86 vfr wth? Axle nut has me beat

I have a really mint 2nd gen rwb 750. Really great shape, and mostly a show it off ride 5xs per year on a sunny day. So, I get it dealer serviced about once per year, and all good with no maintenance by all thumbs me.

So today I decided that it was time to adjust the chain. According to both owners manual and service manual it says start by loosening the axle nut. That big nut just will not budge. I dont see where it is staked like the later vfr with the single sided swing arm. I have used a ratchet, breaker bar, and then even an air wrench. Nothin

I have tried to look closely through my old guy glasses, and the axle nut almost looks like there is some kind of internal washer that I can see. The parts diagram just shows a regular big not that screws onto the end of the axle, on the brake side. What am I missing?

 

Nothing special about it, must be corroded, use penetrating oil + heat. or use impact driver.

 

So, I THINK that I am imagining this, but doesn't the photo that I took almost look like there is some kind of washer or lock ring around the edge of the threads? I would appreciate it if anyone with a gen 2 would look at theirs and tell me if I am dreaming. I have not given it the "long extended breaker bar" treatment yet out of fear of breaking the axle.

I did buy a home depot air wrench, which also lost the battle. It showed a PSI limit of only 90- so that thing probably did not crank much harder than me with a regular size breaker bar. Before I add a length of pipe to increase leverage, I really want to make sure that I am not resorting to brute force when there is another reason why it is not breaking loose...

 

and incredibly, the pics of the nut on the web, see attached from one supplier, seem to also show that collar or raised portion around the face of the nut--- I have never seen that set up before. Knowing honda, it must serve some purpose.

 

Could it be a left handed thread? And you have been tightening it?

 

That occurred to me, but the threads dont look "backwards" on the axle, and the service manual does not make any mention of that. Plus I searched pretty carefully around the web for others having this problem, with no luck - so it would surprise me.

That is one of the reasons that I posted here- in case someone else can tell me if I am reading something wrong. Hmmmmm

 

I can go out in the driveway and try mine (83, should be same).

 

Probably over-tightened.

 

It was just a thought, but mine loosened easily in the normal direction

 

Please DO NOT use a long breaker bar... You stand a really good chance of breaking something...
Use A IMPACT DRIVER - Just drive to your local tyre shop & ask them to undo it. It will cost you $10 & 1 minute of their time..

 

The raised section is typical of some 80's bikes - don't over think it - its a normal thread - Just it has due to dissimilar metals seized itself together.. An Impact driver is the correct tool to use first.

 

Eureka- all things come down to chemistry. After 24hrs of being doused in penetrating oil.... the nut gave up. Victory is so sweet. After letting it soak in I did not even need the breaker bar. 1/2 inch ratchet and some old guy leverage and it let go without any grunting.
Thanks to all for their quick answers.

 

OK, but be sure not to adjust the chain too tight.

 

How big of a breaker bar would you suggest when I adjust the chain tension? Maybe the air impact wrench set to max? I sure don't want that chain to come loose, dammit....

 

Impact wrenches are for removing and loosening only. Nut should be torqued to 61-76 ft-lb (per my '83 shop manual). When I worked at a Honda car dealer, Honda made a special impact tool, preset to the proper torque value for their wheel lugs. It looked like they where using a normal impact to tighten, but they weren't.

 

The nut is what is considered a metal lock nut, the raised part is the locking mechanism. They perform the same basic job as a nylock nut, it's just that they are reusable for a much longer period of time. It is typically all I use.

 

don't use an impact driver on an axle. you ought to be able to put the required 65ft-lbs on with a socket and a 2 1/2' breaker bar. place the handle at 90 degrees on the axle, pointing backwards, and put some weight on it. that's all you need.

 

I was kidding about the impact wrench etc...... relating to your comment of making the chain too tight. Im definitely not a mechanical genius, but I can adjust the chain per the manual without too much cursing.

The lock nut thing is new to me. My other bikes are either shaft, belt, or a some kind of cotter pin on that nut. I was just reluctant to keep applying more and more torque to remove it in case I was missing something obvious.

Thanks to all

 

[QUOTE="zxmikez, post: 597914, member: 28003". Im definitely not a mechanical genius, but I can adjust the chain per the manual without too much cursing[/QUOTE]

OK, but what the manual doesn't tell you is that with a used chain, you need to find the tightest spot (by rotating rear wheel) and set proper tension there !

depending upon how worn the chain is, there may be spots where chain tension is too low, but setting must be right at tightest place along the chain.