78 TEAM MONGOOSE

[Rat Rod]

Had a guy contact me over the weekend telling me he had his childhood Mongoose from the 70's and wanted to know if I was interested. We traded several text messages and then I made the 2.5 hour drive out to East Texas to pick it up...

It's a 78 Team Mongoose with full chromo frame and fork in the candy blue finish. Has all Shimano Dura Ace components and ARAYA 7B wheels. Only real issues are that the alloy seat post is MEGA STUCK (unfortunately in the slammed position ) and the chrome on the fork is flaking off.

I had to give it a quick bath with dish soap to see how it would look and it turned out pretty good so far...

 

[The Renaissance Man]

This will be a little more of a challenge than some of you other restorations. looking forward to the transformation!

 

[Rat Rod]

This will be a little more of a challenge than some of you other restorations. looking forward to the transformation!

Outside of removing the seat post and doing a deep cleaning and bearing repack, I probably won't do a whole lot more to it. This is one of those rare bikes that the more you mess with it the more you mess it up.

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

Slammed seats are all the rave , haven't you seen all the kids in town rollin around hitting ther selfs in the chin wit ther knees .

 

[Rat Rod]

Slammed seats are all the rave , haven't you seen all the kids in town rollin around hitting ther selfs in the chin wit ther knees .

 

[user 135]

If it is really stuck, it may be time for the hack saw method, unless you have paitence and don't mind a mess with penetrating oil.

 

[Rat Rod]

If it is really stuck, it may be time for the hack saw method, unless you have paitence and don't mind a mess with penetrating oil.

Definitely going to try the oil method first. It's the original seat post so I'd hate to tear it up and possible the frame too.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Awwww, yeah. That's nice. Brings back memories

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Definitely going to try the oil method first. It's the original seat post so I'd hate to tear it up and possible the frame too.

I recommend PB Blaster daily along with a few jolts with a hammer. Think of it as a slow motion impact tool. Not sure how best to knock it around though, maybe a very tight seat clamp and a pipe wrench. I've done this successfully with a very stuck stem, but I was able to use the top of the stem to twist with as I vibrated it with a hammer. It took about 4 weeks of daily persuasion to finally get it to move.

 

[Rat Rod]

My initial attempt involved me attaching a BMX stem to the seat post and then running a pipe over the neck of the stem for leverage. I thought for sure it would break it loose, but the aluminum oxide is some strong stuff.

Will try the PB Blaster soak for a few days and try my BMX stem approach again.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

You might need to take the crank out and squirt PB from the bottom also.

What you described with the BMX stem should give you enough leverage to hit the pipe a few whacks in each direction to help the PB soak a little deeper every day. When I did it, I would keep it wet and hit it two or three times a day (whenever I would pass by) and then forget it till the next day. Even after it finally did move (slightly) it took a lot of effort to get it out in small increments. Patience is the key!

 

[Rat Rod]

You might need to take the crank out and squirt PB from the bottom also.

Unfortunately I don't think you have access to the seat tube via the BB on these frames. Will pull it soon to double check though.

 

[user 135]

I would be judicious in using a hammer to whack the seat post further down. I have read about people using a slide hammer to force the post up. Some where able to find a hook for a purchased one and some made there own.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I would be judicious in using a hammer to whack the seat post further down. I have read about people using a slide hammer to force the post up. Some where able to find a hook for a purchased one and some made there own.

I agree! I may not have been clear in my recommendation. The hammering that I was talking about is in a rotating direction perpendicular to the post. As I said earlier, think of it as you would an impact driver.

 

[user 135]

I agree! I may not have been clear in my recommendation. The hammering that I was talking about is in a rotating direction perpendicular to the post. As I said earlier, think of it as you would an impact driver.

Hah...I just saw hammer and didnt' read. I agree about your use!!

 

[Dizzle Problems]

If the seatpost is aluminum, I suggest the boiling water method. The aluminum contracts faster than steel. I've had good luck with it.

 

[horsefarmer]

I may have to try that everything else failed (other than cutting) on a Raleigh I have.