lamalex

I have a quill stem and headset I'm trying to pull out of an old bike. My brother crashed it and wrecked the fork so I'm just replacing it all, plus I have a nicer Cinelli stem I've been wanting to find a use for. I pulled the bolt out of the stem, but it won't move at all. The top nut on the headset will also not budge. is there something I'm missing? Any tips for getting a stuck stem/headset out of a head tube? It's all steel. Thanks for any help!

MudPie

To dislodge the stem, screw the bolt back in, and make sure the threads engage (say five threads) but leave a little gap between the bottom of the bolt and the top of the stem. Use a hammer and tap the bolt down. This should dislodge the wedge. (Note, the wedge is drawn up and locks against the steerer tube when you tighten the bolt. Often the wedge gets stuck due to friction).

For the top nut, you might want to soak that joint in a penetrating oil, or WD40 and try to remove it again. I'm pretty sure the threads are standard, clockwise to loosen. Also, it may help to hold the lower nut with a wrench as you operate the upper nut.

mentat6059

if you are replacing the forks and stem then why bother trying to remove the old stem, just cut it off at the top of the steerer tube

lamalex

.. why waste something that's in fine condition?