cpleman <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> Hey! Anybody out there know how to get steel seat post
> screw out of the aluminum lug. Same with the handle bars.
> The post is frozen into the fork. Ive tried all the spray
> anti seize stuff and a lot of muscle with no success. Am
> nervous about excess heat on the lugs etc but willing to
> give it a go if this is what makes things loose. This is a
> vitus 979 aluminum frame and fork and is worth salvaging
> if I can get the seat post and handle bars free. Any
> suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Is the grub screw allen socket stripped/rounded? If not,
then I would try a quality allen socket or a quality allen
wrench with something to use as a cheater bar and apply more
force. If you strip the allen socket that will be where you
atart to drill it out to use a bolt puller, but as long as
the bolt is not stripped you haven't exhausted the
possibility of force. The screw seems like pretty hard steel
to me and I think it might stand a lot before the socket is
stripped out. (One thing is that once you have drilled out
the allen bolt the seat post should come out, because the
grub screw point sticking into the post is what holds it in
place. Doesn't get the screw out, though.)
I wouldn't use heat. You could try calling CycleSport in
Media, PA at 610 565-9535. They do Vitus repair and might be
able to tell you whether the glue will withstand the heat of
a hairdryer or if they have some other advice. They can also
reglue your frame if it comes apart.
I thought the advice about using the trainer on the stem was
good. Alternatively, put a wheel in the fork, and, of
course, handlebars in the stem for leverage. It's the old
wheel-between-your-legs and twist on the handlebars. You can
apply quite a bit of torque that way.
JP
