I picked up a Legnano yesterday thats in horrible shape [ It does have some wonderful Campy bits]. The chrome, including lugs are rusted over and both stem and seatpost are stuck. I'd like to save both.

• The seatpost is Nuovo Record
• The stem is 3TT Record (with flag emblem, triangular shaped). The stem was bolted in with a 7mm bolt - no wedge.
• The headset is Nuovo Record

I did spray telflon lube down the stem and was able to move the handlebar a few degrees. I foolishly removed the handlebar (3TT) scraping it up a bit (dang). That was so I could submerse the headset and stem in oxalic acid.

Does anyone have other suggestions?

I don't know about the frame, continued oxalic acid baths will get the rust off the chrome & maybe it could be repainted. There is some rough paint with rust underneath so I don't know how bad the frame is. I'm afraid it's rattlecan fixie bait.

Teflon lube, eh? Did you try the Liquid Wrench type of stuff?

East Hill

Kroil oil is great and power sterring fluid also works. My uncle was a machinist, and he used both. Power steering fluid takes longer and you need to submerge the stuck or rusted part. When removed take a wooden dowel in a drill wrap it with steel wool and use it to clean the inside of frame then another soak or flush and grease to prevent future rust. I had a bike in similar condition and used a pipe wrench to loosen the seat post, wrap the post with leather or something to prevent bite marks. Good luck, time and soaking is your friend with old frozen stuff.

Hi

Funny thing, I just unstuck my seatpost and stem from my bike that hasn't been touched is something like 20 years. I used PB Blaster, available at Pep Boys. Similar formula as Liquid Wrench but in a spray can. You have to let it work for about a day and maybe re-apply but it will work into the joints and free things up. I have used it for years to loosen parts on my old cars. Other than that, just work at it with some leverage.

Good luck - Jim

Seal the seat tube and the head tube were the post and stem are inserted. Turn the frame upside down and fill the head tube and the seat tube with amonia. Best to do this outside because of the fumes. The ammonia will break down the steel/ aluminum oxide bond between the stem/post and the frame tubes. Let it soak for a couple of days. You are more than likely not dealing with a traditinal rust situation so petrolium based lubricants will not do very much.

No need to submerse the frame.

Flip the bike upside down. Fill the steering tube with naval jelly or your rust-be-gone of choice through the bottom of the steerins shoulder.

+1, Ammonia worked for me when the stem was stuck in my Centurion.

+1 from me. Didn't work in my case, but considering your stem actually moved, the ammonium route would be best. In my case I ended up cutting the stem, and two weeks of a lye dip.

I don't understand this - bolted to what? Are you sure you didn't just remove the bolt and leave the wedge in the stem?

I'll know better when I get it apart. There is a cone-like item in there but I think it fits into the fork somehow. I ran into to other bikes (Peugeot and some other French brand) that also did not have a wedge.

I may try the ammonia later this week. It's been soaking in spray teflon lube and I may try to put a straight bar through the stem and apply some torque.

I've already dented the top tube by the seatpost & the rust on the chrome is horrendous - the chainstays are mostly clean but look bad. At this point I'm not sure it'd even be attractive as fixie fodder. I'm considering cutting trough the head tube to get access to the stem.

The "cone-like" item is in place of the wedge. It tightens up against the stem and expands it. It has to be released, same as a wedge. If it is till up tight in the stem, use the 7mm bolt to push it out. If it is just rattling around in the steerer tube, you are ok.

ie. thread the bolt back into the wedge, but leave the bolt standing proud of the stem. Give the bolt head a firm smack with a mallet. The stem might still be stuck, but at least you'll have a fighting chance. Good luck.

It's outside in 80F+ temps filled with store bought ammonia. I over bought the ammonia so if it does not leak I'll have enough for many many attempts.

After you have let the ammonia soak for a while I suggest clamping a crappy saddle in and getting the hammer. Then apply liberal amounts of the product shown below to the post one inch above the frame as well as to the frame itself where the post is hidden to cool everything rapidly. Then hold the frame and proceed to whack the nose of your saddle with your persuader alternating sides.



https://www.wurthredlabel.com/product...=18710&cat=249

After days of ammonia and hammering with a rubber mallet the stem is still stuck. I cut the head tube last night and have the stem and remaining fork tube immersed in ammonia. Now I have a cutoff fork and the rear triangle as bike stand accessories for hanging bike wheels when I'm cleaning them.
The Italian flag color decal on the 3TT was a victim and the Campy headset nut now has a couple scrapes. This is not going well.

OP, did you try this?

Rob,
Stop stealing my deals because you can get there earlier than I can, it is frustrating.

Love,
Nate

You have a chemical bond between the aluminum stem and the iron in the steel steerer tube -
Teflon lube will do nothing for this! You were recommeded to use ammonia, or several other products that are known to work. These chemicals will break down the bond and loosen up the stuck items. You also need to be patient - this stuff doesn't work in an hour or two - it could take days.

This is what it should look like if you ever get it unstuck.
Bottom photo shows the wedge with a couple of turns on the bolt and the bolt flush in the top of the stem.

I'm not sure how this will work with both aluminum and steel together but I've seen some amazing results with electrolytic rust removal. The site below was the first one I found but it's a pretty good description and the link it provides seems to have decent instructions.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Elec...val-aka-Magic/

Note that the rust you're dealing with is probably at least partially electrolytic rust between dissimilar metals which basically formed a weak battery, so if you essentially drive that battery backwards you should be able to undo some of the damage.

Ray

That was the first thing I tried. The way the bolt sat in the stem it wouldn't work, just push the cone out of the stem base - which it did.
Jealousy is so unbecoming on you. I saved you this week. The PX10 in D.C. wasn't (didn't even have the chromed stays shown in the Craigslist picture). The Eddy Merckz may have had 531 tubing but the sticker was facing backwards at the top of the seat tube. He also had a lightweight 531 touring bike with 600 components but at $200 it wouldn't work for resale and my stable is full.
Nice pictures. Only the bolts and cones remain. I cut the head tube free and soaking overnight in ammonia turned the whole stem black. The flag decal got trashed. I finally cut the stem to free the headset. Looking at the cut it looks like a solid piece - I cannot tell where the stem transitions into the fork.
Three days in 85F or greater heat with ammonia (changed out twice daily) plus 15 minutes with a rubber mallet each day with no results.

Thanks, I'll keep a link to that site. The oxalic acid solution did a fair job on the surface rust. It's moot now.

I did get the seatpost out intact and it turns out I can use it (size 27) for my all Campy Alan Shorter bike. It now has a high water line from the oxalic acid so I'm not sure how I'll get it shined up.

That Merckx, i'm not even sure it really was one, looked very low end from the few pictures. I didn't even bother to email him.

I've got a few 600 groups now if you need anything, which you probably don't...

Glad you got the seat post out at least.

I picked up a semi-broken frame Bianchi Eros (rear der tab is badly bent) with a triple Veloce group today and a good wheelset for a good price so that will fund another few purchases.