stuck handlebar stem

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so I'm
trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to side but
can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have used
penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully removed a terminally stuck one in the past, so I
know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to proceed with this one? I don't
care if I have to waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all. Thanks in
advance. - Bill

 

> I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
> I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
> side but can't free it up enough to

can you remove the stem from the wedge completely and see what's going on in there? how 'bout going
at it from the bottom with a little oil and the tappies again?

 

"BilDom" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike.
The fork
> is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork
legs.
> I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up
enough to
> move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it.
> I've successfully removed a terminally
stuck
> one in the past, so I know the worst case scenario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
> proceed with this one? I don't care if I
have to
> waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.
Thanks
> in advance. - Bill

Having dealt with this more than once on some older frames, I am now the proud owner of a 7/8"
drill. This is a simple stepped drilling operation for an aluminum stem stuck inside a 1" steel
steerer tube. I save the fork and sacrifice the stem. To prevent future problems I've replaced the
aluminum stem with steel.

Phil Holman

 

"BilDom" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The
fork
> is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork
legs.
> I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or
> get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully
> removed a terminally
stuck
> one in the past, so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
> proceed with this one? I don't care if I have to waste the stem but I want to save the fork and
> not damage it at all.
Thanks
> in advance. - Bill
>
>

I am surprised there _is_ a carbon threaded fork. It seems to me a poor design as the force of the
stem wedge would tend to split the carbon material. After you get it out, make a thorough inspection
of that steerer in a good light!

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

> I am surprised there _is_ a carbon threaded fork. It seems to me a poor design as the force of the
> stem wedge would tend to split the carbon material. After you get it out, make a thorough
> inspection of that steerer in a good light!

i wondered about that myself, but i eventually decided that it *had* to be a carbon fork with steel
steerer. otherwise i'd be scared to go anywhere near it.

 

The fork is carbon with a steel threaded steerer tube. I wouldn't ride a carbon threadless steerer,
let alone carbon threaded steerer. - Bill "A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "BilDom" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The
> fork
> > is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork
> legs.
> > I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up enough
to
> > move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it.
> > I've successfully removed a terminally
> stuck
> > one in the past, so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
> > proceed with this one? I don't care if I have
to
> > waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.
> Thanks
> > in advance. - Bill
> >
> >
>
> I am surprised there _is_ a carbon threaded fork. It seems to me a poor design as the force of the
> stem wedge would tend to split the carbon material. After you get it out, make a thorough
> inspection of that
steerer
> in a good light!
>
> --
> Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

"BilDom" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
> I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
> side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have
> used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully removed a terminally stuck one in the past,
> so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to proceed with this one?
> I don't care if I have to waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.
> Thanks in advance. - Bill

Is the stem bolt recessed on on the top of the stem. If the bolt is on the top, unscrew the stem
bolt a couple of turns, and then smack it down with a hammer. If the bolts recessed, use an allen
key with a hammer to hit the bolt. The sudden downwards force on the expander wedge should free
the stem up.

 

Bill Dom writes:

> I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
> I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
> side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have
> used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully removed a terminally stuck one in the past,
> so I know the worst case scenario.

This is the main benefit of the "threadless head-set." It no longer has the elegant (hidden) but
useless stem attachment that is prone to seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by
expanding or wedging the bottom end in the steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from
side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping in sweat and water. Salt water and aluminum create
corrosion can expand a steel steer tube. An example of this can become is seen on stainless steel
swimming pool ladders that have rounded aluminum "bar-end" plugs. These plugs, together with
chlorinated water increase steel tube diameters by more than 1/8".

Forks have been ruined by twisting on such seized stems. Don't do it. Saw the stem off nearly flush,
take the fork out and mount it in a vise to drill out the stem with increasing drill sizes up to
7/8". Then take a Dremel tool and slot through to the steer tube. The remaining aluminum shell will
come out easily. I have examples of these lying around my place.

Long live the "threadless stem!"

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA

 

Bill Dom writes:

> I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
> I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
> side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have
> used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully removed a terminally stuck one in the past,
> so I know the worst case scenario.

This is the main benefit of the "threadless head-set." It no longer has the elegant (hidden) but
useless stem attachment that is prone to seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by
expanding or wedging the bottom end in the steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from
side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping in sweat and water. Salt water and aluminum create
corrosion that can expand a steel steer tube. An example of this can become is seen on stainless
steel swimming pool ladders that have rounded aluminum "bar-end" plugs. These plugs, together with
chlorinated water increase steel tube diameters by more than 1/8".

Forks have been ruined by twisting on such seized stems. Don't do it. Saw the stem off nearly flush,
take the fork out and mount it in a vise to drill out the stem with increasing drill sizes up to
7/8". Then take a Dremel tool and slot through to the steer tube. The remaining aluminum shell will
come out easily. I have examples of these lying around my place.

Long live the "threadless stem!"

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA

 

<[email protected]> wrote:
>seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the
>steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping
>in sweat and water.

Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the end
of the nose, but...
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> Kill the tomato!

 

David Damerell writes:

>> Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the steer
>> tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping in
>> sweat and water.

> Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the
> end of the nose, but...

But what? I guess you never stand while climbing and it is climbing that generates the most sweat.
It only takes a little bit and I have the seized stem-remains hanging on the wall to show the
results. Today I use a steel stem and an extended steer tube with clamp to prevent any further
seizures... of dangerous materials.

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA

 

> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the
> >steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar,
> >pumping in sweat and water.

"David Damerell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:cfz*[email protected]...
> Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the
> end of the nose, but...

You wouldn't think that should happen but it does - big time. Jobst does not exaggerate the problem.

We have certain customers who periodically and predictably need their corroded quill stem extracted
with great effort. Other riders with the same brand of bike, similar miles and the same stem go
years with nary a spot and the grease is still clean on removal. We associate the problem with sweat
which varies in quantity (and perhaps in salinity??) from rider to rider. Rollers are definitely
associated with stem corrosion because with no airspeed the salt runs straight into the quill.

http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfromthepast/unstuck!.jpg
http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfromthepast/wfdstuck.jpg

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

Sorry, not even close. "Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "BilDom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The
fork
> > is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork
legs.
> > I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up enough
to
> > move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it.
> > I've successfully removed a terminally
stuck
> > one in the past, so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
> > proceed with this one? I don't care if I have
to
> > waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.
Thanks
> > in advance. - Bill
>
>
> Is the stem bolt recessed on on the top of the stem. If the bolt is on the top, unscrew the stem
> bolt a couple of turns, and then smack it down with a hammer. If the bolts recessed, use an allen
> key with a hammer to hit the bolt. The sudden downwards force on the expander wedge should free
> the stem up.

 

A Muzi <[email protected]> wrote:
>"David Damerell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>>>seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the
>>>steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar,
>>>pumping in sweat and water.
>>Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the
>>end of the nose, but...
>We have certain customers who periodically and predictably need their corroded quill stem extracted
>with great effort. Other riders with the same brand of bike, similar miles and the same stem go
>years with nary a spot and the grease is still clean on removal. We associate the problem with
>sweat which varies in quantity (and perhaps in salinity??) from rider to rider.

Ah, fair enough; if there is a variation in quantity, my head perhaps sweats less than is typical,
and that is why I have not noticed this possibility - since I do stand while climbing when
necessary.

My forehead sweat does not run off the forehead but instead evaporates immediately, so that the
moment I stop riding the next load of sweat becomes saturated with salt and lands in my eyes. :-(
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> flcl?