Removing engine mounting bolts - advice needed!

[Douglas]

I am trying to get the engine out of the frame of my 748, following my idler wheel disaster. I have removed the two upper mounting bolts, but cant get the lower one out. That is the one that runs through the swing arm pivot.

I have removed the bolt from the RHS, and according to Mr Haynes, it shouild just pull out from the left. Well it wont! I have WD40'd, and tried tapping it from the other ent with a drift, but it is rock hard. It feels as if it is being retained, but I cant see what is stopping it.

I have tried looking at the parts list on the web, but still cant work it out.

What's the trick anyone?!

I

[keefer]

Unfortunately they get stuck in situ badly.
if you have the Ducati tool kit insert the spark plug tool into it upside down.
its becomes a very large allen key then put a socket over the other end and try turning it.
other than that its just a case of persistence.
maybe let the WD40 go to work over night

[Gav748sp]

Oh if only it was that easy......
The removal of my swingarm bolt invloved all of the above , then an even bigger hammer , some screwed rod , large washers and nuts for said rod, a hacksaw blade (no hacksaw just the blade!) , and finally a large drill and 19mm drill bit!!!
Then a Ducati Technician to remove the bearings etc from the swingarm too.
Now i really hope you don`t have to go to these lengths , to say i was upset is an understatement , and all on a bike with 5000 miles.

Lesson learnt , grease the bolt , grease it again and finally chuck some more grease at it.

Gav

[Douglas]

Thanks for the info chaps, although it isnt all re=assuring! I forgot to mention that I can turn the bolt quite easily, it just wont come out!

Anyway I'll try again tomorrow when the WD40 may have done its stuff!

[Gav748sp]

Douglas

Yeah sorry about the negative side , but that is a possibility as my bolt also turned.

The problem is the bolt ends up welded/stuck to the two top hat bushes that go into the swingarm (from the inside of the arm pointing to the outside of the arm) and the only way out was to cut it out.

After that then there is the replacement of all bearings , bushes and the actuall bolt at £50 alone , not a good way to have to remove the arm!!

So hope you don`t have to go there.
Best of luck.

Gav

[khushy]

trying to get mine out in 2002 - it took ages and a massive hammer - in the end I had to cut the bloody thing between the frame and the back of the engine with a hacksaw - then I could knock it out fairly easily.

Keep trying - it WILL come out in the end!

Khushy

[Douglas]

Well you were all right, persistence did it!

It was very helpful to know it can be a sod, because I then knew it needed brute force and ignorance. Infact the big hammer achieved nothing, the breakthrough was to cut the hex head off the bolt behind the frame with the angle grinder. Then it all came apart fairly easily, once I noticed that the frame would spring apart slightly to let me in with the grinder. It looked to me as if the bolt had belled out a bit a as result of some of my early drifting attempts.

If I were doing another one I would try to ensure that the first drift I used was the right size, and not slipping inside the bolt which is hollow.

[doogalman]

Was thinking of getting one turned up for the winter rebuild,
http://www.mad-ducati.com/Technical/996_SWINGARM_TOOL.pdf