[boyd2]

I have developed a reputation among friends and relatives as someone that can fix almost anything, especially bikes. But I have been humbled. A close friend brought me a Balance MTB for a rebuild (steel frame); he is doing some computer work for me in exchange. The seat post was stuck and unfortunately there is about 7" down inside the frame. Here is what I tried to extract it:

1. Pulling on the seat, but the seat popped off.
2. Soaking several days in penetrating oil.
3. Turning the seat post with a pipe wrench. No movement at all.
4. Soaking in ammonia (a Sheldon Brown trick to remove Al Oxide).
5. Using a hack saw blade to cut the down inside of the post. I got too nervous with this when I got close to the frame and I think I stopped short. In any case I could not curl up the seat post like I thought I should be able to do. Perhaps the wall is too thick (~.125")
6. Put a pipe through the BB shell and mount two car jacks to it. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the post, slid a hardened steel bar through the post and tried to push the post out. I bent every bar I tried.
7. Same as 6 but I packed the seat tube with dry ice (-109F) first.
8. Same as 7 but with dry ice inside and a torch on the outside.

After several days of trying I called my buddy last night and told him I was done. I gave up, but I am still looking for a way out of this. Does anyone have any other ideas? The only things I can think of are:

1. Continuing the saw cut and risking frame damage.
2. Fixturing the frame in a drill press (which I don't have) and trying to drill the seat post thinner so that perhaps the saw cut will work.

 

[croswell1]

Try this.............

Well, if you do give up I dare say you certainly put up a good fight.

Sounds like the post is corroded solid in the seat tube. It just needs to be dislodged maybe, right? Try whacking the top of the seat post with a small sledge, forcing it further into the seat tube a little. If you can get it to move even just a little you can then start backing it out with a pipe wrench.

 

[Kerry Irons]

Saw

Does anyone have any other ideas? The only things I can think of are:

1. Continuing the saw cut and risking frame damage.
2. Fixturing the frame in a drill press (which I don't have) and trying to drill the seat post thinner so that perhaps the saw cut will work.

Go back to the saw. The aluminum is so much softer than the steel of the frame, that your cutting will be self-limiting. Two or three cuts and you should be able to get that thing out with a few taps from a cold chisle or screwdriver blade.

 

[caterham]

since the seatpost is toast anyway, try drilling a hole all the way thru it and large enuf to pass a long-ish 3/8" - 1/2" steel rod (12" or longer) to be used as a lever/breaker-bar.

 

[tlite48]

Try simultaneously applying torque with the pipe wrench and tapping it into the frame with a hammer.

 

[bas]

http://www.pbblaster.com/

I have developed a reputation among friends and relatives as someone that can fix almost anything, especially bikes. But I have been humbled. A close friend brought me a Balance MTB for a rebuild (steel frame); he is doing some computer work for me in exchange. The seat post was stuck and unfortunately there is about 7" down inside the frame. Here is what I tried to extract it:

1. Pulling on the seat, but the seat popped off.
2. Soaking several days in penetrating oil.
3. Turning the seat post with a pipe wrench. No movement at all.
4. Soaking in ammonia (a Sheldon Brown trick to remove Al Oxide).
5.

1. Continuing the saw cut and risking frame damage.
2. Fixturing the frame in a drill press (which I don't have) and trying to drill the seat post thinner so that perhaps the saw cut will work.

 

[Argentius]

That's intense.

"6. Put a pipe through the BB shell and <b>mount two car jacks</b> to it. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the post, slid a <b>hardened steel bar</b> through the post and tried to push the post out. I bent every bar I tried.
7. Same as 6 but I packed the seat tube with <b>dry ice</b> (-109F) first.
8. Same as 7 but with dry ice inside and a <b>torch</b> on the outside."

I'd have given up much sooner...

 

[croswell1]

Put down that hacksaw blade.."NOW".......and back away

Try simultaneously applying torque with the pipe wrench and tapping it into the frame with a hammer.

This is pretty much the same as I said, and really, all you need to be doing. I certainly would'nt go cutting the seat post with a hack saw. Just like I said previously, the post is corroded solid inside the seat tube. Since you said you soaked it in penetrating oil, just whack the hell out of it with a small sledge to dislodge it, then start backing it out with a pipe wrench.

 

[Visitor302]

Did you aply heat to the seatpost?

 

[supercorsa]

damn dude, you've pulled out every trick in the book. i'm with kerry here, i'd saw it a bit more. as he said, the hardness difference will limit the collateral damage. once i got close i'd probably go an extra step and dull the teeth of the last couple inches of blade, then keep a short stroke from there on out so that would be the only part of the blade contacting the frame tubing.

good luck, sounds like this one has gotten personal...

 

[jimcav]

having drilled out a frozen BB that would not budge

i think the force needed to move this will be considerable--i think the best bet is to properly support the bb and hit it from above as other suggest--but that will be a serious hit
is the old post aluminum--because i have seen steel posts too.

 

[anthrax]

Give Vibration and persausion a try...

If you have access try using an Air Hammer to vibrate the tube and they try turning it with an 18" or 24" pipe wrench, or hit it with a smallish slidge.

Good Luck

A

 

[brblue]

cutting through the wall seems actually like a good idea since a hard blow on the post might damage the frame too...
I'd try cutting the post in multiple slices and try to take them out one by one by hitting them.
Actually 3 slices should be enough. However cutting alongside the post must be a heck of an effort. Congrats for your perseverence.

P.S. I'd make sure I keep the hacksaw dead parallel tot the seat tube, or you might start scratching it with an end of the saw , and not realize it. Otherwise, since steel is harder than aluminum you'll realize if you're through the post

Good luck
br

 

[Cory]

Got to go with Kerry...you'll know when you hit steel

It's harder if the post goes way down inside the tube. The only one I've ever had to cut that way was only inserted a couple of inches, so it was pretty easy to hold the hacksaw blade in Vise Grips and keep it parallel to the seat tube. Eventually I was able to cut a channel all the way through, and a couple of whacks and twisting with a pipe wrench broke it loose.
I was disappointed to hear the ammonia didn't work, though. I've been telling people to do that for years, but I've never tried it.

 

[ARP]

When in doubt,

get a bigger hammer, I say give it a whack to drive it down further breaking it loose and pipe wrench with a cheater bar it out if possible.

 

[Cruzer2424]

I have developed a reputation among friends and relatives as someone that can fix almost anything, especially bikes. But I have been humbled. A close friend brought me a Balance MTB for a rebuild (steel frame); he is doing some computer work for me in exchange. The seat post was stuck and unfortunately there is about 7" down inside the frame. Here is what I tried to extract it:

1. Pulling on the seat, but the seat popped off.
2. Soaking several days in penetrating oil.
3. Turning the seat post with a pipe wrench. No movement at all.
4. Soaking in ammonia (a Sheldon Brown trick to remove Al Oxide).
5. Using a hack saw blade to cut the down inside of the post. I got too nervous with this when I got close to the frame and I think I stopped short. In any case I could not curl up the seat post like I thought I should be able to do. Perhaps the wall is too thick (~.125")
6. Put a pipe through the BB shell and mount two car jacks to it. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the post, slid a hardened steel bar through the post and tried to push the post out. I bent every bar I tried.
7. Same as 6 but I packed the seat tube with dry ice (-109F) first.
8. Same as 7 but with dry ice inside and a torch on the outside.

After several days of trying I called my buddy last night and told him I was done. I gave up, but I am still looking for a way out of this. Does anyone have any other ideas? The only things I can think of are:

1. Continuing the saw cut and risking frame damage.
2. Fixturing the frame in a drill press (which I don't have) and trying to drill the seat post thinner so that perhaps the saw cut will work.

maybe find some frame builder to ream it? ream it out... a lot?

 

[bigrider]

Throw the heat to the post. I mean really throw the heat to the post. Wait until the post starts to cool a little and contract. Take a pipe wrench to it and twist it out.

 

[GMS65]

You've got tell us what happens!

 

[epic]

Drano

Pour drano into it and eat away the seatpost. Don't use too much. It's an exothermic reaction and it will come boiling out of the BB if you do.

 

[meathead]

clearly...

set the bike in front of a television set that has a dvd player. Throw in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and pause it on a good clint eastwood gaze...right before he shoots someone. Set the problematic seatpost directly in the path of the gaze...it'll break, they always do. If you're not a clint fan, the duke might be able to do the trick...

Seriously though...good luck/let us know what, if anything, finally works!