2004 Ridgeback Front Axle

Sellsbooze

Sellsbooze

Member
On a trip to Deals Gap yesterday and noticed after quite a few curves that the front tire was beginning to show belts on the right side. Got to a shop that had tires that would fit and upon trying to get the front axle out it would not budge. Pinch bolt was loosend and was using a breaker bar 5 feet long with no luck. Sunsequently had to turn around and make a 230 mile ride home on a bad tire. Now home, any ideas on how to get axle out???
 
Oscar Maldonado

Oscar Maldonado

Guru
Calendar Participant
Damn! If it's the same set up for all then it should've came out. You removed the little cover on the bottom of the fork tube, removed the cap screws, and undid the axel bolt and nothing? (Should slide right out)

Sounds kind of goofy?! Maybe your bearings are beat up a bit not letting you able to pull the axel out?

Dude.... You have me stumped.
 
Sellsbooze

Sellsbooze

Member
Did all of that. Guy actually called me back in the shop as he was stumped? We looked at it 100 different ways?
 
Brew

Brew

Troop Supporter
Sounds as if your axle may have corroded, it's supposed to have anti-seize on it. May have to heat it up and pound it out...
 
wolfen

wolfen

Member
Question, How do you remove the little pointed caps on the end of the fork tubes. I`m having the same problem with my 2005 chopper?
 
Brew

Brew

Troop Supporter
The pointed caps are held on with an Allen head screw pin located on the lower inner side of each fork... :2thumbs:

 
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Dakotabos

Dakotabos

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Like Brew said..... If you havent had the front wheel off in awhile the lack of lube could have welded it in too..... 4 screws two little bolts cap (Punch it out)
 
wolfen

wolfen

Member
No Luck

Well I stripped the little set screw for the one side cap. It doesn`t look like it holds the axle anyway. I might have to cut the axle out. Do you guys know where I can buy a new axle assembly?
 
wolfen

wolfen

Member
Updated post.

Also I only had one pinch bolt for the other side from the brake. Is that as it should be? I have never had this experiance before. I can`t beleive it is welded on to the bearings, I tried heating the area with propane, but,didn`t want to hurt the bearings.
 
HMAN

HMAN

I just like my Freedom
Supporting Member
wolfen said:
Also I only had one pinch bolt for the other side from the brake. Is that as it should be? I have never had this experiance before. I can`t beleive it is welded on to the bearings, I tried heating the area with propane, but,didn`t want to hurt the bearings.
Click to expand...

Your gonna have to to whatever it takes to get the axle out. You will have to replace the bearings for sure so I wouldn't worry too much about them at this point. Once you get the pointed caps off you can loosen the pinch bolts and you may have to drive the axle out with a deadblow hammer or a soft head mallet. Keep at it an good luck.:up:
 
Dakotabos

Dakotabos

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Get an Easy out and get the set screws out. The axle will come right out (Been there Done That) Replace them with steel set screws. Those strip Too easy
 
Dakotabos

Dakotabos

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Troop Supporter


Does it look like this? There are 2 set screws on each side on bottom of tube holding the axle in. There may be one on each side
 
wolfen

wolfen

Member
reply

No, it doesn`t look loke that. I wish it did. It appears to only have one side that has a pinch bolt. Who puts axles in without any anti-seaze , i don`t know. I hope the guy didn`t do to much work on this bike.
 
firedog19

firedog19

Active Member
remove the two pinch bolts on the left side as you face the bike. Then remove the center axel cap bolt from the right side. Allen head bolt you may have to hold the other side allen bolt to loosen the the cap bolt. after removing the cap bolt you should be able to spin the axel from the left side. I went to the hardware store and purchased a 3" bolt of the same thread and screwed it into the right side where the cap bolt was and tapped mine ouy with a dead blow hammer making sure to backup the oppisite side with something so the forks do not abbsorb the blow losing all of the force. All I needed was to place my knee on the left side fork. Be sure to coat the axel with antisieze when you reinstall it.
 
wolfen

wolfen

Member
Success

I finally got the axle out. It was my own fault. This was the first time taking the front wheel off. If it wasn`t for the info. that you guys had givin me I may not have ever figured out that there are 2 pinch bolts on the one side. Once I got that out it came out very eazy. There was no anti-seize on the axle though. So i`ll make sure that it goes together right. Torqued the way it is suppose to be.
Thanks for the help.
 
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