It’s true… in certain situations…
If you have a ’76 – ’80 KZ750 twin, and if you do not have a “real” rotor puller handy when you need to remove the rotor (on the left side of the engine, where the stator is), then you can use the rear axle as a rotor puller. It is threaded the same size as the outer set of threads in the rotor (not the inner left-handed threads).
You see, the first bolt, the left-handed one, bolts into the crank and holds the rotor on. Once you remove that, you can see the second set of threads inside, on the inner wall of the rotor (not the crank). You simply screw your rear axle (or a real rotor puller) into the threads on the rotor, and the puller makes contact with the crank end, and forces the rotor off the crank.
If you would like to buy a real one instead, here’s a link to the 18mm one I bought from z1Enterprises.com.
By the way, for what it’s worth, the one in the manual is part # 57001-254.
(thanks to KTOF member steell for G model validation)
To clarify even further, the 76-80 axle will work to pull the rotor off the 82 motor also. It will probably work on all the 750 twins through 84, but 82 is the newest motor I have owned.
But you still need something to hold the rotor while you screw the axle in, right? Any ideas for that? I saw that wrench trick, don’t know if it will work – I’ve already got the reverse threat bolt out.
You can also use the steering head stem bolt. Unscrew it and use it to pull the flywheel. As long as the clamp on the steering head is tight, you can remove the big bolt. A rubber plumbing strap wrench works great for the rotor.