Hi All,
I wonder if anyone else has had the same problem, I thought I would share this with every one so no one else makes the same mistake I have just made....very embarrassing.
I wanted to remove the belt tensioner on my XB9R, so I removed the pinch bolt on the rear wheel no problem, and started to undo the rear wheel spindle the 15 turns needed, after 3 or 4 turn is was getting harder to turn so I thought it might be the weight of the bike on the rear wheel so I jacked the bike up and did another 2 or 3 turns still with some resistance! Then with a big bang the spindle moved...
What had happened was the spindle had corroded in to the right hand wheel bearing and was stuck tight, as I was undoing it this had the affect of jacking the swinging arm apart like a screw jack.
As the rear calliper is fixed is attached to the swinging arm as it moved it bent the rear disc rota by 5mm.
I am very frustrated and annoyed at myself for not spotting what was going on, plus the £130. For a replacement rear disc, but lucky it doesn't look like it's damaged the swinging arm!
I hope this may help someone.

regards
Ian

Ouch. Copaslip (anti-seize) is your friend.

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2006 XB12Ss..... 1998 S1W..... 1996 S2T
We do not need the help of our friends so much as confidence that they will help us when we need it. –Epicurus

This is very common and it's not unknown for the weld at the oil tank to fracture.

Get your disc from EBC.......half the price of a genuine item

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Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Tis a useful experience to share and there will be many bikes like yours with seized axles. Always wiser after the event, but best thing to do regarding it is to think how you would do things differently next time.

It would be easy for someone to say that you should have seen that the axle was turning but not exiting the pulley side of the swinging arm, but of course if you don't know what to look for you will probably not spot it. But if you did spot it, the use of ratchet straps to pull the swinging arm together would have helped, and to save the disc, caliper removal...

So maybe the answer is to ask yourself:
Is the axle hard to turn? If yes, is the pinch bolt tight? If yes undo it, if no is the swinging arm spreading? If yes, tighten axle, remove caliper and apply ratchet straps and try again...

Prevention is better than cure and as Motorrad says, Copa Slip all mating surfaces on assembly.

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08 Specialized Langster

Wise words !

Always check when removing the axles - the rear axle of my 2010 CR was seized up from new - and the axle was supposed to have had a new finish to prevent it from happening ! The exposed parts are now a nice rusty brown colour ...

Thanks Pash,
I will definitely apply your good idea’s, is was the first time I have removed a Buell wheel spindle and the truth be told I was rushing a bit....very excited about fitting the Buell race pipe!
Apart from the setback with the disc, OMG the pipe looks and sound fantastic supplied by a club member.
I am very happy with the end result and my new wavey disc will look great.
Thank you every one for your comments.

I have never had the problem, but that is only cos my XBs have either been mine since new (or nearly new) or have been looked after with Copa Slip.

The wisest words are to use Copa Slip...

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08 Specialized Langster

Mate came round on his 12S tonight wanting help getting his axle undone. It was all corroded up, but the breaker bar got it free. Next thing was that the axle was spreading the swinging arm; remembering this post I was on the lookout for a space between the swinging arm and LHS bearing. I was on the verge of using a ratchet strap, but instead my weapon of choice was a hide mallet, a quick knock on the RHS of the swinger near to the axle resulted in the swinger passing over the axle, and I could continue to undo the axle before replacing it copa-slipped up...

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08 Specialized Langster

In light of this I think I will be takin the rear wheel out myself when it's time for some new boots.

And whip the rear caliper off too...

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08 Specialized Langster

Came across this problem a few years ago when removing the rear wheel from blackcab John's XB9, after we removed the rear caliper we ratchet strapped the swing arm, and turned the axle a turn at a time and whacked the end with a rubber mallet, eventually removed the axle without the horror of splaying the swingarm apart.
Iv'e used genuine Molyslip coparslip on my axle, this seems to stop the axle binding on the bearing's.
The other copper based greases are not as good at keeping the corrosion at bay.