rear axle seized - help needed

[RS Thornton]

The project du jour is an 81 special, and I have it working now. The next step was to make it roadworthy so it needs new rubber. The front axle came out hard, but the rear refused to let go. I am mushrooming a drift rod against the axle but it refuses to let go, so I figure it spacer or inner bearing races have corroded onto the axle. I have tried to spray penetrating fluid along the axle but I don't think it can get to where the problem is. I cannot figure on anyway to get it out of there short of taking the swing arm assembly off and putting it up in a press.

Anyone else run across this?

thanks,
Scott

[randy]

Never heard of such a thing happening.

Try laying it down on it's right side and dribbling penetrating fluid down between the axle and the rear drive?

Can the axle be spun/worked loose using the holes in the right hand end?

OK, here' s the really dumb question - have you loosened the pich bolt on the right? I see you have a '78E so you probably have, but I had to ask.

[DiverRay]

I've had the spacer "slip" just a little and freeze! Check and squirt PB Blaster around the rear brake side of the swing arm. If you can turn the axle, that is a start. If it WILL NOT TURN, DO NOT USE A HAMMER ON IT!! You will be replacing the complete rear assembly if you do!
Try a little heat from a Mapp gas torch. Heat the spacers between the right swing arm and the right rim first, and then spray a little more PB into it to cool and shrink it. Twist the axle until it spins 360 easily, and THEN start to try and pull it out.

[RS Thornton]

The axle spins freely and everything you can get to on left and right side has seen some PB. There is just no back and forth motion between the hub and the axle. The spacer or dust cover on the right side between wheel and swing arm/caliper assy is free as well. I could pull the tank and side covers and lean it over on the side and see if I can get the PB to drip along the shaft. I had not thought about heat as I thought it would make things worse, if the shaft is heated wouldn't the OD increase and get tighter in the spacer or bearing race that must be holding it up?

Or maybe I could run it with the 23 year old tires