A while ago I fitted a spare pair of carbon forks with a very long 1" alloy steerer to an old Peugeot Premiere frame. I used a Cane Creek 1" Aheadset but managed to snap the star fangled washer when driving it in. I then removed the broken washer and fitted a "Weyless" top cap & expander for carbon steerer forks. It worked.

I now want to retire the ols Peugeot frame as it's really too big for me. My replacement frame will have a much shorter head tube, so I thought I'd "recycle" the forks, headset and carbon spacers for when my "new" frame arrives. Problem is, I can't get the forks out! I've also mislaid the instructions for the expander and can't find any info on the internet on this product, bought on ebay. I don't really remember how I put it in.

Sorry no photos but the situation is as follows: I've removed the top cap & bolt and the stem. The Weyless expander has an alloy insert that fits into and overlaps the top of the steerer tube. The insert won't come out. This has a hole in the centre which the top cap bolt goes into. Through this hole I can see a black threaded component. I thought "Simple - it must be like an old quill stem, so I put the bolt back in minus top cap and belted it with a hammer - all I did was to bend the bolt! The black bit didn't seem to move and I still can't get the forks out.

Is there a simple method of removing this? I could always saw off the top couple of inches of steerer tube I suppose, with the expander inside it - I'll be shortening it anyway to fit the new frame, but would prefer not to do it that way. I'm bewildered, does anyone have any other ideas/knowledge please? Thanks.

To complicate matters there is a sleeve type alloy shim around the steerer below the alloy insert