A Stuck stem

[Wester]

This stem is stuck solid in the headset how do I free it

And what type of a stem bolt do I fit in it as there was no bolt in it when I got it . The bike is a Peugeot eilte road bike

 

[arch684]

You will need to find a stem bolt that fits. Screw it all the way in then unscrew it a few turns to the head of the bolt is above the stem and give it a whack with a hammer. You may have to hit it a few times

 

[gbb]

Apologies if i'm stating what you already know Wester...
Arch is correct, you need a bolt, screw it in as described then hit it. That should undo the expander you can see on the bottom of the quill stem below..

Finding the right bolt may be a slight problem...

 

[midlife]

Don't really need to find an exact match, just need something that goes through the hole in the stem to knock out the expander at the bottom. Usually wedges just undo so I expect it's a cone shape at the bottom

The other thing is that someone might have loosened the expander and its corroded in place

Shaun

 

[mjr]

If it's corroded, put the bike upsidedown, remove wheel and guards and spray a bit of plus gas or similar in the fork. The aim is for it to trickle down the edge of the fork to ease the joint with the corroded wedge. Then flip it back, put the bolt nearly in but not quite and hit it with a wooden or rubber mallet as described above. If that doesn't work, you're onto more corrosive things, or trying to shift the wedge with a long thin chisel. And if all else fails, cut the stem and junk the fork :-(

 

[midlife]

Generally the wedge can be removed, its corrosion of the stem in the steerer which is the nightmare ...

Shaun

 

[Wester]

This probably sounds strange to you but there seems to be no wedge in the steerer . I have got a stem bolt which seems to be the same as in the image posted by ' gbb ' and when I put it in to the stem there is nothing inside for it to screw into and when the bolt is not in the stem I can see all the way through from top to bottom is it possible that the wedge was taken out through the forks

sorry if this sound dumb to but I am only rookie at the job

 

[mjr]

We all start somewhere. I did. I got mine shifted but that was only a corroded wedge. It sounds like you've a corroded stem. Flip the bike, take the wheel/guards out and shine a light up the fork and see if you can see what you're dealing with?

 

[youngoldbloke]

I suspect the stem has been stuck for some time, The lack of bolt and wedge are the results of the previous owner attempting to remove/adjust the stem.