Old sleds rusted setup shafts and bolts

Cherrypicker

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
72
Age
78
Location
Michigan
Got a couple older Phazers II that I am trying to build one out of. had issues already with getting the skis off with the rusted ski bolts, ended up welding new bottoms on mounted skiis, as I couldn't remove with out damaging stuff and spending a lot of money. Now faced with pulling the rear axle bolt, hosed it down with blaster, removed the skid amazingly skid mount bolts came out relatively easy. Wasted one axle bolt trying to drive it out after penetrating oil and heat. This second axle bolt looks to be as difficult, put an impact driver on right side nut which is mounted via a roll pin in the aluminum shaft and it just spun out. Dissimilar metals, really like to bond over 3 decades. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 

I hate it when things are stuck like that. It usually take a lot of heat and some jb80 to get things free and then some beaten and banging works to.
 
9 times out of ten you wont get them out if they are stuck that bad. Sometimes I sawzall next to each rail on the inside, pull out the center idler then work on getting the end stubs out. Sometimes there is no other option....
 
This was the case unfortunately, on the second sled as well. Seems that aluminum doesn't take the heat quite as well as steel. Even with heat from an acetylene torch I wasn't able to get off a steel collar/spacer and the aluminum axle basically crystallized and crumbled.
New shaft if I can find one is $44. Haven't been able to find one on either Ebay or Amazon and suspect salvage yards likely would have more of what I have. Previous owners either never removed or didn't lubricate sufficiently when reassembling.
 
Salvage yard would be your best bet. There are a few here in Michigan. Depending on your location determines how far away they are.
 
when I had my 87 exciter both my cross shafts were frozen. I ended up drilling them out. talk about pain in the a$$. as replacements I bought some steel 3/4 solid stock and cut to length and drilled and tapped.it fit just a touch loose but it didn't matter after it was filled with grease.
 
I will remove the skid every season as long as I own a sled and grease everything. The amount of time they sit is murder on all the parts. Throttle Junkie Sean rebuilt the entire skid on my exciter for me this year. Thanks brother.
 


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