I noticed a while ago that the larger pivot axle for the upper link in my Bronson was a bit stiff to turn. I wanted to take it out a few weeks ago to give the bearings a bit of TLC but it would only reluctantly undo so far until the resistance built up and it wouldn’t go any further.

Last night I tried again but decided to use a bit of strength to overcome the resistance which was a terrible idea as the 8mm allen key hole in the axle has now rounded. err… help!

Email Jungle they’re pretty good in getting back on such issues.

It’s also worth reading this thread on problems with pivots :

http://forums.mtbr.com/santa-cruz/santa-cruz-pivot-axle-fail-anyone-990738-2.html

Same thing happened to my Heckler recently (assuming you’re talking about the Hex bolt that sits under the smaller silver bolt). Ended up having to drill the bastard out, and even then it only came out after some serious work. Got a free replacement after I took it into the shop I got it from.

You’ll be drilling that out my friend. It’s a fairly common thing I see when people mess with their own suspension. They round it off with too much force then bring it in for me to drill out and order new pivot bolts…..

No need to drill. We (18 Bikes) or most other shops should have reverse threaded extractors to remove this, pretty straightforward.

It’s the key socket in the axle, not the wedge bolt you remove first, I assume. If so, not sure a reverse extractor will do anything there.

Still though, the axle itself is not a high torque. Only supposed to be snugged up. It could remove just by jamming in open jaws of pliers and rotate to undo or something like that.

Now snapping the wedge bolt on a SC axle… yep, been there. Much faff, extractor was used, with some drilling to get a pilot hole in (and a right git on a stainless steel bolt) 😀

You wind the extractor in (anti clockwise) – it then brings out the axle as it bites.

This type of extractor.

And they work a treat and certainly much better than wading straight in with a drill

That’s an interesting link mtbscoop! I’ll try Jungle first as I suspect there was an underlying issue making it very difficult to undo the axle. It was only ever done up just enough to eliminate play, so it should have undone very easily.

Since it would only turn so far with the allen key, I’m not convinced I could undo it even if I could get an extractor to bite in it.

I’d try a slightly larger hex (imperial) or a persuade a larger torx to fit, screw removers can expanded the metal, which isn’t ideal.