L
Lawrence Fieman
Guest
As a dumpster and flea market bike fan I've had my share of stuck stems and seat posts. After
searching the archives and making inquires, I tried the ammonia and bench vice method of stuck stem
removal (aluminum stem/ steel forks) on two formerly stubborn bikes (Thanks Andrew). This worked for
me where other methods (penetrating oil and bench vice) had previously failed.
Last summer I picked up a nice Bianchi MTB with a very stuck seat post (aluminum seat post/ steel
frame). The post was inserted into the frame as far as it could go. Fortunately the built in seat
post clamp could not enter the frame, so about 2 inches remains exposed. My previous stuck stem
removal methods failed on the seat post. In fact, attaching the bike upside down in a bench vice by
the seat post, lubricating, and twisting only resulted in torquing the frame. No movement of the
seat post.
I read Sheldon's comments about stuck seat posts, and decided to wait for a cold cold day to try to
free it. The theory being that aluminum contracts more than steel in cold. It was less than 20
degrees today. I tried the bench vice. The seat post freed enough to rotate fully inside the frame.
Try as I might, I was unable to make any headway towards actually removing the post. Twisting and
hammering failed to yield any noticeable removal.
I'm hoping for even colder weather. Any other suggestions, short of the laborious process of
carefully cutting it out with a hack saw blade?
Thanks, Larry
searching the archives and making inquires, I tried the ammonia and bench vice method of stuck stem
removal (aluminum stem/ steel forks) on two formerly stubborn bikes (Thanks Andrew). This worked for
me where other methods (penetrating oil and bench vice) had previously failed.
Last summer I picked up a nice Bianchi MTB with a very stuck seat post (aluminum seat post/ steel
frame). The post was inserted into the frame as far as it could go. Fortunately the built in seat
post clamp could not enter the frame, so about 2 inches remains exposed. My previous stuck stem
removal methods failed on the seat post. In fact, attaching the bike upside down in a bench vice by
the seat post, lubricating, and twisting only resulted in torquing the frame. No movement of the
seat post.
I read Sheldon's comments about stuck seat posts, and decided to wait for a cold cold day to try to
free it. The theory being that aluminum contracts more than steel in cold. It was less than 20
degrees today. I tried the bench vice. The seat post freed enough to rotate fully inside the frame.
Try as I might, I was unable to make any headway towards actually removing the post. Twisting and
hammering failed to yield any noticeable removal.
I'm hoping for even colder weather. Any other suggestions, short of the laborious process of
carefully cutting it out with a hack saw blade?
Thanks, Larry