Originally Posted by
SurferRosa
Wow. No wonder the Allen key didn't work. The lower portion of the steerer threads don't look too good either.
Loosening a quill stem once a year usually helps avoid this sort of thing. Do the same with your seatposts as well.
Yes, for sure an annual loosening and inspection. I bought this bike about a month ago from the original owner who purchased it around 1999. So possibly the stem bolt has never been loosened since then. I live about 1/4 mile from a bay that connects to the Gulf of Mexico, so a ‘salt air’ environment and will be taking extra care of my bikes because of that.
The stem bolt in the picture I posted looks extra groty because it had been soaking in penetrating oil for days and then got covered with metal shavings as I was drilling out the head bolt and then hacksawing off the stem.