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

I've also had this problem in the past. I would suggest squirting WD 40 on the stem
and then leave it for a couple of hours.
Turn the bike upside down and support/protect the headtube. Find a large bit of wood and a hefty hammer. Several lusty blow should shift it.

Buy a can Black Magic by Ziebe (Forch) http://www.ziebe.co.uk/
It works a lot better than anything else like the freezing sprays, wd 40 etc, even heating. Leave it for an hour and knock the stem right out. Once you've used it you'll never use anything else.

I already tried wd40 without any luck, will give black magic a try, thanks Jay

Put the stem in a vice and turn the fork. Or, put an old wheel in the fork, one you dont mind bending a bit, and that will give you more leverage.

Or, find some coduit that will fit up the steerer, if you have a front brake fitted you will need to remove it, put the fork in a vice, shove the conduit up the steerer so it is in contact with bottom of stem, hit with hammer.

OR put the headtube in a vice, front wheel between your knees, a bit of conduit up your arse, tuck your bits between your thighs, squirt 3-in-1 over your chest and hit it with a mallet.

The last one sounds a bit, er, kinky...

Well it won't help but it'll take his mind off the stuck stem.

I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago and had to sacrifice the stem, shame really as it was a lovely old GB stem. Managed to get the offending item out though. Just be carefully if hitting stem out from bottom of forks as if hitting expander bolt can spread the stem and even the fork steerer so you can get headset nut back on. so keep hitting expander bolt back into forks every couple of hits.

Above all take time. Soak plentifully in WD40, or the releaser of your choice, from both above and below. Keep spraying in at intervals over a couple of days if you can. Then a piece of wood over the top of the stem and a large hammer and really hit hard and with vengence - after all this thing is giving you alot of trouble.
It depends to some extent on the mix of metals involved. If the stem and steerer tube are both steel then they are just rusted together which the WD40 should dissolve. If one or both are aluminium then galling may have occured which heat may be needed and subsequent cooling to break the bonds.
Cutting the stem off is the last thing to do as although it releases the fork you are now stuck with a bit of metal in the steerer tube which could be a nightmare to get out plus you have destroyed the stem.
This advise applies to the old 1"" steerer tubes and quill stems. Aheadsets I have no idea !
Let us know how you get on.

I had the same problem.

Hacksawed the stem off, took off the forks and threw them away.

WD40 is not great as a penetrating oil but better than nothing...

One to try, as previously mentioned, is stick your hex socket in the allen bolt in the top of the stem (assuming it's an allen bolt) then clout it nice and firm to try and free it up.

Do you have access to a blowtorch? Sometimes heat can cook away the corrosion and expand the tube, if that makes sense... Careful of your paint though with the blowtorch!

last ditch method:

cut of the stem head, leaving as much out as poss, remove the forks, this is crucial Get the 'plug' bit out through the steerer tube, if its DB your fucked, it wont come out. if it does, heat up the steerer tube to 'very, very hot' this will 'crack' the corrosion. get a bit of bar to make a drift, beat the fuck out of the stem from the under side of the steerer. If the plug wont come out get some very big stilsons on the remaining stem and turn.

worked for me.

You will need a big vice for this to work.

where do you buy that Forch black magic stuff from?

can't find anything online

^Jools here's the no. for Ziebe UK (Forch in europe mainland) 01296 655 282. I can't recommend Black Magic enough, it stops the need for using a blowtorch and really is amazing as getting bolts and parts unstuck. If your having trouble getting a can from them drop me a line as the rep is coming by the garage on tuesday, but I would recommend having a sales rep visit you to demo a range of their stuff, some of the products they sell are really good, the glues for example, re-glued my lugged carbon frame and its stronger than ever.
I know this sounds like a frikkin' ad for them, but once you've tried it you'll be blown away, it really has changed the way we deal with seized parts on cars and bikes over the last 2 years. I've tried every other recommendation in this thread before on numerous occasions and nothing come close.

Jay75 - Black Magic vs Plus Gas, thoughts?
I got a stuck seatpost and tried a few sheldon techniques...moving on to Plus Gas this weekend...

Mands- HUUUUUUUUGE Pipe wrench, mate, beers and a big lump hammer.

I mangled a chorus seatpost but we got the b*stard out.

As for the stem- we used a long Iron bar and another lump hammer (and more beer). The stem had been inthere for twenty years, the chorus seatpost had chemically seized inside another frame. I think the answer must be having big tools...

By the way- this was after wasting loads of time soaking the things in penetrating fluid- did very little if anything to help

Anyone fancy helping? I'll roast a happy chicken in return.

^^^Plus Gas is better than WD40 but nothing compared to Black Magic.

I've had this problem several times before with customers, plus gas works but you can also use diet coke for the cheaper ordeal. Have you tried flipping the bike, screwing in the quill stem bolt from the bottom and hitting downwards while the bike is flipped?..

fuckit. Jack Daniels and a chainsaw.

Cut stem, remove forks, dissolve stem in a vase of caustic soda solution.

I had a seat post stuck in my frame until last week.

I used a combination of diesel and plus gas left it upside down in a vice, filled up the down tube and soaked it for about a week (intermittently trying to move it) was ready to give up and a small amount started seeping through a large amount of sweat and swearing later it came out (although I broke it).

Ah, when i saw people talking about fuel I thought the idea was to heat it up...

Carbon seatpost vs. Petrol can.

when I had my seatpost stuck I just fitted a really shitty saddle. screw it toight as fuyck,
then placed the saddle inbetween my staircase balustrade "eyelets" and twisted the whole frame.
worked.

we just got a new super massive vice atached to the bottom of a victorian hydraulic dentists chair. her hame is burtha and we are soon to be married. but if you need a super massive vice to not brake your staircase she is at the london bike kitchen and will be available to help.