 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'm struggling to remove the main pivot pin from my Salsa Horsethief. It's 6 years old and I've never changed the bearings (which might be related to why it's a bugger to remove).
It's 2 pieces: A drive-side bolt that screws into a pin, with an M8 hex key on the pin (as per bottom right here).
It's not completely seized as I can rotate the pin by putting a lot of my weight through it.
Using a threaded rod, various washers and a headset spacer to press into I've got it partway out, but it's taken a lot of effort to get this far, and my last attempt even damaged the threads on the threaded rod. I've also tried hammering as hard as I dare, with the bolt unscrewed a few turns. Similarly I've tried using a G-Clamp and using the bolt to push it through.
I've tried heating the frame with boiling water, which helped get it to where it is. I've also (separately) used this freeze spray on the pin which didn't seem to help at all.
My next move is the bike shop unless there are any other ideas here? I don't have a vice.
Here's the drive side, with the bolt partially inserted:
After a lot of effort I've got the pin partway out. Notably the bearing has come out with it. The bearing can also now rotate around the pin:
And this shows the pin still protruding slightly out the drive side:
Almost forgot: I've also soaked it in copious amounts of Plusgas over the course of the last 2 weeks.
Is there an exploded diagram on the manufacturers website ?. It sounds odd that a bolt can turn but not come out, even smashing to out with a hammer to the point the bearing comes with it and it still turns.
Could there be another fitting you've missed ?, maybe a circlip or pin or something :?.
Only thing I can think of is a short piece of threaded rod fully threaded in from the driveside and whacking it with a hammer, but if you've already tried that I'm stumped.
I had a similar issue with an old Kona, turned out the main pivot was welded up misaligned and simply undoing the other pivots first freed it up.
is the pivot pin supposed to come out?
Yup, definitely supposed to come out, as the bearing sits behind it.
It's item 1 on page 3 here:
Clearly the pin itself is not threaded on the outside and should be greased, so it is intended to just slide out.
Good suggestion on the misalignment. I haven't yet tried loosening up the other pivots, but it has come partially out by 10mm or so, which I doubt it would be achieved if it were completely on the piss. Easy enough to give that a quick try though.
Only thing I can think of is a short piece of threaded rod fully threaded in from the driveside and whacking it with a hammer,
+1
This is effectively how the Orange-specific pivot pin removal tool works.
Finally got it! I think loosening the other pivots helped in the end actually. As did buying a slightly longer threaded rod.
Clearly there's some corrosion (and a bearing still stuck to it) but most surprisingly lumps of dirt too. What looks to have exacerbated the problem is that my dropper post grommet has partly split, so no longer creates a proper seal. Anything that gets in there falls down the seat tube right on to this pin. And there's no holes below it, so nowhere for it to go.