Swinging arm spindle

[Clive Taylor]

Can anyone tell me if the swinging arm spindle on older road bikes (tubular swinging arm) are a simple piece of 7/16" bar that can be driven out of the frame in order to release the swinging arm for bush replacement or is there more to it ?

[46T Sprocket]

A few words missing there Clive? Please and thank you.

[Clive Taylor]

Oh dear. Must have upset someone. Not my intention. I tend to be brief and as specific as I can be rather that be verbose.
However if someone does have some suggestions then can they please post them. Thank you.

[46T Sprocket]

.I'm sure someone will reply soon to help you out.

[Phil Hyde]

Just a plain piece of round bar. I would recommend stainless steel.

[Clive Taylor]

Thanks for that Phil. My spindle has probably been un-moved for nearly 60 years so is well seized in the metalastic bushes. Heavy hammer only bounces the rubber and draw bar is not shifting it. Yet. Currently soaking in WD40.

[Phil Hyde]

Ultimately you will need to replace the bushes and the spindle. A hydraulic press is probably your next best move. Speaking from experience if you are going to use a hammer and a drift use at least a 14 lb sledge. Hit it once and hard.

[Clive Taylor]

Bushes are on order with Villiers Services and Material ordered to make a new spindle and spacers. I am ok with a press for inserting new bushes in to swinging arm IT'S JUST GETTING THE B....Y old spindle out of the bike. Even bigger hammer as you suggest Phil is next to try !

[teamferret]

Make sure the frame is well supported one the none hammer side other wise it just flexes. I've had to cut one out in the past. good luck

[Clive Taylor]

Thanks Teamferret, I have sort of come to the conclusion that the trusty angle grinder may be required. Need to make new spacers then though.

[dave higgins]

Hi Clive, can i ask what model it is, or have i missed it? any how, all the points above are valid & usefull, but you can do an awfull lot of damage, if you are not carefull.
If your frame has a top beam that runs through the swing arm bolt design, like a tfs etc, then this is of no use, but if yours uses a full width spacer incorporating the engine cradle, with a link bar rising up to the top beam, then try this.
Dot mark the centre of the spindle on both ends, drill down the centre into the spindle until you reach a depth just beyond the frame mounts, then increase your drill size until you get to 3/8, the swing should now break free & buy disconnecting the engine cradle etc, you should be able to remove the whole section, where by you can place on a bench & either press the rest out or work carefuly with a hacksaw to split it down further.
sorry, do not know why I said 3/8, probably an age thing! what I meant was to dril it out to the full width of the spindle.

[Clive Taylor]

It's a 20DC Dave. Only the battery/tool box between the back of the top beam tube and the lower part of the frame. Not even a link bar. So the spindle runs through what seems to be a spacer that incorporates the rear of the engine plates. I have already centred and drilled one end to take a threaded rod so I can use a tube and draw the spindle out with a nut on the end but it is too tight. I assume that by drilling out to 3/8" the connection with the frame mounts is lost so the whole assembly can move back except that the engine is still in the frame !! I could take it out of course. Was hoping to get away without doing that. Ah well, it may have to be done then.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

[dave higgins]

Clive, all i can say is, i have repaired a lot these & that is how i do them, takes a bit of time but always works & all you need is a new spindle.

[John Wakefield]

It's a 20DC Dave. Only the battery/tool box between the back of the top beam tube and the lower part of the frame. Not even a link bar. So the spindle runs through what seems to be a spacer that incorporates the rear of the engine plates. I have already centred and drilled one end to take a threaded rod so I can use a tube and draw the spindle out with a nut on the end but it is too tight. I assume that by drilling out to 3/8" the connection with the frame mounts is lost so the whole assembly can move back except that the engine is still in the frame !! I could take it out of course. Was hoping to get away without doing that. Ah well, it may have to be done then.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Looks like the spindle is seized into the actual bushes themselves, probably not the centre spacer.. As the bushes are in the swinging arm, its best to cut through the spindle on each side of central spacer with a fine hacksaw blade making sure you cut into the protruding inner sleeve of the bush, (you dont want to damage the spacer)
Having done that you can then remove swinging arm and press out the bushes in a press. The centre part of the spindle in the spacer should just pull out, if not you will need to resort to the method that Dave has suggested.
As a general rule unless the bushes are worn its best to leave the swinging arm in place when doing restorations,(if it aint broke dont fix it rule applies) but of course if repainting and using powder coating then the bushes need to be removed.

[Clive Taylor]

Well folks. I had to use the "cut it out with a hacksaw" method suggested by Dave and as often is the case with old bikes, someone had been there before and fitted solid steel bushes and steel s/a spindle. No wonder it was seized solid. My trusty press pushed them out though only to find the outer tubes of the original Metalastic bushes still in place. Hey ho, Had to push them out as well. Still all is now ready to press in the correct bushes when they arrive from Villiers Services.
Thanks for all the help chaps.