Can anyone help me remove the forks?

Does anyone have any advice for me?
The thing is, someone nicked my nice wheels and brakes off my bike which i had converted to single speed.
Seeing as they had done that, i decided to strip the frame entirely and then put it back together again (as it could do with some TLC)
The problem is, I can't get the forks off or the handlebar stem. I 've unscrewed all the rings but they won't budge. I can see all the way through the tube, so I can tell if there is a cup or something in there. Its a steel Carlton frame, late 60's/ early 70s i think with a threaded headset. Could anyone give me any tips?

Also, I've taken the left crank off, but i can't get the right one and the cog off, or get the spindle out.
I have tried and tried to sort this out myself but I can't.
I like the frame, its not in mint condition (by a long shot), but i personally like it alot and want to persevere but I'm getting pissed off with it. Also, I don't really know that much about doing this; I've been learning as I go along.
Does anyone have any advice, or does anyone know someone who I could pay to sort out the frame for me, then I can rebuild the bike from there.
I am rather skint so an expensive shop is not really an option...

Or does anyone know anyone who is selling something else which is cheap / complete? Coz this rebuild is probably gonna end up costing a bunch o cash. I just missed out on a good one on ebay...

with regards to the stem. Sounds like rust between the surfaces in the tube could be the problem. I had a similar problem and after having no luck with wd40, bought and used penetrative oil to get in there. With a bit more elbow grease i separated them. You should be able to get the fork off easily then.

If all fails and you don't care about your stem (ie if you're getting a new one) bash it out with a hammer.

Assuming it's a quill stem, you need to loosen the bolt at the top of the stem, then tap it hard with a mallet to loosen the expander bolt inside. The stem should them come out easily. You can then undo the headset to remove the forks.

whereabouts are you?

because there will be someone on here, local to you, that will sort it out in a jiffy.

I can do it, but I'm in SW.

Thanks for the help:
I'll try the penetrative oil (ooer!)
Regarding the quill stem, I have removed the bolt at the top of the stem. Which bit should I tap with a mallet? The top of the stem?
I'm in Dalston so if anyone feels like having a look, get in touch!

Just pop down to london field's cycles and ask them to advise you... probably easier than doing it on the net.

yeah, i could do that. I find bikes shops are always so busy at the weekends though that I never want to irritate the already irritated staff by just asking for advice!
It would be helpful though

juliettyspaghetty Thanks for the help:
I'll try the penetrative oil (ooer!)
Regarding the quill stem, I have removed the bolt at the top of the stem. Which bit should I tap with a mallet? The top of the stem?

you need to tap the stem out upwards.

if you've totally removed the bolt, then the plug will fall from the bottom when it finally frees up.

if you need a hand i live on debauvoir road

for the crank you need a crank puller... and you'll need a fair amount of bike specific tools to get the whole job done, if you don't want to take it to a shop (in case they charge you a lot) come down to bike polo on sunday and ask for mike, he's got all the tools and is always helpful.

and yeah not just all the tools and a nice guy most importantly he's got the expertise. safer than a shop even!

Give us a picture and we will show you.

I'll tray tapping the stem out when I get home.

I've uploaded some photos of the bike. I know it looks like a piece of crap, but that is why I am trying to sort it out and also why I don't want to spend too much on it. It has a really dodgy spray job courtesy of myself. And that muck is dirt, not proper rust, I haven't cleaned it properly yet.....erm....ahem..

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k108/milcymilcy/bike/1.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k108/milcymilcy/bike/2.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k108/milcymilcy/bike/3.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k108/milcymilcy/bike/4.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k108/milcymilcy/bike/5.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k108/milcymilcy/bike/6.jpg

What is / where is bike polo? Might be a good option as I don't have a crank puller.

And thanks for the offer of help 'Billa', I may well take you up on that if I can't sort this out / the offer still stands

Put the bolt back in to the quill stem so that the threads have started but the bolt is still proud. Hit is with a hammerand you should feel it drop down. This will have realised the quill.

Now if the stem is still tight within the fork let some oil trickle down between the fork and stem then place a wheel in the forks or if you don't have one use a long length of wood.

Stand with the wheel between your legs and twist the handle bars, if it is still tight get somone to help you.

If it is really bad replace the wheel with a length od 2 x 4 place right at the top of the fork crown, this will minimise the torque on the fork legs but allow someone to hold the wood solid (or jam it some where solid) with it's extra leavaerage and to gether with twisting the bars this should get the stem twisting. One it's moving keep it moving and it will eventually with some upward pulling some out. I have never failed to unstick a stem using this method and by keeping the wood right up near the fork crown you will not bend your forks.

Cranks if they are cotterless (look this up in Sheldon if you don't know) then yes you will need a crank puller. However you seem to have manage to get one off already which make me think you may have cottered cranks. If you can not get the cotter pin out of the drive side crank you may need to drill it out. Replacement cotter pins do not cost much.

As far as removing the spindle remember that the drive side cup will prob be left hand thread.

When you rebuild the bike check the bearings to see if they are pitted. If they are take an example of each size to a bike shop and buy replacements for the entire race. Also be cearful of the cages which hold some bearingthey can become twisted, if they are jus tack them out and replace then bearings adding in a few more to make up for the extra space. A bic biro pen lid with a little geace on the end is ver useful for handelling small bearings.

^Good advice there.
As mentioned, it will be easier to get the stem off with some handlebars attached to it (for twisting & pulling).
Your cranks ARE cottered, so you could follow the instructions here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cotters.html - its simple, just whack out the cotter pin with a mallet (OR hammer + piece of wood to prevent damage) and the crank should come straight off.. Good luck!
p.s. - Is your seatpost stuck aswell?! It will be easier to get out with a saddle attached. if you need suggestions then search the threads there was a big team effort (advice) to help some guy with his stuck post.. if it is stuck, but at a good height, it may be easier to leave it!

Lots of good advice and stuff for me to try doing later.
Re: Cranks:
the problem with the stuck crank is that I stupidly hit the cotter pin with a hammer several times and so hard that i have squished the end of it. It didn't budge at all, so even if I saw off the end of the messed up pin with a hacksaw, I'm still gonna have problems getting the damn thing out. Guess I shouldn't have done that

You should be OK sawing the end of the Cotter pin off then whacking it out with a hammer + punch.
As Sheldon says on that link- they are soft steel, so you won't be able to damage the spindle/crank by hitting the pin. Perhaps some more penetrating oil? or a sledgehammer? Drill it out?
Its funny the way bike maintenance always ends up getting too involved - but you learn a lot by the end of it!

What you need is a punch.

Not a

but a

Or try a screw driver or if all else fails drill it out.

Haaa!^ YOu spent too long finding funny pictures...

indeed just give me a shout if your stuck.

juliettyspaghetty:

I also have an old Carlton frame and have had exactly the same two problems you've had (frame even looks similar - same lugs).

I used a penetrating spray on both and it didn't seem to make any difference.
I eventually managed to free the stem after trying all those things mentioned above (and the stem was still stuck), by putting the forks in a vice and twisting the bars back and forward while pulling them up at the same time until I could twist the stem right out. This took about half an hour and was really strenuous work - the wedge which must've never been undone had permanently stretched the inside of the stem making it really hard to remove. I am lucky enough to have a sturdy workbench with wooden faced vice, so could get plenty of leverage on the stem.

Although my cotter pins came out ok, I have still not managed to get the drive side cup out of the bottom bracket. There is not much to get a spanner on to, so it'd difficult to get any real weight behind it. Remember - it's a left hand thread in the drive side cup!
I'm going to try some heat on mine some time but I'm worried about damaging the paint job - I was hoping to keep it original.

ChrisNW if you don't mind some damage to the b.b cup try using a cold chisel to hit the cup round, takes a bit of technique, I tend to do a fair bit of damage but my dad just give it one or two well placed blows and gets things moving right away with only a small mount of damage and alot less force, like I said technique but it should work all the same.

Hmm...That doesn't sound too promising, ChrisNW. Oh dear.
I haven't got a workbench, vice or anything like that, but I'm gonna have a go anyway. Fingers crossed.
Regarding taking a chisel to the b.b cup, I'm confused about which bit to hit. And do I do this after I get the cottering pins out/ cranks arms off?

i've had a couple of stuck stems - Aluminium Stem in a steel frame. they just dont' come out.

there are heaps of threads abotu them on bikeforums.net

I know someone who 'dissolved' a stuck stem by sawing off the top so you can get the fork out and then soaking the enitre fork in Super strength Draino - apparently it will Eat the Aluminium but will not touch the paint or steel.