Flywheel retaining bolt - left or right to loosen?

[Guest]

Well, I am feeling very frustrated. I have a 79 GS1000E - and I cannot get the bolt that retains the flywheel, out of the flywheel. The bolt, takes a 17 mm socket, has a shouldered head with a slight groove around the head. To me this groove would normally indicate that it is a reverse thread bolt. To me this normally means that you would turn the bolt to the right to loosen. But doing some reading of old posts on the subject of flywheel removal I have learned that some folks use their rear axle (14mm) as a tool to force the flywheel off. Now I am 99% sure that my rear axle is not reverse threaded. Leaves me confused. I have done just about everything I can think of to get the retaining bolt out of the flywheel. (Impact wrench, 30" breaker bar, heat.) So the question is - do I turn the bolt to the right or to the left (as I am facing the flywheel) to loosen? Appreciate any advice - including if I am being dumb and have forgotten something simple/ basic.
thank you

[chuck hahn]

I believe its a lefty loosy righty tighty..try the impact both ways. If you get the bot out take it to a hardware and get a hardened bolt with that thread and a the supplies to make a slide hammer. Weld the bolt onto the steel rod that you make the slide out of.. No need to possibly damage the axle threads or go to the work of removing the axle.. also if you look at the actual removal tool its basically a long bolt that bottoms out on the crank. As you keep tightening the bolt it is supposed to force the flywheel off. Once you get the bolt tight against the crank and add a few turns give the flywheel a few rather gentle taps around the edges..tighten some more and a few more taps to help wiggle it off. Dont tap it real hard cuz you dont want to break the magnets in there loose..easy does it wins the race.

[Prairiesailer]

I am now tending to agree with Chuck that the universal rule "lefty loosey - righty tighty" applies and this is a normal right hand thread bolt - in spite of the groove around the head which made me think otherwise. BUT I still cannot make the retaining bolt budge. I have used a propane torch to heat the rotor around the bolt to no avail. Should I break out my oxy acetylene torch and really heat it? If so how hot? Cherry red? What will I damage if I heat too high? By the way the engine is out of the frame on my work bench, and the head and jugs are off the cases. thanks

[blowerbike]

normal threads on this bolt.
impact w/ good psi or a nice electric impact.
it will come loose.

[chuck hahn]

NO HEAT!! there are magnets in the rotor..excess heat destroys magnets..notice i said EXCESS. If you have had it hot with a propane torch thats all you want to do..try this instead. Put the bike in gear on the center stand. pump up the rear brakes and find a way to hold the pedal down..That will help to keep the engine from turning when your trying to loosen the bolt. Then put a cheater bar on a box end 6 point wrench and try llosening the bolt. Thing here is to create a lot of leverage to get the bolt loose.

[SqDancerLynn1]

GET a good impact !! None of those $29.95 specials

[chuck hahn]

breaker bar turning the correct direction should do it.

[blowerbike]

the engines on a table.
rap rap rap...wizzzzzz...
thats the sound of the bolt spinning loose w/ air pressure.

[Prairiesailer]

Whew!

Thanks everyone - got it off. put a 3 foot cheater on it and then smacked that with a 5 pound sledge -it turned the slightest amount. Turned enough though that my Chicago Pneumatic 1/2 inch drive running on 125 psi was able to turn it off the rest of the way - and it was a struggle. I am leaving the flywheel until tomorrow to tackle - gonna fab a 14mm fitting for my slide hammer and persuade it off.
Thanks for warning me to not use heat - I was getting desperate there for a while. As it was it was a long day in the garage - but that is a good thing!