HELP! Ti Seatpost "bonded" to alum frame!

[BikeBasher]

Any metallurgists out there!?! My Campy record Titanium seatpost has
appeared to "weld" itself to the seatpost on my aluminum Bianchi.
No....there wasn't any bronze-colored anti-seize compound applied ( I
have it for bolts/BB's, just never thought to put it on the seat post),
just some grease which apparently dried up over 3-4 years without the
post being moved.

Any good ideas on how I might free the post and salvage the frame? Could
care less about the post. I've had a friend hold the bike while I work
the saddle really hard, but nothing moved at all except the bones in my
hands! Heat, cold, liquid compounds, Goof off?
Thanks in advance for any useful suggestions....

Jeff

 

[Tom Ace]

BikeBasher wrote:


> Any good ideas on how I might free the post and salvage the frame?

See http://sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html


Tom Ace

 

[Paul Cassel]

BikeBasher wrote:
> Any metallurgists out there!?! My Campy record Titanium seatpost has
> appeared to "weld" itself to the seatpost on my aluminum Bianchi.
> No....there wasn't any bronze-colored anti-seize compound applied ( I
> have it for bolts/BB's, just never thought to put it on the seat post),
> just some grease which apparently dried up over 3-4 years without the
> post being moved.
>
> Any good ideas on how I might free the post and salvage the frame? Could
> care less about the post. I've had a friend hold the bike while I work
> the saddle really hard, but nothing moved at all except the bones in my
> hands! Heat, cold, liquid compounds, Goof off?
> Thanks in advance for any useful suggestions....
>
I'd try Aero Kroil first and then, if necessary, cut the post laterally.
I think cutting Ti would be very difficult, but I'm unsure. The Kroil
may do it. It has done wonders for me in the past.

 

[LF]

I like Kroil too, and have used it to help with stuck stems and stuck
seatposts. Heating or cooling can help. I wait till a cold day in
winter to free the most stuck aluminum seatposts stuck in a steel
frame. I dont know if you need heat or cold for your problem -- it
depends upon the expansion/ contraction properties of aluminum and ti.
In the case of my bikes, the aluminum contracts more than steel when
cold. If aluminum oxide is a culprit, than amonia can help too -- as
it disolves aluminum oxide.
Good luck,
Larry

 

[A Muzi]

> BikeBasher wrote:
>> Any metallurgists out there!?! My Campy record Titanium seatpost has
>> appeared to "weld" itself to the seatpost on my aluminum Bianchi.
>> No....there wasn't any bronze-colored anti-seize compound applied ( I
>> have it for bolts/BB's, just never thought to put it on the seat post),
>> just some grease which apparently dried up over 3-4 years without the
>> post being moved.
>> Any good ideas on how I might free the post and salvage the frame? Could
>> care less about the post. I've had a friend hold the bike while I work
>> the saddle really hard, but nothing moved at all except the bones in my
>> hands! Heat, cold, liquid compounds, Goof off?
>> Thanks in advance for any useful suggestions....

Paul Cassel wrote:
> I'd try Aero Kroil first and then, if necessary, cut the post laterally.
> I think cutting Ti would be very difficult, but I'm unsure. The Kroil
> may do it. It has done wonders for me in the past.

If you have success no other way, titanium does cut pretty
easily - a bit tougher than aluminum, much softer than steel.

I'd start with the post head firmly mounted in a vise, move
the frame briskly with 2 people. If it moves, you're home.

If not, Mr Brown's suggestions referenced elsewhere in this
discussion are good.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[jtaylor]

"LF" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I like Kroil too, and have used it to help with stuck stems and stuck
> seatposts. Heating or cooling can help. I wait till a cold day in
> winter to free the most stuck aluminum seatposts stuck in a steel
> frame. I dont know if you need heat or cold for your problem -- it
> depends upon the expansion/ contraction properties of aluminum and ti.
> In the case of my bikes, the aluminum contracts more than steel when
> cold. If aluminum oxide is a culprit, than amonia can help too -- as
> it disolves aluminum oxide.
> Good luck,
> Larry
>

Pure Titanium is 8.6; pure Aluminium is 23.1.

Heat it.

 

[BikeBasher]

Hey...thanks for all the suggestions! So far, limited success with
primarily using a heat gun. I've tried ammonia, but can't seem to get it to
seep down in there far enough. I heated up the seat tube and was finally
able to crack it loose sideways. vertical progress has been painfully slow
as it's still extremely tight. I've raised it about 1/4 inch in just about 1
hour of back-n-forth motion. I need to get a second pair of hands to keep
the heat on it while I twist.

Any idea where to purchase the Kroil locally (MD)? I've seen it online and
can order if necessary, would like to give that a shot as I still have a
long way to go.

Thanks again...and happy a Happy New Year!

Jeff

jtaylor wrote:

> "LF" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I like Kroil too, and have used it to help with stuck stems and stuck
> > seatposts. Heating or cooling can help. I wait till a cold day in
> > winter to free the most stuck aluminum seatposts stuck in a steel
> > frame. I dont know if you need heat or cold for your problem -- it
> > depends upon the expansion/ contraction properties of aluminum and ti.
> > In the case of my bikes, the aluminum contracts more than steel when
> > cold. If aluminum oxide is a culprit, than amonia can help too -- as
> > it disolves aluminum oxide.
> > Good luck,
> > Larry
> >
>
> Pure Titanium is 8.6; pure Aluminium is 23.1.
>
> Heat it.