Stuck front axle

noksterism

Member
So I've been slowly discovering surprises the previous owner of my new bike failed to disclose to me, and yesterday found another fun one.

My FTR was sold to me with a street rear tire and the OEM front, so I bought a matching front and was attempting to pull the wheel off yesterday. Except I can't get it off. After a couple of rotations the axle stops backing out of the forks and just spins. It looks like it stops about halfway through the far fork. Thankfully, turning it back clockwise returns it to fully installed position, so I can keep riding.

Anyone ever experienced this before?
 

kiwi dave

Active member
Sounds like you've run out of thread (i.e. it is completely undone.)

You could try following threw with a suitable sized driver (the correct sized socket on an extension should do it).
Just tap away gently and see if it starts to move.
 

SURGEFTR

Active member
So I've been slowly discovering surprises the previous owner of my new bike failed to disclose to me, and yesterday found another fun one.

My FTR was sold to me with a street rear tire and the OEM front, so I bought a matching front and was attempting to pull the wheel off yesterday. Except I can't get it off. After a couple of rotations the axle stops backing out of the forks and just spins. It looks like it stops about halfway through the far fork. Thankfully, turning it back clockwise returns it to fully installed position, so I can keep riding.

Anyone ever experienced this before?
did you completely loosen up the pinch bolts first? Are you trying to pull the axle out as well? Is the wheel fully weighted to the ground or elevated with weight off of it. Could be lots of factors.
 

Max Kool

Well-known member
Yup, gently tap it out. And put some grease on the axle when reinstalling. It’s tight in there.
 

noksterism

Member
did you completely loosen up the pinch bolts first? Are you trying to pull the axle out as well? Is the wheel fully weighted to the ground or elevated with weight off of it. Could be lots of factors.
Sure did, trying to get the entire axle out to pull the wheel off. I tried having it completely lifted as well as supported off the ground to remove the weight, couldn't get it beyond that point.

Yup, gently tap it out. And put some grease on the axle when reinstalling. It’s tight in there.
Sounds like you've run out of thread (i.e. it is completely undone.)

You could try following threw with a suitable sized driver (the correct sized socket on an extension should do it).
Just tap away gently and see if it starts to move.
Hmm, OK. Seemed weird to me that the thread wouldn't back out all the way out of the fork when undoing it, especially with the total lack of any information in the official Indian procedure doc.
Guess I'll have to try again.

Thanks all.
 

kiwi dave

Active member
You will have to elevate just enough so the tire is just touching the ground. This should relieve any pressure on the axle, allowing it to move without bearing the weight of the front end, or bearing the weight of the front wheel. It's a fine adjustment that you just play with the jack until this condition is met.

For this reason, a front stand that lifts the front wheel right off the ground, is not the ticket for removing the front wheel. A rear stand that lifts the rear wheel off the ground (using bobbins screwed into the swinging arm), to provide stability to whole bike.

Then, lift the front of the bike with a small jack under the motor, until the front wheel just starts to clear the ground, then the front axle should be free. You may need to play with this a little until it gets to the optimum position.
 

Max Kool

Well-known member
I had the exact same first time I removed it. But hey, we both aren’t at the OP 🤷🏻‍♂️
 

mark.lb

Well-known member
What kiwi Dave said. Once the axle is out of the left fork the weight of the wheel while jacked up binds it in the right fork. Jack up just enough so the front tire is not supporting the weight of the bike but is still touching the ground. The front wheel will now not put downward pressure on the axle. Drive the axle out with a drift pin and mallet. Then jack up to remove the wheel.
67142E36-BCDA-4E06-BBA9-0BCCB07E0376.jpeg
 

noksterism

Member
Well, thanks to you all, I got this one sorted. A spark plug socket I had fit up against the axle just right and I tapped it out. Back together easily enough, as well, after I got the new tire mounted. Guess I shouldn't be so quick to blame everything on the previous owner. :sneaky:

So anyway, now I have a new issue. With everything back together, I took the bike out for a spin and the front brake pulses at low speed, under ~15 mph. It feels like ABS is activating maybe, though I see no visual indication on the dash. I thought maybe something off with pads or rotors but at higher speeds the brakes seem to behave normally - no vibration or pulsing - and everything appears normal as far as I could tell from looking at it. Pulled the wheel speed sensor off as well to take a look at it, theres a nick on one edge of the flat surface but doesn't seem too serious. Perhaps that could cause that? It got cold and dark so I gave up for the day, but I'll have to take a closer look again tomorrow. Anyone ever experience such a thing?
 
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kiwi dave

Active member
I'm guessing you have brake dust or other crud on your pads.

Give them a good squirt with CRC Braklene or equivalent. You may have to remove the brake and pads, and scrub them to clean them up.
 

noksterism

Member
I'm guessing you have brake dust or other crud on your pads.

Give them a good squirt with CRC Braklene or equivalent. You may have to remove the brake and pads, and scrub them to clean them up.
I'll take a closer look but they were totally fine prior to today's misadventure. Even after I removed and reinstalled the calipers on my last attempt.

Did you remove the calipers before started taking the axle out?
I did remove them first, yeah.
 

Max Kool

Well-known member
I guess it does. Btw ABS does not feel like a warped rotor, the “rattle” frequency is higher and ABS does not suddenly make your brakes feel “off”.
 

Charliemurphay

Well-known member
Did you “center” the calipers before you torqued them? My method is to have the calipers installed but bolts loose. Then wrap and tighten a zip tie around the front brake lever to the handlebar. Then torque the caliper bolts. This procedure centers the calipers on the discs.

I have noticed as others have said that mine occasionally pulse if they are dirty. Cleaning the discs with a scotch pad helps a lot. Doing a hard aggressive single brake application from cruising speed cleans them pretty good too I’ve found.
 

Max Kool

Well-known member
That pulsing is largely to blame to the stock pads, and the -uneven- deposits they sometimes leave on the rotors.

I switched to EBC HH and the slow pulsing went away within 1000 miles. Much better.

Later on I switched to Brembo SC pads, which are literally a dream on the FTR.
 
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