How to remove rusty stem?

[tulsacruiser]

Ok I picked up this bike that os pretty clean. I want to remove the stem and handlebars. Usually I just loosen the long blot in the stem which releases the quill. But this time the blot broke off and it is still very tight (won't even budge) I've used PB Blaster and WD40 and still no luck. Any suggestions?

 

[Walker]

You're on the right track: Heat and patience, and more PB and some more heat and some more patience and some more PB then some more heat.

Have you poked at the broken off bolt inside the stem to try and drive the wedge nut down?

 

[yoothgeye]

Have you poked at the broken off bolt inside the stem to try and drive the wedge nut down?

+1

 

[Cliff]

Have you poked at the broken off bolt inside the stem to try and drive the wedge nut down?

+1

+1

I had the exact same issue recently so I used a steel rod and a hammer to bang on the frozen quill. Eventually I was able to twist the stem out of the steerer tube and remove the fork without any more drastic measures (like cutting the stem off so it will slide through the head tube).

 

[tulsacruiser]

Ok I will have to try beating the quill down. Thanks

 

[Road Master]

I'll also suggest putting a mark on the stem at the nut and make sure you don't drive the stem into the fork tube farther when you bang on it - been there, done that, yuk. Banging on the quill CAN pull the stem with it.

 

[Beau]

Sometimes the steerer tube can be bent or expanded inside the headtube.

I usually just flip the bike over and beat the heck out of the stem until it comes out. Things will be ruined though.

 

[bruce]

I've had good luck with turning the stem with a large pipe wrench after a few days or even a week of soaking and tapping. The stem will likely still get damaged but the fork should be OK.

 

[twomorestrokes]

soak it in wood bleach solution

 

[tulsacruiser]

Wood bleach?

 

[twomorestrokes]

Do a search at any bike forum if you are curious. Wood bleach crystals are available at hardware stores. It is Oxalic acid and it dissolves rust. We usually use it to soak chrome parts but it was the only way I got the frozen stem out of an old Breeze.

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Don't forget to remove or at least loosen the top fork nut. I have found several Schwinn stems very tightly rusted in place, and removing the top nut allows everything to flex and move quite a bit. The Schwinn stems, especially if they're dropped down into the fork deeply, bind up against the top nut and when they rust, they cannot free up unless the tension on them from the top nut is released.


Good luck, that's all I can say! Worst case , cut it off, another stem is $5- $10 through the friendly folks on here.

--Rob

Do a search at any bike forum if you are curious. Wood bleach crystals are available at hardware stores. It is Oxalic acid and it dissolves rust. We usually use it to soak chrome parts but it was the only way I got the frozen stem out of an old Breeze.