I took the TTR down to the local tyre fitters today, to get a new front tyre. Unfortunately they couldn't get the wheel off. The forks on my bike I think are 1998 YZ forks. When the spindle is unscrewed from the left fork leg, the spacer on that side is seized to the spindle. It reaches a point where all its doing is forcing the fork legs apart, and won't unscrew any further.
When I got home I had a potential bright idea, but I want some confirmation from more experienced spanner twirlers that it might work before trying it. The right hand fork leg has 4 nuts holding on the pinch plate. The tyre fitter only slackened off the clamp when he was trying to unscrew the spindle. What I'm thinking is if I take the plate off completely could I rotate the whole wheel by turning the bottom of the left fork leg. If I take the pinch plate off should the spindle just come out of the right hand fork leg?
Got the wheel off. Even with the fork leg turned it was touch & go getting the spindle wound out to make enough room to jiggle the wheel free. A lot of Plus-Gas and a big hammer got the spindle out of the hub eventually. I suppose that's what you get after 5 years of zero maintenance on the front end :(
