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@jeff80
ok, so I've had this Carlton for a while
Got it cheap and love it but the stem is stuck. Well and truly stuck. And the hex key fitting on the expander bolt is rounded off (and seemingly made of cheese)- I guess from someones previous attempt to move the stem. So I can't loosen it at all, and I'm guessing the stem is stuck because of galvanic corrosion between the aluminium stem and steel fork.
I've tried wd40 (lots, then some more), and I've tried soaking in coke for a few days, but it will not budge at all. The bike rides fine but it but it does bug me, and I would like to get it free if at all possible.
So what do people think? Do I leave it and learn to live with it? Try heating it up/cooling it down, heating again etc? Take it to a LBS/frame builder (any recommended in London than are good at this sort of thing)? Anything else? Bearing in mind that the hex fitting on the expander is rounded off so I can't apply any force to loosen it at all.
I don't mind sacrificing the stem but I obviously don't wan't to damage the frame or forks by too much twisting.
Thanks
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