So...I'm trying to drop my '02 F4i engine to get the frame and swinger powdercoated. I'm stuck on the swingarm removal - the main bolt through the swingarm, engine, and frame. Those goddamn castlenuts are giving me a hard time. Honda here wants $160 for the tool. I've since spent $60 on tools to try to get it off...and despite what the other writeups say, the bolt on the left side of the bike is NOT 14mm, and NOT 18mm like the parts fiche says....its 27MM, meaning I've spent $25 on fancy oversized 1/2 drive bits - one to hold the one side of the bolt steady, the other to attempt to grind into the castle nut configuration shape, which I've failed, miserably. I don't have a dremel, only a 15vold cordless drill, so I got the dremel bit and metal cutting discs to use with the drill, but the weak discs just turn to powder while trying to cut the hardened stainless that the Craftsman bits are made of.
Anyways, I finally made some headway tonight; I got the main 27mm nut off the left side....which just exposes the castle nut even more on that side, and its a real strange configuration. See the pics below. Anyways, I just don't know what to do at this point, and I don't know what side of the bike I should be tackling this from. Any suggestions? Most importantly...can I get the main bolt out without loosening the castle nut washers?

 

looks like you just need to get that funky nut off, I just took a socket of the right size and grinded enough off to leave the four prongs that fit in the spaces on the nut. It worked great for not really costing anything (used an old socket laying around)

 

LOL...yea that nut is a pita...my friend also did the same thing as woody, but he had a commercial grinder...i have a dremel...time saved was amazing.

 

BRO, TO ME YOUR MAKING IT TO COMPLICATED. I TOOK MINE OFF IN FEB,SO LETS SEE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.THE SIDE WITH THE ALLEN HEAD SHOULD JUST UNSCREW OUT ,AS LONG AS U HAVE AN ALLEN HEAD TO FIT IT.THEN U CAN KNOCK THE BOLT OUT HITTING IT FROM THE OTHER SIDE.AS FOR THE OTHER SIDE I DIDN'T HAVE A SPECIAL TOOL SO I GOT A WHEEL NUT AND STUCK IT IN THERE AND ENOUGH OF IT STUCK OUT SO I COULD USE A SOCKET AND A BREAKER BAR.SORRY CAN'T REMEMBER THE SIZES OF ALL THAT STUFF.

 

Wheel nut....you mean one of these?

 

Noone knows? I just ****ed up another socket trying to get the castle nut off.

 

YA YOU HAVE TO KNOCK OUT THE LONG BOLT FIRST.I NEVER MADE AN ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE CASTLE NUT LOOSE FIRST, CAUSE ONCE YOU LOOSEN THE INSIDE PART WITH YES A "WHEEL NUT OR LUG NUT" THAT FITS,THEN THE CASTLE NUT LOOSENS BY ITSELF.I DONT KNOW ABOUT ALL THIS TALK ABOUT A GRINDER AND DREMEL,SOUNDS LIKE SOMETIN GONNA GET MESSED UP.

 

http://www.stuntlife.com/forums/post...30-post20.html

 

Hmm...the main bolt was sticking out a little on the left side of the bike...and being pissed off after spending a day grinding down a $15 socket, I gave it a hard kick. The bolt slid in an inch.

Once the engine is supported andtotally disconnected this coming week, I'll try just to get the bolt out, then play around with this lug nut idea, since NOONE sells 'male'12mm hex/allen key things. Maybe I can get the bolt out and everything detatched without dealing with it, I'll post results.

 

Good luck! that **** was a huge pain in my *** when I did it, but in the end it's beautiful. what color are you going?