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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on November 12, 2011 at 8:28am

send pics :))

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Permalink Reply by Monte Martin on November 12, 2011 at 11:18am

Before starting the hacksaw method, you may want to try drilling a hole through the seatpost and using a leverage bar.  You will have to be pretty accurate with the drilling.  If you can get an 8mm allen key through the center, use a 3-4 foot long tube on the other end and you can gets tons of leverage for turning.  Mix this with the PB weld and it might work.  would be easier if you had a bigger post though.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on November 12, 2011 at 6:47pm

For a bit of background and to help understand what's happening here's the story.

When two metals (or alloys as some may deal with in a aluminum seatpost and an aluminum frame) contact each other and a film of water (condensation or worst sweat with its salt content) gets betwixt 'em you get a galavtic reaction just like in a battery. This action causes the metals to exchange electrons and weld themselves together. Despite this being a weak bond it is across a fairly large surface and a snug fit on the diameter. Any deformation of the 2 diameters results in a binding that usually results in more damage (swagging) if force is applied to a dry surface mating. If you managed to get any grit (sand, dust, metal shavings or the like) into the fitting you're toast as the softer metal will roll up burrs and further deform the diameters.

The best way to tackle this situation is before the problem occurs. Before inserting the post be sure the socket and post are impecibly clean (no grit of any kind) and then lightly greased with a fine light wieght GREASE or a never sieze compound. This isolates the 2 metals from each other and keeps dirt from insinuating itself into the fitiing. Always wipe the post before making adjustments (even if yer out on the trail...that trail dust and mud is real problem causing grit). And befor trying to remove the post clean and lube the fitting with a good thin oil (penetrating oil, sewing machine oil 5w/10w, even a non sulphur/non water based cutting fluid) and let it sit to allow penetration into the fitting.

Once you've gotten it good and stuck (ya' just had to ignore all the suggestions, didn't ya') the only recourse is to remove any pressure on the 2 surfaces holding them to each other...the cutting method discussed in earlier postings...or in some lucky cases warming (I'd say heating but that could mislead people to break out the torch and that opens a whole can of possible bad alternatives) the outside piece to get it to expand.

If this sounds like a daunting task yer wright...not teribbly hard but tricky and slow.

The best is starting right with never seize or grease and periodically pulling and cleaning the post, never assemble a dirty post into a dirty tube and look for dents or dirt before trying to remove.

Good luck

Jeff

The Chicagoan

Oh their are a plethora of oil products that can help, WD-40 (not a favorite of mine but many are faithful users), Liquid Wrench (very commonly available), Tap-matic (and a slew of oil based drilling and tapping solutions), Ar-coil (or sumfin like that...a spray oil who's slogan is the 'oil that creeps') and many, many others.

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Permalink Reply by jonathan on November 13, 2011 at 4:07am

coca cola

that's what Boulevard Bikes used to unseize mine last summer .

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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on November 13, 2011 at 1:29pm

This discussion had some useful info: http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/theres-now-a-bounty-on-my?...

The freezeoff method worked really well for a seatpost I encountered.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on November 14, 2011 at 5:00pm

When you go to reinstall assure the frame tube and thge post are CLEAN, then grease the tube (the industrial grade never seize compunds are designed for the purpose...they have copper based, nickel based and others...

But the best advise has to be every time ya change yer clocks pull the post and clean/grease it post. This can be the best couple of minutes you'll spend and gives ya good reason to give the whole area a lil' slap and tickle. Run a rag over the frame (a touch of wax makes it easier the next time) and give the post a light rub with a light sand paper like 180grit wet/dry emery or one of them scouring pads (those 3M metal polishing pads do wonders to smooth the post surface but they don't remove dings or galling) and be sure to clean off the gritty residue.

Sweat, road splash and dust/dirt all cause problems so keeping them out will save the greif...

Jeff

The Chicagoan

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Permalink Reply by Dirke on November 13, 2013 at 6:29am

Cool you got it out. 

I'll add one more method I don't readily see here.  It's not mine, but I have recently used it successfully on a carbon post stuck in a steel frame for at least 6 years.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54WhdrLKKvY&noredirect=1

I had used PB blaster a few times over the years and pipe through the rails to no avail.  Finally saw this video and thought I would try again.  I did prep with PB blaster for a few days first, and then started pouring the hot water on the seat tube, and began to hear metal "pinging", like your steam heat radiator coming on.  Took the seat and upper clamp assembly off and put the lower head of the clamp assembly into a bench vise upside-down (frame up top, near the ceiling) and used the frame itself for leverage. For the first time in years, I could move the post, although in very short, stacotic movements that were anything but smooth.  Had to finally enlist a friend to help so that we together could get enough leverage to both spin the frame and lift it vertically off the seatpost.  Took maybe 3 minutes once we both were on it and it popped off.  The seatpost clamp where it had been clamped in the vise is a little chewed up but otherwise, still perfectly usable.

I would caution about using PB Blaster.  It's highly toxic and smells awful.  I took the water bottle bolts out and sprayed in through there and spun the frame around in the stand for a few days to get it spread. Once I got the post out and thought I was done, I noticed PB blaster coming out everywhere;  brake levers, stem, bottom bracket, frame holes all the way to the rear dropouts.  I ended up having to overhaul the bottom bracket and headset bearings and in the future would recommend removing these items before starting in with any solvent spray.

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