Can’t get the axle out of a set of forks as the hub bearing has seized onto it. I can unscrew the axle 3mm such that it splays the fork legs slightly and there is some scope for belting the hub with a hammer to try to free it. No joy though.

I’m struggling to see a way of sorting this out, I can’t see how I can get heat into the bearing as it’s inside the hub, ditto getting any oil into it etc. So I’m after some clever ideas please?

Forks are Fox 36 Talas, hub is some specialized thing.

Cheers

What sort of axle is it?
Any scope for bashing the axle through?
Any scope for gently bashing the fork legs (gently, with a mallet not a lump hammer) to push it through, when you got this 3mm gap?

My vote would be for bracing the fork legs so they can’t splay when you unscrew the axle. Which might help the bearing let go.

good shout, got a g-clamp?

It’s a 20mm Fox screw in axle, not a Maxle. It’s threaded in and the axle cannot be unscrewed far enough that it can be hammered out.

I’ve belted the crap out of the hub, it’s the hub that is stuck to the axle, no movement. I would want to hit the forks as hard as I’ve hit the axle and it would have the same effect anyway.

Stopping the forks from splaying might be an option, however it might be easier said than done. not sure my vice is wide enough or stiff enough to keep the legs together. Any ideas for immobilising the fork legs?

I do have a g-clamp, might not be big enough though.

a bigger G-Clamp…. 😛

A good soak with penetrating oil overnight will help too.
+1 for bracing the legs and then unscrewing the axle.

if all else fails, cut the ends off the hub with one of these;

Got a ratchet strap handy? Could loop it round, and wind it up somehow. Might harm a few spokes in the process though.

No ratchet straps, mind you most ratchet straps have a ratchet that is wider than these forks….

Did think about some sort of grindage, the hub isn’t worth much, but the bearing will be very tough, I expect I’ll manage to make a mess!

use a length of wet fabric. pass it round the for legs through the wheel then tie it in a knot with a bit of slack. then pass a bit of broom handle through the slack end of the loop and turn it until it goes very tight. this will act to hold the legs together. the fact it is wet will reduce its ability to stretch. have used this for something similar in the past and it worked well.
hopefully i explained it well enough

zip ties will do for the fork legs – a few of those will stop it expanding – you’re not trying to pull them together, just stop them moving apart.

if you do end up grindign you coudl always dismantle wheel a bit by removing some spokes so you can cut a section out the middle of the hub.

i assume youve tried wd40 and leaving it to soak for a few days? was surprised how many times this has helped me out on my classic mini, the home of seized components.

I’m with bigyin penetrating solution, if you post up a photo, we would be able to get a much better idea.

28 zipties couldn’t hold it! In fact it’s so well seized on that if it could I wouldn’t be able to turn the axle anymore! It’s properly stiff to turn with all those zipties on, but still manages to splay the legs.

Fortunately/Unfortunately I’ve discovered that one of the dropouts is cracked, so I’m not sure how much of an issue it is now! Anyone got any spare lower legs? I guess not as they all seem to crack eventually.

grinder/plasma cutter/dynamite it is then