready for blasting and powder coating. I will rebuild as is but with the spindle properly greased and with a new (working) grease nipple to keep things moving.

It's going to be a long job!

Edited November 6, 201312 yr by maggar

Great stuff.

They are great bikes well worth the effort I am so pleased with mine.