Removing Stuck Seatpost

[JaxRhapsody]

You guys probably knew this one already, but for those who don't, it's a nice trick.

Long story short; last year I came across two abandoned bikes on my trip downtown a few blocks apart, one of my favorite bikes; a Cranbrook, and a bike I had been wanting since I saw them, I think a year before; a Seachange.

The Seachange was the issue. It had a stuck seatpost in it. I used wd-40 on it, there seemed to be a milimeter gap or so at the top, so I thought it was odd to be stuck. I tried the seat and seat clamp trick and it didn't work, tapped along the seat tube to try and break it loose. Nothing worked, so I let it sit and hit it with wd-40 here and there. Then at some point started trying to feed a bottle of mixed motor oil in it, to get it loose.

It wasn't super priority, so it rarely got attention. I've really wanted one but can't afford a new one, so I wanted to keep it, if I couldn't get it out, it'd hafta be gotten rid of and I didn't want to do that over a stuck post. I got desperate one day and used some coitus lube on it, lol. Nobody from the local bike group gave me any help, so I looked up ways to remove it, that I could try and found an old Reddit post on using a fork and stem.

--Just like that. Clamp it down hard on the post and twist and turn it.

--There was some crap they had stuffed in with the post to make it fit. With all the rust and lubes on it over the past few months, it looked like crap, so I didn't inspect what it was, but was probably some thin plastics and paper used as a wedge.

Now the bike is ready to built up, which will probably be another [short] thread. These finds allowed me to also compare the bikes. I did a tiktok on that.

 

[Ed Stately]

You guys probably knew this one already, but for those who don't, it's a nice trick.

Long story short; last year I came across two abandoned bikes on my trip downtown a few blocks apart, one of my favorite bikes; a Cranbrook, and a bike I had been wanting since I saw them, I think a year before; a Seachange.

The Seachange was the issue. It had a stuck seatpost in it. I used wd-40 on it, there seemed to be a milimeter gap or so at the top, so I thought it was odd to be stuck. I tried the seat and seat clamp trick and it didn't work, tapped along the seat tube to try and break it loose. Nothing worked, so I let it sit and hit it with wd-40 here and there. Then at some point started trying to feed a bottle of mixed motor oil in it, to get it loose.

It wasn't super priority, so it rarely got attention. I've really wanted one but can't afford a new one, so I wanted to keep it, if I couldn't get it out, it'd hafta be gotten rid of and I didn't want to do that over a stuck post. I got desperate one day and used some coitus lube on it, lol. Nobody from the local bike group gave me any help, so I looked up ways to remove it, that I could try and found an old Reddit post on using a fork and stem.
View attachment 262318
--Just like that. Clamp it down hard on the post and twist and turn it.
View attachment 262319
--There was some crap they had stuffed in with the post to make it fit. With all the rust and lubes on it over the past few months, it looked like crap, so I didn't inspect what it was, but was probably some thin plastics and paper used as a wedge.

Now the bike is ready to built up, which will probably be another [short] thread. These finds allowed me to also compare the bikes. I did a tiktok on that.

Very cool. I'm having the same issue with a 1947 Hiawatha. The seat post and the stem are stuck and at some time in the past the stem bolt was broken off, so started searching here for ideas. This takes care of the seat post problem, now to figure out the stem. Thanks, for sharing.

 

[Wildcat]

You guys probably knew this one already, but for those who don't, it's a nice trick.

Long story short; last year I came across two abandoned bikes on my trip downtown a few blocks apart, one of my favorite bikes; a Cranbrook, and a bike I had been wanting since I saw them, I think a year before; a Seachange.

The Seachange was the issue. It had a stuck seatpost in it. I used wd-40 on it, there seemed to be a milimeter gap or so at the top, so I thought it was odd to be stuck. I tried the seat and seat clamp trick and it didn't work, tapped along the seat tube to try and break it loose. Nothing worked, so I let it sit and hit it with wd-40 here and there. Then at some point started trying to feed a bottle of mixed motor oil in it, to get it loose.

It wasn't super priority, so it rarely got attention. I've really wanted one but can't afford a new one, so I wanted to keep it, if I couldn't get it out, it'd hafta be gotten rid of and I didn't want to do that over a stuck post. I got desperate one day and used some coitus lube on it, lol. Nobody from the local bike group gave me any help, so I looked up ways to remove it, that I could try and found an old Reddit post on using a fork and stem.
View attachment 262318
--Just like that. Clamp it down hard on the post and twist and turn it.
View attachment 262319
--There was some crap they had stuffed in with the post to make it fit. With all the rust and lubes on it over the past few months, it looked like crap, so I didn't inspect what it was, but was probably some thin plastics and paper used as a wedge.

Now the bike is ready to built up, which will probably be another [short] thread. These finds allowed me to also compare the bikes. I did a tiktok on that.

I have a frame with the same problem. I'll use your method and document it. Gives me something to do while waiting on the buildoff.

 

[Wildcat]

No luck on mine, it's rusted all the way through. The stem bolt was going to strip out if I tightened it any further. I'll just drill a hole through the stem, it doesn't need to be saved.

 

[Ed Stately]

I got the post moving which is all I needed at this point. I did get the stem out but the screw on top bearing cap is rust welded to the threads on the forks. I'm restoring this bike for someone and he wants to retain as many of the original part's as possible or id have already just cut the forks off. They are bent so still have to straighten them once I free them. It was his dad's bike and not well maintained over the last 70 years. Had 4 coats of red and tan house paint on it and without a doubt old lead paint so the capture and disposal of that was not fun. Anyway got it sprayed down the WD-40 penetrating spray and will try again in the morning.

 

[Wildcat]

Drilled a hole and put a big wrench on it. No luck. I'll take it to the bike shop when I have my next set of wheels trued and give them a challenge.

 

[Da Gas Man]

Drilled a hole and put a big wrench on it. No luck. I'll take it to the bike shop when I have my next set of wheels trued and give them a challenge.
View attachment 264172View attachment 264173

It may sound counterintuitive, but hitting it in with a big hammer may break
the rust hold just enough to get it to turn. And spray it with penetrating oil
to help it along? She's in there good alright.

 

[Flying Merlino Brother]

Isn't there a slide hammer approach that has been tried?

 

[Complex Redneck]

This reminds me of a buddy's nightmare back in the mid-80s. He had a Redline 500a with a stuck post, we tried everything we could think of to get that thing out. His dad was a Nam-era truck driver & diesel mechanic. Took the bottom bracket out, capped the seat post with a boat plug & soaked it with everything available at the time...nothing! His dad finally had to take an air-chisel to it & tore the hell out of the post but it finally came out.

I gave up on WD-40, have had good luck with PB blaster or Kroil. The last bad one I had soaked for a few days & then I was able to turn it with a rifle action-wrench.

 

[idiotboy]

The last really stuck one I had, I soaked with PB blaster, put the post in the bench vice and twisted the frame off the post