Camshaft locknut-how do you loosen the bloody thing?

[jnbmoore]

I know the locknut has left hand threads but what my senior mind can't figure out is what that nut is threaded onto. I tried wedging a piece of hardwood between the head casting and the sprocket but I am unsure of which direction to turn the nut to loosen it up. Twisting it in either direction results in nothing happening. I've tried using slip-joint pliers and visegrips. Tapping with a punch and hammer also yields nothing. Anyone have any tips on which way the locknut turns and what to use to break it loose?

[G-Man]

It screws onto a boss on the sprocket and is usually a left hand thread.

So with the sprocket behind the nut, and locked with some hardwood our soft aluminium, whack it with a flat ended punch downwards on the right side.

If your bike is an early one with the big chunky sprocket then whack it the opposite way.

G

I know the locknut has left hand threads but what my senior mind can't figure out is what that nut is threaded onto. I tried wedging a piece of hardwood between the head casting and the sprocket but I am unsure of which direction to turn the nut to loosen it up. Twisting it in either direction results in nothing happening. I've tried using slip-joint pliers and visegrips. Tapping with a punch and hammer also yields nothing. Anyone have any tips on which way the locknut turns and what to use to break it loose?

[LOUD MOUSE]

As you look at the top of the head/cams with the points cam to the right you can see that the left side of the sprocket assy. has a large tapered area.
That I grip with Vise Grip pliers.
I put the side of the pliers forward and then use a tapper soft steel chisel to hammer the nut clockwise.
Reassemble the reverse.
Never a wood splinter or other metal shavings inside! ...............lm

I know the locknut has left hand threads but what my senior mind can't figure out is what that nut is threaded onto. I tried wedging a piece of hardwood between the head casting and the sprocket but I am unsure of which direction to turn the nut to loosen it up. Twisting it in either direction results in nothing happening. I've tried using slip-joint pliers and visegrips. Tapping with a punch and hammer also yields nothing. Anyone have any tips on which way the locknut turns and what to use to break it loose?

[old mago]

many motorcycles have this problem....... ive found the best way was to buy a rattle gun(they're getting cheap-as now) hook up to your air and hey presto, no need to jam anything into anything. It wont be a one off, as ive now used mine on every bike i have.

[old mago]

many motorcycles have this problem....... ive found the best way was to buy a rattle gun(they're getting cheap-as now) hook up to your air and hey presto, no need to jam anything into anything. It wont be a one off, as ive now used mine on every bike i have.

[LOUD MOUSE]

Are you aware of the design and location of that sort of nut?
Good luck with a impact driver. .............lm

many motorcycles have this problem....... ive found the best way was to buy a rattle gun(they're getting cheap-as now) hook up to your air and hey presto, no need to jam anything into anything. It wont be a one off, as ive now used mine on every bike i have.

[DJM]

Maybe an air chisel with a blunt bit?

Actually I use a piece of 3mm thick steel about 25mm wide at one end and cut to a taper, very much like the extractor we use on morse taper drill sleeves.

One side locates against the flat on the cam sprocket hub, the other against the front, or rear of the camchain tunnel.

This will hold the sprocket and cam assembly locked in place so then you can use whatever you like to actually loosen the nut, in the past I've used a blunt chisel, old screwdriver or just the end of a piece of flat bar stock.

Now I simply use a well fitting 'C' spanner on the nut, no hammer required which must be better all round. Use the same method to tighten it up again too.