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Last ditch effort to remove generator rotor from crankshaft

10K views 39 replies 13 participants last post by  Zac Agee 
#1 ·
I know there's a very long thread on this and I've read all of it. This sucker just won't pop off (03 R1 - blue :wink2:). I've applied PB plaster, torqued the extractor to about 100 ft-lbs, heated it with a propylene torch to about 450 F, hit the extractor bolt with a hammer (while it was hot) and nothing is getting it loose. I've even left the extractor torqued on there for a few days because I've heard that can get the flywheel loose too.

The absolute last thing I haven't tried is a three jaw puller because I honestly don't expect that to do anything considering what I've already tried. At this point I don't care about the rotor. All I care about is getting it off and preventing this somehow for next time!

Any tips to getting it off without destroying the crankshaft are very welcome.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the suggestions guys. Just a little update I heated it once more. This time I was attempting to melt it off and it still wouldn't budge at 700 F as measured by an IR gun with solid hits from a 4 lb hammer.

At this point I think it's fair to say this is an "extreme" case. I really don't know what to do at this point.
 
#10 ·
Ok so im new here. But sonfar it seems that these 03s are known for bad stators. Im going through my own issue right now where i thought it was the rectifier but the damn thing looses battery. I didn't think it was the staor because if you jump start the bike it stays on, so i figured its like an alternator that when its a battery in a car the altrrnator will keep the engine running, however I'm taking thats not the case with a motorcycle. So next step is to get into the stator and hopefully thats what it is. Been looking for the fuses on this thing but cant fimd the main one.

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#11 · (Edited)
Yes there known for stator issues and what your describing is exactly what mine did it was only 2 coils on the stator burnt and on long rides I'd be fine but short rides it would never recover from starting and I'd have to jump it...
Follow the diagram on this link http://www.electrosport.com/media/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf
Also check each stator phase (wire) to ground... If grounded there bad

Op if you are heating it up that much you've more then likely already ruined the flywheel by melting the plastic that holds the magnet in place... There pressed into a tapered snout and it's gonna take brute force of a big air gun and a puller of your choice or cut it off with a torch and or die grinder like a lot of shops have done as last ditch effort
 
#12 ·
Yeah I know the flywheel is toast. At this point I just want the job done. If it's this hard to pull off the rotor next time the stator dies I'm going to have to sell the bike because this is ridiculous.

So many bikes have the stator on the outside of the rotor (directly attached to the cover) so you don't ever need to pull off the rotor unless you're rebuilding the engine. Why couldn't they do that on this generation R1?

What's crazy is they went back to this setup from '09 and up. Are people no longer having this issue?
 
#16 ·
So I tried two things that I thought would work. The first was running the engine with the bolt that holds the rotor on only finger tight. Somehow that didn't break the seal. I even ran it up to 8k RPM.

I also got a new extractor since the old one got stripped and wasn't pulling straight. Heating the rotor once more did not work either so I'm resorting to cutting it off with a dremel. If anyone has done this let me know what works best! I'm trying to avoid touching the crank.
 
#17 ·
I cut off the outside of the rotor using a grinder with a cut off wheel attached. This allowed me to put heat directly on the part of the rotor that was resting on the crank. Somehow that still didn't take it off. I even rented a three jaw puller and that didn't work either.

Amazingly, after everything, two somewhat hard hits with a 5 lb slide hammer took it right off. I was absolutely amazed. If anyone has this problem please try renting or buying a side hammer before doing anything drastic.

The one available for free rental at O'Reilly and Autozone happens to be threaded 5/8" which works perfectly with the 16mm threads on the rotor. Just screw it in nice and tight and give it a few good whacks and the rotor should come right off!
 
#18 ·
When I had to do it on my 02 I used a three claw heavy duty gear puller. I broke the 1st gear puller but had a second one and it finally came off but it was far from easy. I did hours of cursing that day. I thought it was only the 02 and 03's that had this common problem only to read a bunch of recent threads saying that the 04 to 06's have the same problem.:mad::mad:
 
#19 · (Edited)
When I had to do it on my 02 I used a three jaw heavy duty puller. I broke the 1st puller but had a second one and it finally came off but it was far from easy. I did hours of cursing that day. I thought it was only the 02 and 03's that had this common problem only to read a bunch of recent threads saying that the 04 to 06's have the same problem.:mad::mad:
 
#37 ·
I don't see how the 04/06 can have the same problem being the whole rotor assembly rides between 2 bearings. Once the stator/rotor cover is removed you can reach in and remove the rotor assembly by hand. Where as the 02/03 the rotor is pressed into the actual crankshaft. Your post has me second guessing everything I saw researching my 04 updated rotor replacement. From what I can see the 04 /06 rotor runs on a inner case bearing and a bearing in the actual side case rotor cover. No pressing or 3 prong pullers needed.
 
#22 ·
Yeah good call on that Zac! I highly recommend just using a slide hammer if the extractor with a few solid hammer hits doesn't take it off. Based on my experience there is no reason to get all crazy with torches and grinders.

Torching it seems to work extremely well for most people but it did absolutely nothing to help me. All it did was melt my rotor.

Anyway I'm glad it worked out so well in the end. What amazing luck that the slide hammer was threaded perfectly for the rotor. I think that's part of the reason it worked so well. It was pulling just like the normal extractor but with the added advantage of being able to give it significantly more shock and pulling power when the weight was slammed back. This also seems safer than the normal extractor method because with the slide hammer you are pulling away from the crankshaft as opposed to pushing right on it when you hit the extractor with a hammer.

Thanks for all the help guys!
 
#32 ·
I can change mine in about 30 minutes... I'd think a first timer could do it in an hour or two easy if you have no issues..
You don't have to drain the oil necessarily but you will lose a fair amount if your doing it on the side stand, if you have a front and rear stand you will only loose a small amount..
Honestly it's really simple/straight forward unless you have an issue getting the flywheel off.. And you need a tool to hold the flywheel for reassembly, I made my own out of some flat bar and 2 bolts
 
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