[peimaritimesledder]

Taking apart my suspension on a 2015 Arctic Cat xf9000. The axel that holds the front arm has a bolt on each side. I have one bolt out, but I can’t unlock the other bolt as it just spins.

I’ve tried the usuals. Added a spacer/washer (actually a wrench) on the loosened Bolt and then tightened it back up, and then try and loosen the other side. Still doesn’t work. Bolt with spacer just spins. Using impact and wrenches. Nothing works.

Tried applying a little heat to bolt. That didn’t work. Still spins.

Any ideas?

 

[favoritos]

Does that shaft have an external collar running between the two sides of the tunnel?
I use a pipe wrench on the slide arm cross shafts without the collar. It's tight, but a smaller wrench with good teeth does the trick.

 

[peimaritimesledder]

Does that shaft have an external collar running between the two sides of the tunnel?
I use a pipe wrench on the slide arm cross shafts without the collar. It's tight, but a smaller wrench with good teeth does the trick.

here is pic of bolt.

 

[peimaritimesledder]

Any ideas on that?

 

[stevem5215]

Hand wrenches never work. Impact gun will spin it off no problem.

 

[peimaritimesledder]

Hand wrenches never work. Impact gun will spin it off no problem.

I’ve tried that. Doesn’t work. Just spins

 

[peimaritimesledder]

I did it. @favoritos suggested this, but key is to take off enough other axels so you can manually wedge some grips in there to hold it, by spreading the two skid sides, then wedging some grips

 

[Liggett]

What works on a Polaris with a similar set-up, is to loosen one a tad, then spin it back tight, then loosen the other a tad and keep working both back and forth like that using a 1/2" impact. They're secured for obvious reasons with RED Loctite. Make sure you use the same on reassembly.

 

[Rakrem]

What works on a Polaris with a similar set-up, is to loosen one a tad, then spin it back tight, then loosen the other a tad and keep working both back and forth like that using a 1/2" impact. They're secured for obvious reasons with RED Loctite. Make sure you use the same on reassembly.

Carefully heating the head of the bolt with a nice small tip torch helps a lot too. Then a high speed impact .

 

[twadam]

1) Take out whichever bolt will come out
2) Put a nut on this bolt, thread nut on about 10 threads
3) Put bolt back in where it came from only about 5 threads (keep loose), but then tighten the nut very tight against the skid.
4) Loosen the opposite side that originally wouldn't come out with an impact, remove bolt
5) go back to the first side with the nut, use two wrenches to loosen nut and remove bolt
6) Drink a beer and flip off that damn design

Don't forget to apply never sieze liberally to avoid bigger challenges down the road.

 

[Liggett]

1) Take out whichever bolt will come out
2) Put a nut on this bolt, thread nut on about 10 threads
3) Put bolt back in where it came from only about 5 threads (keep loose), but then tighten the nut very tight against the skid.
4) Loosen the opposite side that originally wouldn't come out with an impact, remove bolt
5) go back to the first side with the nut, use two wrenches to loosen nut and remove bolt
6) Drink a beer and flip off that damn design

Don't forget to apply never sieze liberally to avoid bigger challenges down the road.

I guess that's not like a Polaris then.

 

[favoritos]

Glad you got the bolt.
I wasn't sure which cross shaft you were trying to remove.
I like to check those shaft edges after the wrench grip method. Use emery cloth to smooth.

I have used the two side trick on that bolt as well. It helps to grab an internal tooth lock washer and put that on the first bolt out. Then reinstall and tighten the bolt.

Those washers are basically a one shot deal and work well to hold the already loosened bolt. Another key to the method is using a good impact that hits pretty hard.

Sometimes the advice I see . . . .
Don't use red loctite. You can see the blue already on those threads. Red would create a nightmare for the next time.

 

[crossedover]

I did it. @favoritos suggested this, but key is to take off enough other axels so you can manually wedge some grips in there to hold it, by spreading the two skid sides, then wedging some grips View attachment 2134996

if that is the impact gun you are using, try using a 3/8 or 1/2 drive impact gun with no extensions. that gun you have there most likey doesn't have enough power behind it especially going thur the socket adapter. abd what Ligget posted seems to make sense and i would try that ia the same time

 

[TMB]

Glad you got the bolt.
I wasn't sure which cross shaft you were trying to remove.
I like to check those shaft edges after the wrench grip method. Use emery cloth to smooth.

I have used the two side trick on that bolt as well. It helps to grab an internal tooth lock washer and put that on the first bolt out. Then reinstall and tighten the bolt.
View attachment 2135001

Those washers are basically a one shot deal and work well to hold the already loosened bolt. Another key to the method is using a good impact that hits pretty hard.

Sometimes the advice I see . . . .
Don't use red loctite. You can see the blue already on those threads. Red would create a nightmare for the next time.

Use blue loctite, and wherever someone suggested, do not use anti-seize

 

[TMB]

I guess that's not like a Polaris then.

Ya think? WTF

 

[Liggett]

Ya think? WTF

Sorry. Have had a similar issue removing the lower bolts from the shock mounting on a Polaris skidframe. Sure seemed similar to me.

 

[TMB]

Sorry. Have had a similar issue removing the lower bolts from the shock mounting on a Polaris skidframe. Sure seemed similar to me.

It’s the same as a Polaris

 

[Liggett]

It’s the same as a Polaris

So I thought. I hope the Neversneze worked for the guy that hopefully got rid of the sled before putting many miles on.

 

[TMB]

So I thought. I hope the Neversneze worked for the guy that hopefully got rid of the sled before putting many miles on.

Not the best place to use that stuff on,

 

[Liggett]

Not the best place to use that stuff on,

I have a bud that lost the whole shebang lower mount once on his 2012. He was wondering why it cornered so much better halfway thru the day but trails were fortunately pretty smooth.