Reaming a Seized Seat Post

Yi Harr

So, as per the thread title, is it possible or feasible to ream the remnants of a very seized seat post from a seat tube?

Over the past month or so I have tried to free the seat post using lubricant sprays/lemon juice and brute force. I have tried everything Sheldon Brown had to offer.

Finally accepted that it wasn't going to budge so cut it down and tried cutting vertical sections out but still no joy. It's incredibly stuck.

Which brings me back to the thread title.

If the seat post is cut flush to the top of the seat tube is there any reason why a reamer couldn't remove the portion of the seat post remaining in the seat tube?

If so, does anyone know any bike shops (either in Dublin or Belfast) who would have a seat tube reamer (31.6mm)?

As always advice or previous experience is very well.

Dozer Dave

Brute force always got any seized post for me. What tools have you used in your attempt to unseize it?

Yi Harr

Tried twisting with a length of wood through the saddle rails and clamping the saddle and twisting using the frame. Absolutely no movement whatsoever. Repeatedly.

I then cut down the seat post and tried cutting vertically through the seat post and removing sections of it but what remains is completely fused to the seat tube.

Dozer Dave

What material is the post?

Yi Harr

It's an aluminium seat post in a carbon frame.

Freddie Mercurys Bolero

Mine was stuck and I accosted two muscley polish men walking down my street to help me out. So Yes, brute force 😊

foxer3640

I removed one for one of the lads in the club a couple of years ago. Same story as yours a couple of bike shops and bike mechanics had failed with it. I cut it vertically with a hacksaw blade spot welded to a bit of stell rod. Then I got a washer the exact size of the seat post, ovalised it so it would drop down into the seat post and used a threaded bar to make a kind of home made pulling system. It took time but I got it out.

GTDolanator

I doubt a bike shop will have a reemer or the know how to use it correctly,you need to contact a few engineering firms they would be your best bet!

coppinger

Same again with the hacksaw blade vertically inside the seatpost, takes time but it comes out in pieces.

RobFowl

Freddie Mercurys Bolero wrote: »

Mine was stuck and I accosted two muscley polish men walking down my street to help me out. So Yes, brute force 😊

Wrong forum

(Pics please though )

Freddie Mercurys Bolero

RobFowl wrote: »

Wrong forum

(Pics please though )

Of the seat post?

endacl

Might sound silly, but give it a go. All else seems to be failing...

Coca Cola. It doesn't just rot your teeth. Its also great at removing corrosion from metal, and won't affect the carbon at all. It'll also penetrate the join somewhat. Plug the top of the seatpost, turn the frame upside down, and fill her up from the bottom end.

Yi Harr

endacl wrote:

Coca Cola. It doesn't just rot your teeth. Its also great at removing corrosion from metal, and won't affect the carbon at all. It'll also penetrate the join somewhat. Plug the top of the seatpost, turn the frame upside down, and fill her up from the bottom end.

Yeah, had wanted to avoid having to take bb off but seems like steeping in coke may be the way to go.

Looks like my weekend free time will be spent with hacksaws and coke.

ROK ON

endacl wrote: »

Might sound silly, but give it a go. All else seems to be failing...

Coca Cola. It doesn't just rot your teeth. Its also great at removing corrosion from metal, and won't affect the carbon at all. It'll also penetrate the join somewhat. Plug the top of the seatpost, turn the frame upside down, and fill her up from the bottom end.

I had this problem and the guys in Stagg Cycles swear by the coke trick - haven't tried it yet mind.

endacl

ROK ON wrote: »

I had this problem and the guys in Stagg Cycles swear by the coke trick - haven't tried it yet mind.

If it doesn't work first time, drop a few mentos in.*

:pac:

* Don't!!!

NeedMoreGears

Could you turn the frame upside down so that the seat post sits in a basin of coke. A lot of coke maybe but you might avoid getting coke in the bottom bracket

Wishbone Ash

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

Could you turn the frame upside down so that the seat post sits in a basin of coke. A lot of coke maybe but you might avoid getting coke in the bottom bracket

Unless it's a huge basin that the whole frame can be fit into, I can't see that working as the top tube would get in the way of the sides of a standard basin allowing only an inch or two of immersion.

endacl

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Unless it's a huge basin that the whole frame can be fit into, I can't see that working as the top tube would get in the way of the sides of a standard basin allowing only an inch or two of immersion.

Actually...

Probably easiest to seal the bb with gaffa tape, now I think if it. Fill her up with coke from the top.

This is weird! Hands up who ever thought they'd be trying to figure out the best way to fill a road bike frame up with a fizzy drink? OP, there'd better be pics!

NeedMoreGears

Ok so we fill a bath with coke.......

Diet or regular?

Roger Hassenforder

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

Ok so we fill a bath with coke.......

Diet or regular?

pepsi any good?

endacl

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

pepsi any good?

Nah. Pepsi is recommended for stems.

Yi Harr

Thank God for bosses on the seat tube and syringes. If this doesn't work I may need to buy a new bike.

Yi Harr

endacl wrote: »

OP, there'd better be pics!

Seeing as you asked so nicely...

http://imgur.com/JjovHRM
http://imgur.com/IGtbgCT

Rather anticlimactic and doubtfully as impressive as you were hoping but if it gets the job done I'll be happy. That said, a new bike sounds nice too.

endacl

Yi Harr wrote: »

Seeing as you asked so nicely...

http://imgur.com/JjovHRM
http://imgur.com/IGtbgCT

Rather anticlimactic and doubtfully as impressive as you were hoping but if it gets the job done I'll be happy. That said, a new bike sounds nice too.

Best of luck with it. Hope it works for you.

Brian?

Worst case scenario, throw some Bacardi in and you have yourself a serious pimp goblet.

dave2pvd

I've done this!

Shame I'm 4,000 miles away

endacl

dave2pvd wrote: »

I've done this!

Shame I'm 4,000 miles away

Carbon frames weigh nothing. Postage would be feck all...?

dave2pvd

It's the air in the box that will cost you!

And we charge per rotation of that spindle

Yi Harr

Well that didn't work. Going to try again with vinegar during the week.

Brian?

Yi Harr wrote: »

Well that didn't work. Going to try again with vinegar during the week.

Where in the country are you?

Yi Harr

Brian? wrote:

Where in the country are you?

Currently based in Belfast but am in Dublin every second weekend.

coastwatch

I have the same problem, a carbon layup seatpost stuck in a carbon frame. Tried lots of brute force and even two seasons with the seat clamp loose, not a budge out of it. It's my Integrated Seat Post now

If I do get around to having another go at it, I think I'll cut the post about 20mm above the frame, hacksaw vertical slits down to frame level, and then try the squeeze/ crush the post to try to open a gap on two sides. Then more brute force.
Haven't tried it yet, put thats my current plan.

If you find a magic liquid solution, it be great to hear about it.

endacl

Yi Harr wrote: »

Well that didn't work. Going to try again with vinegar during the week.

Soy sauce the week after?

Sorry that didn't work out. I'm all out of ideas. At least you know it wasn't corrosion causing the jam. I'd say its beyond a home solution st this point. I'd be off to an engineering workshop, where they could clamp the down tube to protect it, and drill out the seat post to exact tolerances.

Yi Harr

Possibly a nice balsamic vinegar. Back to it with the hacksaw for now but am considering getting one of the Cyclo Tools adjustable reamers.

Will most definitely be regularly lubing my seat post from now on.

Kaisr Sose

Had the same problem with my old crmo frame and beautiful Campag Chorus post. Tried WD, diesel etc, Brute force no good. In the end, cut across the top 2" above the frame. Then cut from the post from inside out, eventually allowing the post to be compressed enough to separate from the frame. No damage to frame. Time consuming but it works!

Alek

If the seat post is aluminium, try drain cleaner in pellets - its nearly pure NaOH and will dissolve it within hours. Extremely caustic - be careful! Make a concentrated solution in lukewarm water, never hot, and pour in the frame. Should not damage the expoxy in carbon frame, but I can't be 100% sure.

Heavy, long latex gloves and protective glasses mandatory.

manwithaplan

Alek wrote: »

If the seat post is aluminium, try drain cleaner in pellets - its nearly pure NaOH and will dissolve it within hours. Extremely caustic - be careful! Make a concentrated solution in lukewarm water, never hot, and pour in the frame. Should not damage the expoxy in carbon frame, but I can't be 100% sure.

Heavy, long latex gloves and protective glasses mandatory.

Alek

Did I say fluoric acid? ;-)

Yi Harr

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Then cut from the post from inside out, eventually allowing the post to be compressed enough to separate from the frame. No damage to frame. Time consuming but it works!

I think this is going to be my plan of attack. Slowly but hopefully surely.

Alek wrote: »

Should not damage the expoxy in carbon frame, but I can't be 100% sure.

The not 100% sure part would put me off. The picture dave2pvd posted was enough to make me feel anxious.

Alek

The not 100% sure part would put me off.

Note I work in technical support. Saying this is my second nature now

Eamonnator

manwithaplan wrote: »

Beer optional.

Alek

Correction: if you decide to go for the caustic soda method, it takes a few days, not hours. More detailed procedure below, quite a lot more on google.

http://classiclightweights.co.uk/seatpin-rest.html

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=36893.0


Not much info on NaOH and carbon fiber compatibility, though.