Any help? Stem seems to be stuck - Seized quill stems

seems like a very drastic thing to do

Use Plus Gas rather than WD40, it's much better.

Yes, if it's precious, be patient and apply plenty of contrasting heat and cold. Ice and boiling water will do. Cool thoroughly so that it penetrates, then douse steel in boiling water. Do this in combination with other methods.

Tom

O.P. said rusted / stuck stem this infers that it is a steel stem. Caustic does not the dissolve steel

True. But a steel stem shouldn't really get so stuck a few blows with a hammer can't shift it. Heat wouldn't make a difference either.

If it's merely stuck then penetrating fluid , heat or violence will shift it. If it's the usual case of the aluminium corroding and welding itself to the steel steerer then say goodbye to the stem and dissolve it.

its aluminium, but I refuse to say goodbye yet

Get hold of a can of the freezing spray used for electronics diagnostics (Maplins sell it) this will cool down to -50 degrees C. Fit a pair of mole grips to the stem, immerse the head tube and stem in boiling water to heat the whole lot up then spray the freezing stuff into the stem - avoid cooling the frame, differential expansion/contraction is what's wanted. Twist the stem using the grips and it will likely come free. The mole grips will damage the stem though so the alternative, provided it isn't a straight stem, is to tap the angled part with a soft faced hammer to impart twist to it. Once it starts to move WD40 will do the rest.

I've just used this technique to remove a quilled seat post from a frame without damage. It was important to do no damage as quilled seat posts are extremely rare beasts (fits into a Mecacycle frame that was designed with no seat post clamp).

Gordon

what you need is a bike stand and a vice and plus gas.

Have the frame held in the stand with the forks clamped in the vice, protect the forks with blocks of wood, clamp the forks just below the crown of the fork. Then use the bars as leverage and the stem will eventually come out. Do this after first having left the stem well covered in plus gas.

I would leave the bars and an old wheel in if you dont have any equipment, then oil and movement in any direcion you can to work the oil in. check for deep scoring on the stem afterwards.

did it! hot and cold + the momentum of a long stick through the clamp and holding the fork tight!

same issue with a peugot i got recently.
last ditch effort before the hacksaw came out. an entire bottle of asda oven cleaner over a 3 hour period followed by 30 mins of twisting with forks in workmate. CRACK it finally gave. this was then followed by 1 1/2 hours sweating and swearing and boom the stem is out and surprisingly not damaged at all, thanks for the help all be it not aimed at me.

good lad.

i got a peugeot recently too, stems stuck in there too.. tried everything
i doesnt really bother me that much just dont like the finish on the metal, but i was wondering if its dangerous just to leave it stuck in there? are there any risks?

It's not dangerous, only a problem if you need to service or replace the headset or you want to replace the stem (too long, short, etc).

i got a peugeot recently too, stems stuck in there too.. tried everything
i doesnt really bother me that much just dont like the finish on the metal, but i was wondering if its dangerous just to leave it stuck in there? are there any risks?

It's not dangerous, only a problem if you need to service or replace the headset or you want to replace the stem (too long, short, etc).

nice one :-)

so it looks like i'm going to need to dissolve out a stem.

how much solution do i need to make and what do i need to put it in? i was hoping to be able to make a small amount of the solution and stick it in a jar since i've chopped most of the stem off anyway.

I used pure oven cleaner, really cheap and nasty stuff.

oven cleaner? really?

i've got the same problem with a Quill Ahead adapter stuck in my forks. i'd assume that its alu as i'm smacked the shit out of it with a hammer and screwdriver (screwdriver down bolt sharft resting in wedge) from both ends with no movement, i can't even move the adapter part.

if i get cleaner tonight how long dose it take to work?

Petrol/Diesel..

Paraffin or Plusgas

Got the same problem. Old aluminium stem, totally stuck with cans leeves all around, rusted.

Tried to torque it out yestereve, no results. Put some WD40. We'll see today.

Roughly, how long would you expect ammonia to take effect before going fuck it and either getting caustic soda action going or calling it quits and buying new forks etc.

No success yet, going to try freeze it and then I guess go looking for a new fork, and lo what I thought would take an afternoon drags onto a new week.

I'm probably going to have to resort to caustic soda to get a seatpost out, it seems to be sold in 500g tubs so you can have the rest if you like, i can't think what else i'd do with it.

Well as I stumbled in the dark putting my bike out I groped for my pokey/stirry stick and poked the quill out of my forks in its bucket of caustic soda.

Excuse me while I have a victory mint kitkat.