Hey guys, so I'm in the process of removing my year swingarm from my 1999 Yamaha Wolverine 350 4x4.

The pivot pins have a lock nut on them. Do I need to loosen/remove the locknut prior to trying to unbolt the pivot pins? I have allen keys to fit the pivot pins but it looks like the lock nut is 1"+ in size and I don't own a socket of that size so I was hoping it didn't need removal.

I didn't want to try cranking on the pivot pins since I've had some horrible luck with stripping bolts on this bike.

Any quick help would be greatly appreciated, as I took today off work to get this done!

Also going to use a torch and chisel to try and spin the two bolts on my valve cover to check valve clearances. Replacing oil filter, exhaust gasket are also on the to-do list!

 

We did swing arm bearings on my sons and it wasn't too bad

 

Ya I removed the rear swingarm (after two different trips to the hardware store to buy larger sockets). Everything was good until I got to the u-joint...this did not want to come out.

I borrowed a u-joint press from a friend of a friend and got it out tonight. Of course the nut on the inner yoke is a size I don't have...off to the hardware store tomorrow to buy every socket size from 20mm-25mm.

So since I am stuck on the oil seal I noticed I have LOTS of play in my front left tire...assuming wheel bearing. Went to remove the front left wheel and one of the studs is free spinning so I can't get the lug nut off!!

Assuming now I'm going to have to attempt to cut this lug nut off now? I'm really not wanting to replace the entire hub, so maybe just replace the stud and tack weld it to the hub?

This "budget" bike is starting to break the budget...

Any tips or tricks are definitely appreciated here !

 

You could always go to an auto parts supplier and see if they have a stud that will match, it may be a long shot but worth the try. You could tack weld the back of the stud and see if it helps hold the stud in place but I wouldn't heat it too much to make it brittle.

 

I just thought I would add an update:

So I finally got down into my oil seal and ripped it out by drilling some pilot holes into it and putting screws in it. Then using pliers I pried it out. The new one went in fairly easily after I cleaned up the surface. I then put the yoke back on and torqued the nut to spec and added blue locktite.

Then I pressed in the u-joint (with complications...but eventually made it work), then put the swing arm back on. It was a little difficult lining everything up, trying to make the splined shaft meet the yoke correctly etc, but I got it after a bunch of adjustments with jacks and jack stands.

I ended up badly stripping the oil drain bolt, so before I got any more frustrated I took it to the shop just up the road.

$300 later, he removed the stripped oil drain plug, removed the stripped exhaust valve cover bolts, removed and replaced the two front stripped wheel studs, and did the front wheel bearings. I'm happy I had him do this, worth every penny to me.

He indicated, however, that I should replace my rear axle bearings before long. So I'm going to get the bike home and check this out. This may be my next big project...

This bike is going to be brand new by the time I'm done with it!

I hope I like driving it as I've been wrenching on it for a few months and have only driven it once around the yard!!