Relay Arm Stuck

[dcumpian]

I've removed the bolt holding the relay arm to the frame and, for the life of me, I can't get it to come loose. There is a little lip of metal on the right side that may be the problem, but I'm just not sure. Any suggestions from anyone who has run into this?

Thanks!
Dan

 

[philter]

Hmmm I will be following this, I hope you don't have to do what I did and tighten it up again. LOL

 

[RossKean]

Has the collar slipped a bit to one side?

 

[dcumpian]

Has the collar slipped a bit to one side?

That’s my suspicion. Do I just nudge it to the left?  The metal sticking out is about 2mm and looks like part of the inner sleeve, but it won’t turn or slide.  

Dan

 

[dcumpian]

Okay, the more I look at it and the FSM, I can see that this needs to come out to the right, but there isn't enough to grab onto and it is wedged in there pretty good. Any advice?

Dan

 

[Fred W]

The small alloy spacer collar on the right side gets corroded and seized in place in the frame tab.  It will be squeezing/pinching the bearing’s center race (called a collar in the parts list).  If you already have the long bolt fully removed, or pulled all the way to the right (with center stand bracket removed), you can just stick a large screwdriver up between the relay arm and frame and pry it out.  
 

After you get the relay arm out, to extract the seized collar, shoot it with some penetrating oil and let soak, reinstall the long bolt as normal and you can pull the spacer inward.  The head of that bolt is smaller than the diameter of the collar.  It will pull right through the frame tab too.

Been there, done that, several times.

 

[dcumpian]

Thanks!

I'll be glad to get this last piece out and start cleaning/lubing everything.

Dan

 

[Auburn]

yep, as Fred said, it is common for these to rust.  Glad you got it apart.

 

[BkerChuck]

What Fred said is dead on. I just dealt with that same issue on my 2007 a couple weeks prior to EOM. Use lots of penetrating oil and use one of the bolts to push it out.

 

[dcumpian]

Last question: for swing/relay bearings, Mobil 1 Synthetic (Lithium Complex red), or heavy duty waterproof grease?

Dan

 

[Auburn]

I would go for the waterproof lithium grease.