Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Anybody got any suggestions/tips/tricks for sawing out a stuck seatpost?

I started in on it the other night and man is it ever a Royal Pain in the You-Know-Whats.

Any tricks to make it less of a pain aside from the obvious? (booze)

auchencrow

1) Have a lot of band-aids on hand.

2) Make sure you have exhausted all possibilities with PB Blaster before you start. Sometimes patience can obviate the need for "heap big medicine".

3) The other thing I've learned is that even after you have removed a pie section from the length of the tube (yes, 2 slots needed), don't expect it will just peel away from the seat tube.
If it is a stubborn one, it will likely need a little coaxing from your bench vise, to "roll it into itself" and form a smaller diameter, thus separating from the tube. This implies you need to leave a goodly amount of post exposed - So don't saw it too close!

4) Lastly, you should prepare yourself mentally, because even these most drastic measures are not 100% effective.
- There are a small percentage of posts which have bonded so fully with the steel that you'll never separate them.

Oldpeddaller

Not to hijack, but I've got one I suspect is like this, a steel post in a steel frame - and it broke off flush with the top of the seat cluster. The only idea I have is to leave it in place and ream it out to fit a smaller diameter post. Anyone have any better ideas? It really seems bonded in!

jonwvara 

I've never had to saw out a post, but ftwelder suggests bolting a small washer to then end of the blade (through the mounting hole) to prevent it from cutting too deep. Maybe he'll chime in and explain more fully.

JohnDThompson 

Make sure you have an abundant supply of good quality beer available before you start. You'll need it...

Capecodder

thenomad

the sawzall may be too strong and likely to go through the seat tube. I did this on a stem, not fun either. Have a few blades on hand so you don't sit there sawing a way with a blunt end.

If the seatpost is alloy then it may go smoother, but if steel then good luck.
Once you cut the first one I'd try the vice or plumbers wrench again.

I soaked a frame I bought on CL with a suck post with PB and a plumbers wrench got it to move, then I put grease on the little seatpost slot so it would be drawn in and it lubed it enough to get the post moving and out.

auchencrow

I've never encountered such a dire situation with s STEEL post, but if it's steel to steel, then it's rust you're dealing with:
What I would do then, (since it's broken flush at the top), is to plug it up with pipe dope, turn it upside down, and fill it with PB blaster for a good long while. Then I'd try beating it out with a rod from the bottom. (You'll have to drill a hole in the BB shell).

Oldpeddaller

Now that's an approach I hadn't even considered Auchen. It might just work! Will let you all know.

auchencrow

^ I've been sorely tempted, but the potential for damage to the seat tube is too great, and the potential of shattering the kind of skinny blade you'll need for many an alloy post even greater.
( Eg -The typical Laprade post won't even allow a normal hacksaw blade to insert into its center. Consequently I've had to cut off an eighth inch or so off the width of the blade just to get it to start. )


PS - I am beginning to think I've done too many of these exorcisms.

unterhausen

depending on the bike, a hacksaw will also likely go through the seat tube. Many examples of this posted here and elsewhere.

JunkYardBike

I picked this up recently for a stuck stem. The blade warps, but I was able to make two deep cuts, though I never managed to get it clean through to the steerer tube. I was very careful when I got close, so I periodically used a hammer, vice, and lots of curses to get it out, and it finally got free.

It was still tedious and made my hand and arm sore, but no lacerations or bleeding.

Amesja

The heck with PB blaster -use Freeze-Off. It's like it was designed for stuck seatposts. PB blaster isn't any more effective than WD-40 (or Peanut Butter for that matter.)

satbuilder 

If I were faced with this problem, this is exactly how I would approach it. Several years ago I had to cut the cutlass bearing out of a boat I had and used the same method. You do have to take your time, have a sharp blade and be careful. PB Blaster and a hammer would probably work well too, if you're real careful. PB Blaster gives me a nasty headache.

Michael Angelo 

I recently removed a stuck aluminum seat post from a Super Grand Prix. It was really stuck, and would not budge even after being soaked in penetrant for more than 14 days. That's when I decided to cut it with a hacksaw blade in a handle holder. It took me a few days to cut a straight line down the inside. Once the cut was done, I took a piece of round metal stock and inserted it just inside of the portion that was still sticking out. I did this as to not crush the remaining part of the tube as it was being held in the jaws of the vise. The tube being held tight, I turned the frame as you would a giant lever....and it started to turn!! That's when I knew I was going to get it out in one piece. Once it was out I used a cylinder hone to clean out the remaining corrosion. This is the result....

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Thats such a good question and I'm constantly doubting the answer I've been giving.

Its a 1951 Durkopp 3 speed city bike. I've got all the parts to make it whole, and I've cleaned the spraypaint off of 70% of the frame at this point. Thing is its too small for me and likely won't ever see much use...I know its a dead end, but I can't bring myself to throw in the towel.

cudak888 

Pah! I've heard that Freeze-Off claim time and again, and never have I seen it work on a truly stuck seatpost.

-Kurt

jonwvara 

I love the preceding two posts with their photos. They remind me of those black-and-white photos of the guy in the pith helmet posing with his Weatherby rifle and one foot up on the carcass of a dead lion.
"No lacerations or bleeding" indeed.

cudak888 

For the record, some posts refuse to come out even after they've been freed:


-Kurt

JunkYardBike

I felt more like this:



Definitely didn't feel like an aristocrat on a safari.

Michael Angelo 

Mission Impossible theme would work too.

auchencrow

^ True enough. (In fact you'll need six of the seven words George Carlin couldn't say on television to free a stuck stem or post.)

Anthropy

How about pulling the axle and then using a propane or MAPP hand held torch and heat up the seat post. I know the inside part will expand, but it should shrink back and will definately break the rust. Once it cools down a bit, hit it with penetrant. You might have to repeat it a few times and be careful not to get it to hot.


Tom

kludgefudge

Yeah well if you are just going to stand there smacking your frame around like you're a twelve year old girl what do you expect?

cudak888 

I'll expect to have a lot of fun watching you do the same thing when you wind up in this predicament; more so by the fact that I won't tell you the 20-second trick for getting a post out in said situation.

I don't think you'll be wearing that same smug look on your face.

-Kurt