Novel way to remove stuck seat post using the "heat" method

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Is there any health risk with sawing and breaking up a carbon post?

Only to your wallet.

But I expect you have difficulty opening that, as well. ;)
 

andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
Coca Cola down the seat tube from the bottom bracket was the weirdest.
I've seen that suggested for alloy seatposts in steel frames, but I'd have zero confidence for carbon in aluminium..

For an aluminium seatpost stuck in a steel frame, the "nuclear option" is to use caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, commonly sold as a drain cleaner). It will just dissolve the aluminium out (may take 2 or 3 days).
It's nasty stuff,and can generate enough heat to fizz and spit, so good coverage rubber gloves and eye protection (at least) is required.
 

Smurfy

Naturist Smurf
OP if its an alloy post or alloy frame, the easiest way to remove it is with ammonia it eats the oxidised gunk to nothing, making it easy to twist the stuck post.
+1 But you may have trouble getting hold of ammonia. Caustic soda (Sodium Hydroxide) will also dissolve aluminium without attacking the steel frame. Sometimes you can buy it for unblocking drains, as it's also very good at shifting fat deposits.

Those with seized carbon posts could burn it out if its a steel frame and it's going for a respray. Another option might be to ream it away to nothing, or collapse it with several cuts from the inside of the seat post towards the seat tube.
 

Bodhbh

Guru
For an aluminium seatpost stuck in a steel frame, the "nuclear option" is to use caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, commonly sold as a drain cleaner). It will just dissolve the aluminium out (may take 2 or 3 days). It's nasty stuff,and can generate enough heat to fizz and spit, so good coverage rubber gloves and eye protection (at least) is required.

I've tried it with the liquid drain cleaner. It's not strong enough, you need the drain cleaner that comes as pellets and make it up as concentrated as possible. Like you say, it gives off heat reacting with water so you need to be careful. tbh I work with a few conc acids but I really don't like working with hydroxide. It's particularly bad for the eyes (it absorbs v quickly into the eyeball) and there's something gross about the way it turns the fat in your skin to soap. Be careful!

Another nuclear option for aluminium if you have money to burn on gallium :laugh::


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaMWxLCGY0U
 

Summerking

Veteran
Location
Cornwall
I have a seatpost firmly entrenched in a road bike frame..I clamped it by the seatpost into my heavy duty vice on my bench and turned the bicycle..the leverage I applied ripped the vice and two through bolts out of the wood of the bench..the frame and seatpost are still together
 
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