Hell's bells, stuck seatpost, Ti flavour

[Slimtim]

Despite normally taking 110% precautions against this type of thing happening, I have discovered that I have a Ti seatpost stuck in the aluminium sleeve on a Ti frame.

I think I had assumed that Ti and aluminium and wouldn't react however overlooked the fact that as the bike has been hung vertically in storage, some water caused by condensation has run down the seattube (towards the saddle) and created some kind of a bond between the two materials. I don't fully understand why but hopefully someone here does.

Anyway, I now need to separate these parts and would welcome suggestions. Moderate force has been applied to no effect. WD40 dribbled inside the frame then application of moderate force also no effect.

My next stop is to use Finish Line Chill Zone inside the seatpost (there is a handy hole drilled in the top) to supercool it. I will then pour a kettle of hot water over the outside of the frame. With the seatpost contracted and the frame and aluminium shim rapidly expanded I hope to be able to break the bond (again expecting to use moderate force to remove the post).

Does this stand a chance?

If I'm barking up the wrong tree then alternative suggestions welcome - I have read online (inc Sheldon B) and looked at youtube but can't find an answer specifically about taking Ti posts out of aluminium.

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[Jonny69]

Plus Gas might penetrate better than WD40. You can buy it in a dripper can instead of an aerosol which will make it easier to apply.

The cooling/heating trick might work, it's got to be worth a go anyway. You can buy plumbing freeze kits as well which might be a bit bigger and you'll get to have a couple of goes.

Time is your friend here though, not force. If you can get the penetrating fluid in and be patient and keep trying then all the better.

Otherwise, get the seatpost in a good chunky vice, get up on the bench and use the frame to give it a damn good twist.

 

[Steelframeman]

I agree with Jonny69 above, cooling it may work, then upside down, I would if you have one put on a really old saddle you can write off, clamp this really hard destroy it almost, so any leverage will not damage the clamp area of the seat post, then with bike upside down use the frame as leverage to twist it, a few years ago it took me a whole day to get one moving.

 

[biggs682]

have a look on google for the seatpost man before being to harsh

 

[Nob]

upside down put rubber inserts into the seatpost if holes are present & fill up the seat tube with white vinegar of coke & leave for 48hrs - then give it a go

Or the big option if you have available is a vice on a bench that can be screwed into concrete then using a 16T overhead gantry crane with synthentic slings around the frame then apply tension............

 

[foz]

A kettle of hot water will do nothing to expand the seat tube, it will make it hot but not enough to expand it

The freezing has a better chance of working, but penetrating oil and leverage are usually best

 

[andyz]

Re:

If it's truly stuck, then the best method is the caustic soda one,
look here viewtopic.php?t=192660

 

[CyclingTheLakes]

I had a stuck seat post and I knew the mechanics in a garage, I asked them to do it and it worked and that meant leverage, they must have had one heavy duty wrench or maybe they put it in a vice, I don't know. I think I tried a few of the suggested methods but if it works for you, good. They say if one uses leverage, possibly there is a risk of tearing the seat tube but that's probably remote. I read up on all methods.

 

[Slimtim]

As a follow-up to this tale of stuck seatposts, here is the happy ending.

After an attempt at using some vinegar to soak the post failed, I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and contacted John Lee, also known as The Seatpostman.

Have a look at his website and you'll understand - John is the UK's specialist for removing stuck seatposts (and possibly quill stems) and well worth a visit.

Rather than post my beloved Merlin, I set off early in the morning from SW London and arrived in Chorley where John is based by 10.30.

After a chat I entrusted my cherished frame (apart from the time when I overlooked to grease the seatpost before inserting it of course) to John who called me about an hour later to say that the previously stuck firm post was out, and in one piece. Unbelievable!

However, he then explained that the aluminium shim inserted into the seat tube was badly oxidised and would need to be replaced. Obviously a bit disappointing but having owned the frame for 12 years, and fully expecting to for the next 12, I gave John the OK to make a custom shim that would account for the quirks of the original build.

Later that day, I went back to John's and he showed me the corroded shim (short and badly eroded making it effectively useless) and then bonded in the carefully formed new item which is significantly longer so futureproofing the frame from a similar failure.

He then painstakingly 'polished' the inside of the shim to be a perfect 27.2 diameter and tuned the degree of grip. And then explained how to lube a seatpost before putting it into the frame.......

I build the frame back up today and took it for a short spin - all perfect, probably better than new.

Could I have got the seatpost out myself? - maybe, but unlikely and I didn't want to risk damaging an expensive frame.

Would I ask John to remove the next stuck seatpost? If I am ever foolish enough to put myself in the same daft situation then certainly.

 

[Rampage]

What frame was it?