Stuck stem mystery....

[swee'pea99]

Following up on recent stuck stem threads, I have a new mystery.

With a lot of WD40 and a good bit of bashing I finally succeeded in unsticking the cone, but I still can't get the stem to move. Can't twist it, can't up or down it...it just won't move. Any thoughts?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Assuming alloy quill stem in steel steerer, wrap a bag of frozen peas round the stem which should cause it to contract enough to twist it out. Or if you have any amonia knocking about that breaks down surface corrosion on aluminium and may free it.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks for that. Yes, I'd come across the ammonia on another forum, but appranetly it's pretty much unobtainable in anything other than a really weak solution. Something to do with DIY explosives.

Now, where's me peas...

 

[gwhite]

Remove the front wheel and mudguard, then with a "drift" or something similar and a hammer, free this from below.

 

[PatrickPending]

you've seen these I assume

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html (most here apliccable for a stem)

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/stuck-stem.html

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37868

happened to me once on a second hand carlton many years back - I was disassembling it for a respray. Took it to the elec eng workshop and the fine folk there freed it for me ( just force in a vice methinks if i remember correctly) - d try all the suggestions in the links before using force if I were doing it today.

Still ride the carlton today though it has new forks. One thing - make sure its greased when you put it back in (same goes for seatposts - not ith lithium grease - it has a habbit of drying out). Oh Im assuming its a quill stem?

Good luck!

 

[swee'pea99]

Remove the front wheel and mudguard, then with a "drift" or something similar and a hammer, free this from below.

Now there's a suggestion with instant appeal. I'm a dab hand with a hammer. Thanks.

 

[PpPete]

Saw ammonia in homebase recently - next to the caustic soda. Don't know whether it was in solution or what strength.

Of course caustic soda is another option if you don't mind losing the stem but it takes a fair while, and it's very nasty stuff.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks all - some definite 'leads' there to follow up. I'll post news of triumph as & when. Or not, as the case may be...