squatchy

So I just bought a super nice Tommasini. It's super clean,, almost spotless. I really like the ride quality and it's really quiet and responsive and lively. I'm kinda surprised really. I have 2 S-works and I didn't think it would be so nice in comparison.

Any way. I have one problem. I can't unfreeze my seat post. I sprayed WD 40 on the joint to let it soak for a while and even after placing a 2x4 on top of the post and hitting it with a hammer several times it still won't move. I was wondering about heating it up but I'm pretty sure it will make the silver stem darker and ruin it.

Can anyone give me some other ideas plz?

Pics to follow

Ryan

jsigone

Pb blaster or liquid wrench?

look566 rider

Get true penetrating oil. This will "flow" much better than WD-40.

Then try the hot-cold method. Heat with a torch, lightly so as to not dis-color, then hit with compressed air. You know the kind you blow out your keyboard with. Then reheat with the torch. Maybe the temperature shifts will loosen her some.

If you don't want to save the seat post, big old vise grips may convince the stem to come out with the penetrating oil..

russd32

Yeah, buy some PB blaster and spray it around the seatpost and it'll creep it's way down the post. You can also hang the bike upside down and spray some through the BB drain hole so it creeps up the post from the bottom. Lather, rinse, repeat for a couple days and see if it breaks free. If that doesn't work you could try a little heat and some cold, otherwise it's time to sacrifice a seatpost and get it out by destruction.

Velognome 

Put the hammer down and back away from the bike.....Go slow....be patient....AND DON'T HIT IT WITH A HAMMER ANYMORE! +1 for using PB Blaster or any other penetrating oil. Twisting is much gentler than pounding. Search the forum for "stuck seat post"

Harlan

Don't get out the torch quite yet...


Clamp a junk seat in, then clamp that seat with a vise. Use bike as lever, twisting, enjoy being able to adjust your seat height.

gerv 

You might need to let it soak for a couple of days...

Wino Ryder

This is a good idea actually, but only after you've soaked it good with PB Blaster. If you dont have a vise wedge the seat (a junk one) between two sections of 2 x 4 nailed to the floor, then twist using the bike as leverage. Be gentle as you can and dont do anything rash.

onespeedbiker

While I have successfully clamped a seatpost in my vise to loosen it when it was stuck (the vise has reversible knurled/smooth jaw faces), I don't see how one would put a seat itself in a vise; I would think it would twist the rails off the seat before it would turn the seatpost (I nearly did this by simply grabbing the seat and trying to turn it).. But since I've never tried it I can't say it won't work; just saying..

Gary Fountain

I think a soak with ammonia may help to release the bond of the aluminium to the steel. Electrolysis has probably occurred bonding the post into the frame. It's a really difficult situation to rectify. I have spent a year removing a post from a frame - occasionally working on the post to remove it without damaging the frame.

Phil_gretz

^^ This. Ammonia. You'll need to invert the frame, remove the crankset and bottom bracket bearing/spindle, and pour the ammonia into the seat tube from the bottom bracket shell opening. Make certain that you fill to the height (depth) of the full seatpost within the seat tube. Allow it to soak for several days to a week. Apply rotational torque to the seatpost to get it to begin moving. DON'T use a hammer.

Remove the wheels. Best to remove the saddle and clamp the seatpost into a bench vise. Then grab the frame and turn it relative to the seatpost. Gradually. Once it begins to turn, work it back and forth while pulling the frame upward from the vise.

I've used this method with both seatposts and stems.

Good luck.

norskagent

I've used a junk saddle and the crook of a tree to do the frame twisting, worked well.

Pars 

^ Good advice above. Much like electronics repair, you need to focus on saving the most irreplaceable portion, which in the case of bikes is usually the frame. Don't do anything rash that would risk the frame. Sacrifice the seat post if you have to to protect the frame. Hopefully using the methods above, it will just come out

rootboy 

Go slowly. There is often a tendency to get pissed and force the issue, like I do sometimes, but give it time and work slowly. It took years to bind up. It won't come free in a few minutes. As Pars sez....save the frame from possible inadvertent damage. Ammonia is an interesting idea. Never tried it. Be careful of the fumes. I gassed myself a bit a week ago with that nasty stuff.