I am going to punch something. Trying to get a stupid stem off a bike, a quill one. I took teh bolt out too much, and can't get the bolt back in the stupid nut thing that sits inside the steerer , it seems that the bolt simply isn't long enough.

I know I have to get the bolt back in, then hammer it? Trouble is, I am just hammering and hammering and just getting sparks from teh top of the stupd stem.

Stupid **** bikes.

Can i come round and watch you get angry with it? 😉

**** stupid bikes. I have the bike updside down trying to push the long bolt thing in from the bottom, and it's not long enough! But it must be, because it's the bolt taht has always been there.

The nut thing…do I need to get the bolt through it to get the stem out?

You need to release the taper wedge (the nut thing)

i suggest that you step away from the bike and go and have a cup of tea. Anytime you want to get the big hammer out you need to step away from the bike instead

Take stem out of steerer so you can see what you're doing?
If its a recessed bolt, you'll struggle, best to take it out so you can see what you're doing and get it threaded back into the quill wedge. As long as its not too toghtly done up it should just slide back in so you can tighten it properly.
I recall recessed quill bolts were a right PITA when i last used one (about 15 years ago!)

I cannt get the stem out. Its solid. I am trying to chaneg the headset, the stem is jammed right into the forks.

🙁

and

👿

The long nut thing needs to go in from the top. Then tap it down to free the wedge.

Or bring it round and I'll have a look.

I'll have 1 more try. will the nut pop out the bottom if I hammer something at it throgh the top? do i need to get the nut out?

You just need to free it up from the stem then pull it out the top.

I suspect that you have freed the wedge and that the stem is now being held by corrosion. I know this as I have one just like this in the garage. This is particularly the case if we are talking about an alloy stem and a steel fork tube.

It's like a seat post but worse. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm listening.

Barry.
Is this in your fixie?

I can pull the bolt right out stu, is that you mean? The nut is free (ie – it's loose in the steerer/stem/insidey bit of the bike as you look up from underneath….but the stem is jammed. shall i saw it off?

edit – yes stu, on the fixoe

rossw – I can move the bars round…it's a struggle – I have to stand on teh forks and really yank the bars, but this makes me think its not corroded

Do not saw it off – if you have freed the taper wedge ( nut thing) then as said above it is corrode in place – plus gas or other penetrating oil and leave overnight – use the bars and the wheel to get leverage to start it turning.

EDIT – crossed post – then you need to twist it back and forward while pulling it upwards

Judging by the state of the rest of it i'd agree with rossw and say it's corroded in there.
Might be better having a look in the light.
do not saw the stem off unless you want to buy a new fork…

Ok. cheers all. Stu, I may pop round later in the week after Ive soaked it in acid/poison. Looks like I'm riding a mtb to work tomorrow 🙁

Cheers TJ, I'll try that. Thanks again all.

Stu, I'll be in touch mate!

Run to work you lazy b*stard. 😉

Barry,

If you can move the bars there is still hope! Don't cut the stem off yet as you will lose leverage. Try penetrating oil or, so I gather, coke (as in the drink) in the interface, leave and then keep twisting. However, the twisting could be self defeating if there is too much heat – expanding the stem.

As advised above, cup of tea and return to the fray.

R

RESULT!

I rested the forks on a weights bench. Stood on them and put a huge bar on teh end of the bars to lever. Forks are off…now going to fit headet. Expect more stupid questions.

Thanks all, knowing that I needed the bolt free and the bars to turn did teh trick. Beers all round.

I'd still like to come round and watch you put the headset bearings in upside down though if that's OK? 😉

You will now have the joy of tensioning a threaded headset, hateful, just hateful!
The main reason i went to aheadsets was because quill stems and threaded headsets are royal PITA!

funny stu, i have just come back to th computer to see if i can find a diagram of this headset. its an Andy 'without instructions' special 😉

I know I've been watching you on the camera I installed in your garden.

its a bit like this

am I right in thinking the bottom set of bearings should be the other way up from the upper set of bearings? ie the bally bit looks down from teh top and up from the bottom?

am I right in thinking the bottom set of bearings should be the other way up from the upper set of bearings?

yep.

cool. off to the garage.

stu, open your window…you may hear lamguage.

It's not the bike that's stupid it's you for taking the bolt out of the nut in the first place!

Sorted. Just need to fix the brake now.

I didn't even hear any lamguage so it must have gone together ok.