kick start stud

[gator1]

Any tricks on getting the kick start stud on a '46 Chief out ? I'm sure it's been there 68 years. Tried punching from left side no go , been putting penetrating fluid in the set screw hole and every where . Tried using slide hammer no go , started drilling center hole larger and larger . Any suggestions would help .

[Jack K]

You need heat. Heat the seat post casting to red hot and using a long rod or punch drive the pin out from left to right using the small hole in the casting. It would be best to have a helper to either drive the pin out or to keep the torch going because if it cools any before you get it out it will swell and won't come out.

[pisten-bully]

Gator, here's an older thread talking about this same topic: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...ghlight=Kicker

[tomfiii]

Make sure support is at the stud area, any less movement of frame helps.

[Jack K]

Gator, there is probably an unknown number of ways to remove the kicker pin. I have removed a half dozen with heat, a hammer, and length of 5/16 rod with no issues. If you choose to do it this way, I can't emphasize enough that once you begin to heat the casting all around the pin area DO NOT LET IT COOL. Keep heating and driving. If you heat it and allow it to cool it will swell. I have no way to know but I think a lot of the difficulty folks have in removing this pin comes from heating and then driving on it as it cools.

[OldMCRider]

Do NOT heat to red hot ! Just warm it up to 500 degrees or a little more.

[Jack K]

Gator, assuming you haven't already removed your kicker pin you can start at 500°, it might drive out. I'm not sure how you can tell when you get to 500° but it will most likely take more heat than that. From experience, I would say somewhere around 1000-1200°. I guess I should be more specific about "red". Something like "blood red", not "bright cherry, translucent red". Don't just hold the torch on the pin area, wave it back and forth just keeping the temp up.

If you heat it and fail to drive it out you will then have to drill as large a hole in the pin as you can. This will give it somewhere to expand to when heated and will then come out, probably very easily, the same way a bearing race will nearly fall out when welded on. If you wish, you could drill a hole first then heat the pin but you will, of course, have to pull it rather than drive it.

I don't wish to appear thin skinned, but heating it, within reason, will not do any harm here. I would never attempt to have anyone do harm to their machinery, especially an Indian. Just trying to relate what has been for me the quickest, easiest way to do this.

[gator1]

Thanks for the help , thinking the heat is the ticket . Need to get my oxy-acetylene tanks filled this weekend .

[gator1]

Thanks for your help Jack, heat and a slide hammer and out it came.