Stuck seatpost

[vinnya77]

Has anyone had any success with using freeze spray (rated -50c) on a seatpost and heat on the seat tube? Not a heat gun, don't want to damage the paint just a hair dryer. Frame is Ally and so is the seatpost.

 

[Neffro]

I have never tried it, but Sheldon Brown's website said that ammonia will work in a lot of cases with stuck seat posts.

It's cheap and no threat of heat related damage to the paint.

Maybe give it a try and let us know if it works.

Scott

 

[richmog08]

I believe Ammonia is ok with an alu seatpost stuck in a steel frame, but dont think it's recommended for alu frames, although i could be wrong. If it's a steel stuck in steel, and you cant shift it via the vice method, then your probably going to have to go down the hacksaw route. Three cuts along it's length, then peel it out. Sounds easy, but takes some work to get there.

 

[vinnya77]

No joy unfortunately. Although the freeze spray works well at freezing.

Even in the vice didn't help, it is well and truly stuck.
Looks like this posts days are numbered, and a hacksaw blade it will be!!

 

[Chute55uk]

freeze spray is meant to contract the alu from the steel as it will contract/expand faster than steel. the ammonia will eat the alu seat post so what will it do with an alu frame? :roll: if you freeze it it will contract the frame and the seatpost at the same time so you will go nowhere. also the same applies to heating from the outside. the answer? get it machined out or do the hacksaw down the tube trick. i have just drilled one out with a 26.8 drill head it took ages and killed my drill but it came out in the end.

 

[vinnya77]

Yes I know. I was freezing the post from the inside using the bottle cage holes.
Whilst also heating the frame from the outside.
All done with the end of the seatpost in the vice and twisting.
No joy, although have been very careful because of the frame.

 

[bm0p700f]

How did your post get stuck? Was it when you tried to remove it. If so so grit has probably got in their sometime ago and as you have tried to remove it the friction has weldthe post to the frame. It happened to a freind ribble. He had to buy a new frame.

You could try reaming very carefully. All the standard solution are for ally post in steel frame. Short of putting the post in a vice and twisting the frame there is a not alot you can do.

 

[vinnya77]

It stuck because its 17 years old. I bought of the person who's had it since new, so not been moved much over the years. Unfortunately not been greased either.

 

[ere-tis]

Has anyone had any success with using freeze spray (rated -50c) on a seatpost and heat on the seat tube?

I used Loctite Freeze and Release spray as a last resort on a post stuck in a Kona frame on Friday.

5 minutes later the post was out :shock:

Will be my 1st tactic from now on....

 

[02gf74]

don't use ammonia as it will attack both frame and post.

run a scriber at the join between the post and frame to break any corrosion seal, then squirt some penetraiting fluid - the peoper stuff e.g. plusgas not WD40.

repeat this over several days.

also heating the tuybe - yes, you can use as blowtorch if there is no rubber or flammables near to heat up the frame to try to break the seal - the aluminium is shuch a good condiuctor ofg heat you are very unlikely to damage any paint, obvioulsy you play the flame over the seat tube as opposed to keeping it in one point - you can heat up to 150 C without worry.

then squirt the freezer stuff down the seat post and immediately try to twist the post relative to frame.

give the age of your frame, it is likley cutting the seat post out is the only way out.