Seized seat post

[Mikb23]

I'm sure this is a common problem amongst you guys on here! I've got an ally seat post seized in a steel frame. Can't get the bugger out for the life of me. Don't really want to burn the paint as can't afford a respray so trying to avoid heating. I'm in Hampshire so if anyone knows someone down here who can do this kind of thing for not too many pennies I'd appreciate it.

 

[sherlylock]

Don't use heat! Aside from damaging the paint, ally expands at twice the rate as steel so you'll just make the situation worse.

Freeze it out - a can of plumbers freeze spray down the inside of the seatpost (accessed from the bottom bracket hole, presuming it's out of the frame, and a piece of tubing) - get it really freezing cold and then start to apply a twisting force and eventually it'll release with a bang. Once it's moving you should be able to get it out by gradually twisting & pulling.

Worth a search on the forum - it's been covered loads of times and people have found loads of different ways of getting them out. It's not particularly easy but it's massively satisfying when the stubborn post eventually lets go!

 

[legrandefromage]

leaving the frame upside down soaking for days in a mix of 3in1 and WD40 then crossing the road to the neighbours extremely large vice has removed a few stubborn posts lately

 

[cookiemonster1]

Re:

WD40 method just worked for me yesterday...15 years minimum stuck in my specialized...now free from its rusty cave!
Good luck...use the Force!!!

 

[dyna-ti]

Keep your eyes open on your local gumtree for a big engineers vice

Due to this nation not being as industrialized engineers now and the fact theyre huge lumps of metal and the market for them not big, for £40 or under you can pick up a model than originally cost many hundreds.

Engineers vice bolted to a solid surface is a wonderful asset.
It would be handy for you in this case. Frame stripped and upside down,tighten up around the post then try to revolve the entire frame. Ive taken a number out this way.
Posts sacrificial so a few gouges arent going to matter.

 

[Rampage]

I sold a nice Record vice on ebay and got £3 for it

 

[Davichin]

Maybe you can use the caustic soda method:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=245226

 

[JoeG]

http://sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html

 

[Mikb23]

Thanks guys. All input greatly appreciated!

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

I like WD40. The can is a pretty blue and I like the smell.

When I want to free something that is stuck, I use a 50/50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid.

This is a secret home brew, so don't leak it to anyone. I use it to free stuck nuts and bolts on my fathers 1954 tractor he is restoring.

Sometimes though, the alloy reacts with the steel and a chemical bond sets up, so melting it out with caustic soda is about all that works. But try the above mix first, along with the bench vise method.

Grumps