Expander bolt stuck in bottom of steerer- ok to ignore?
06-27-12, 10:40 AM
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Expander bolt stuck in bottom of steerer- ok to ignore?
I was replacing the stem in a old steel Nishiki frame. The old stem came out fine but somehow the expander bolt got hopelessly stuck at the bottom of the steerer tube. I am able to put a new stem in and get it below the minimum insertion line just fine. So is it really a problem to keep the old expander bolt in there? The new stem is not resting on the old bolt.
06-27-12, 10:45 AM
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I don't understand, can't you just put the old stem back in, reinsert the old bolt til its just snug and then back it off several turns, whack the top of the bolt with a hammer to loosen the wedge and then remove the whole assembly?
I'm confused what you mean by the expander bolt is stuck in there. You can only remove the stem if you either loosen the wedge and remove the wedge/bolt/stem as an assembly or you remove the bolt completely leaving the wedge still in the neck and then remove the stem.
I'm confused what you mean by the expander bolt is stuck in there. You can only remove the stem if you either loosen the wedge and remove the wedge/bolt/stem as an assembly or you remove the bolt completely leaving the wedge still in the neck and then remove the stem.
06-27-12, 11:09 AM
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Replacing the old stem and bolt and giving the protruding bolt a wack on its head should loosen the wedge. If that doesn't do it and the old wedge does not interfere with the new stem, no harm in leaving it there.
06-27-12, 11:21 AM
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...or try to thread the binder bolt in from the bottom and try to whack the wedge out from the bottom.
If it doesn't come out there is no problem leaving it in, in my opinion.
If it doesn't come out there is no problem leaving it in, in my opinion.
06-27-12, 01:03 PM
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Steerer tubes are butted for strength, having roughly double the wall thickness for the bottom 2". many have a tapered transition range, and it isn't rare for expanders to get wedged there. Usually you can tap them up from the bottom, but they can get wedged pretty tight and not be worth chasing if they're not in your way.
I'd ignore it, and if Murphy's law works, you'll be riding along and hear something rattling in there one day, that's when you can remove it.
I'd ignore it, and if Murphy's law works, you'll be riding along and hear something rattling in there one day, that's when you can remove it.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
06-27-12, 01:10 PM
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stuck in the butt taper ? with stem out, and brake removed,
so no bolt across the bottom.
you should be able to knock it out with a long 'drift punch' and a hammer ..
1 good whack.
so no bolt across the bottom.
you should be able to knock it out with a long 'drift punch' and a hammer ..
1 good whack.
06-27-12, 06:31 PM
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I had one stuck in a Trek steerer. No amount of soaking with PB Blaster and pounding on a drift punch from the bottom would free it. I finally left it there and sold the bike.
06-27-12, 06:40 PM
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Yeah, sometimes a stem or wedge is stuck beyond the abilities of the hammer or PB blaster. Especially if it's an alloy stem/wedge in a steel steerer, as the corrosion it builds sort of fuses the two together over time. I'd ignore it too, doesn't seem like it could cause any harm.
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