Stuck Stem! Options?
 

Hi All:
Just picked up a beautiful Tommasini frameset with one small problem. Quill stem well and truly stuck. The expander bolt is out. Its the alloy stem stuck to the steel steerer.
Currently soaking with Liquid Wrench (nice smell!).
If that doesn't work, what is my next option? Cut it off, then drill it out, then ream? Is this something any competent bike shop can do?
Any options very much appreciated!
Thanks,
Jim

Cutting is probably very drastic.

REMOVING STUCK STEMS AND SEAT PO

First of all, (and I apologize if I'm insulting you) did you use the loosened expander to drive the wedge down? Quill stems don't loosen by simply loosening or removing the draw bolt. You have to physically drive the wedge down about 1/8" to free it.

If you have freed the wedge, my next step is to properly dolly the base (tire side) of the crown on a solid piece of wood in a vice or braced to the floor, and give the stem a solid blow to drive it INTO the steerer a bit. That often breaks any corrosive bond, and allows you to wick in light oil, and slowly work the stem free.

If all else fails I have vut off and reamed steerers with an adjustable blade, that's the hard way, and I reserve it for a last resort.

I had the same problem. I ended up parting the bike out. i hope you end up with better luck then I had.

Oh my God that's embarrassing! Yes, the expander was still in. The bolt was out when I got it and it simply never occurred to me that someone would loosen the bolt and not automatically tap the expander.
Thank you thank you thank you.
Problem solved, stem out!
Cheers,
Jim

You haven't met me yet :lol:

I don't work on those old-style stems often. Helped a neighbor the other week with one. Had to have him put the bolt back in to hit it, because it was just after we removed it that i remembered to whack it.

Reading back through all the prior stuck stem and seatpost threads is always possible .. Yes?

Of course, if one knows the problem, he/she can search back for prior posts. OTOH, this was a perfect example, where doing so might have led to much more work, and the destruction of what might have been a good stem.

In any case, if a thorough search or prior threads is de rigor before posting a question, we might as well close the mechanics forum, and spend the effort to properly catalog and index prior posts, since by now, just about every possible issue was covered at one time or another.

It's a forum, and people can ask questions, and others can respond with help if they feel like it.

wedge may still be in place?, if knocked loose? read thru the various chemistry experiments .

I do the service work and havent bought blind other people's dumping on the Internet their problems from not doing so.