Orange P7 shim
- Thread starter BlackCat
- Start date
abr303
Retro Guru
I’ve had a few C16r and P7’s all between ‘94 - ‘96 and are all shimmed from factory. My current project had a 29.8mm shim with the stock steel 26.4mm seat post. Some came out quite easy whilst a couple where really stubborn to get out….. here’s my recommendation. Buy one those slide hammer blind internal bearing puller kits, best thing I’ve bought in ages. Never not got one out in six frames and no damage to the frame or shim either
Boil the kettle and plus gas when a stubborn shim won’t budge works well. Thoroughly clean the shim and inside the seat tube of the frame before refitting anything and a blob of copper grease between the shim and the actual frame seat tube for ease of future removal 
Boil the kettle and plus gas when a stubborn shim won’t budge works well. Thoroughly clean the shim and inside the seat tube of the frame before refitting anything and a blob of copper grease between the shim and the actual frame seat tube for ease of future removal Attachments
Thanks. At the moment the P7 is on the back burner. Spontex’d the rust off and she’s had a decent polish but shelves for now whilst I finish off another build. I am hesitant to reach for a slide hammer as with my level of engineering know-how I am likely to end up with both a ruined frame and trashed slide!
2manyoranges
Old School Grand Master
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Whay hey ...another Spontex convert. Excellent.
And how is it that the Hamster knoweth so much truth. These furry creatures clearly have deep wisdom. All the running in a wheel is just a ruse.
He is right...the steel seatpin is excellent. Strong and light. A great OEM item.
And P7s went through many transformations of dimension and the year doesn’t necessarily tie it down since they played with things (a good thing).
I have had a P7 with shim which was 29,8 factory shimmed down to 26,4 and another nickel one which was 27.2 factory shimmed to 26.4 (looked like a Kalloy shim). Then another which was 29.8 factory shimmed to 26,4. No rhyme or reason to the changes.
As everyone says, you get galvanic corrosion between the shim and tube and things expand/contract with oxides. Get the shim out, you can replace it easily since Kalloy do a load of compatible ones.
Note also:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/orange-p7-shimmed-seat-tube-problem.415191/
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/orange-shim-woes-p7-hints-tips.428326/
And how is it that the Hamster knoweth so much truth. These furry creatures clearly have deep wisdom. All the running in a wheel is just a ruse.
He is right...the steel seatpin is excellent. Strong and light. A great OEM item.
And P7s went through many transformations of dimension and the year doesn’t necessarily tie it down since they played with things (a good thing).
I have had a P7 with shim which was 29,8 factory shimmed down to 26,4 and another nickel one which was 27.2 factory shimmed to 26.4 (looked like a Kalloy shim). Then another which was 29.8 factory shimmed to 26,4. No rhyme or reason to the changes.
As everyone says, you get galvanic corrosion between the shim and tube and things expand/contract with oxides. Get the shim out, you can replace it easily since Kalloy do a load of compatible ones.
Note also:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/orange-p7-shimmed-seat-tube-problem.415191/
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/orange-shim-woes-p7-hints-tips.428326/
xtaffa
Gary Fisher Fan
Also:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/p7-seatpost-shim-removing.430287/#post-3175919
Hacksaw took no time at all - there's sod all material there cf. a full length stuck seatpost. And if you're even halfway competent/have opposable thumbs that actually obey commands, you'll avoid the tiny nick I put in the tube of mine too!
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/p7-seatpost-shim-removing.430287/#post-3175919
Hacksaw took no time at all - there's sod all material there cf. a full length stuck seatpost. And if you're even halfway competent/have opposable thumbs that actually obey commands, you'll avoid the tiny nick I put in the tube of mine too!
