Posts
1457
Joined
5/31/2017
Location
Grass Valley, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
2/11/2018 10:26am
This won't be one of those "ooh and ahhh" builds. My goal was to get my bike into respectable shape to get back into riding after five years off. (I have three-year old so that is where most of my money goes).
Here she is. (2004 RM250) Has six mx seasons on her, and a lot of sand riding. I parked her when I got my RMZ450, which I raced for two seasons and sold. Fork seals (and pretty much every other seal) are wasted, seat is sacked out etc.
She needs some work
The tear down part is easy, right?
But the swingarm bolt is stuck! (I have seen this problem before). I have pounded on it, heated the frame, put dry ice on the bolt...and took it to two shops. No luck so far! The arm actually moves okay, but now of course the end is flared and I can't get the nut back on.
Anybody know a shop in the Sacramento area that could handle this?
Here she is. (2004 RM250) Has six mx seasons on her, and a lot of sand riding. I parked her when I got my RMZ450, which I raced for two seasons and sold. Fork seals (and pretty much every other seal) are wasted, seat is sacked out etc.
She needs some work
The tear down part is easy, right?
But the swingarm bolt is stuck! (I have seen this problem before). I have pounded on it, heated the frame, put dry ice on the bolt...and took it to two shops. No luck so far! The arm actually moves okay, but now of course the end is flared and I can't get the nut back on.
Anybody know a shop in the Sacramento area that could handle this?
New Vertex piston looks a bit better
New top end, pipe cleaned, new Devol radiator guards
The Shop
Coming together...
Take your time and good luck .
Good luck.
Someone told me to build a square out of 4x6's and put the bike on its side and use that. The problem is getting a good swing at it (already dented the frame). So maybe some type of wood frame around it so I can bang it without hitting the frame. This thing is stuck!
I even tried to build a puller out of pipe, some washers and a threaded rod to pull the sucker but no luck. It might be the mother of all stuck swingarm bolts.
The right hand side where your rear brake is. Your pivot shaft should have a hole running through it. Tap this hole and fit a large bolt. Now get a rattle gun on the bolt you fitted to the shaft and start spinning the shaft. Spin, PB blast, spin, blast until the whole unit is sloppy and loose. Now try banging it out from the left side. Bang, spin, blast, bang spin blast.. you get the idea..
It might be worth it to spend $15 to give it a shot.
https://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/hammers/air-impact-hammer-kit-9…
Pit Row
Another 50+ Norcalr' on a RM 250
-- next he'll be a gangster (OTHG) too
Not trying to hi jack your build thread.
Rick
I was checking out Marysville and noticed they had a proclamation of "Motocross City USA" or something. The amount of riding around here is phenomenal. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Prairie City OHV- this is not something you see back East!
There is 4 separate tracks ran by 2 different promoters, one of the Marysville promoters also operates the PCMX (Hangtown) track. We have a nice selection of tracks to suit most needs.
I really dug the drive back to Grass Valley on the edge of Beale air force base- endless prairie horizon to horizon. And the Sutter Buttes - this is a really interesting place. What I find most amazing is you drive a few miles and it looks like a different country than where you started.
It was cool to check out a bit of the scene. Hope you guys enjoyed the race- it was pretty freakin' hot!
I want to know more about that pivot bolt. Did you force it into submission?
Post a reply to: My budget RM250 build (and how to cut out a swingarm bolt from Hell) Final pics*