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Anyone got any tips on how to remove seatposts that are well and truely stuck in steel frames?????? It's funny but both steel frames we have we cannot move the seatposts yet aluminum frame bikes are fine, is it something to do with the metals reacting?
Copied from other forum but may be of use to someone in your position.
"Machinist's Workshop magazine actually tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts. Significant results! They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker.
*Don't forget the April 2007 "Machinist's Workshop" magazine comparison
test.*
**
*They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with
the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a
"scientifically rusted" environment.*
**
*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ..................... 516 pounds
WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............. 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ..... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds
*The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50% acetone - 50% automatic transmission fluid.*
*Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one
particular test. Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now
use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about
as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price. * "
So maybe some of that but failing the above get seatpost in a bench vice and use frame as leverage.
HTH
If your frame has seat tube bottle bosses then turn it upside down and squirt some penetrating oil down it, leave it a day or so. Remove the seat and if you have a vive or can get the use of one then turn the bike upside down in the vice, clamping the seat post tight and then use the frame as a lever. This has only failed me once by which i then had to cut it out!
This could be a wind-up, but my mate [bike mechanic], always said he taped a plastic container around frame and seatpost, filled with Coke-cola and left overnight. If not, your lbs will have a tap and die set, which cuts out the seatpost.
[url= http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=85335.0 ] click [/url]
bunch of grown men with kids bikes wondering the very same....
Sheldon Brown has a very handy site.
Tie frame to door pillar of father-in-law's garage. Tie seat-post to tow hitch of car. Gently roll car down the drive..... It'll come out eventually......
Just solved this very problem but only by destroying post. Tried all the above methods (except car..).
We cut the top off the post leaving enough to get a good grip of later. Using a hacksaw cut down your seatpost as far down the frame slot as you can without hiting the frame. Now remove the blade from the saw and wrap it in a rag or fashion a handle with some wood blocks and tape. Point it straight down the seatpost in line with your cut and carefully cut through your post but not your frame..
Its suprising how easy this is as your post, assuming its alloy will cut quite easily and will release as soon as your through. Take it steady, a little at a time..
when i had problems... i used a stem and repositioned the bars to give more leverage and clamped the stem tight around the seatpost and that worked..
I had this problem on my handjob recently, had tried countless times with WD40 sprayed round the post but it didn't work,
In the end I got a load of ice cubes in a wet tea towel and rubbed the the seatpost (phnarrr phnarrr), did this for about 10 mins and then gave the saddle a good heave (took my ti rail saddle off and put an old one on to save me wrecking it)
Seemed to do the trick, aluminium is supposed to expand and contract quicker than steel, whether or not this principle was at work or if it was just fluke I don't know. I guess it wouldn't hurt to make sure the frame is at a reasonable temperature before you start (eg not been sat in a cold shed)
I used a hacksaw blade held in a set of molegrips to cut a alloy post out of a mates steel Kona. It took ages. You can't really rush it.
Sodium hydroxide left overnight, reduces the aluminium oxide, post falls out.
worth pointing out that WTF's post appears to relate to rust, whereas Ali and steel do not rust. I think aluminium oxide is what is created.
If you dont care about the seatpost, but do care about the frame..
Stick fluid (as above posts) down it for a while.
Drill a hole right through the seatpost, so the drill passes out the other side, just above the frame.
Push hex key or similar metal bar right through the 2 new holes in the seatpost.
Tap hex key (and therefore seatpost) fairly gentelly upwards lots of times, alternating sides after every few taps. Dont do massive single strikes.
Way less damaging than twisting frames about.