I have never had one stuck this bad. I can get them out by wrecking the stem but I wanted a better way. It didn't work just yet. Here is how it went.

I have this '83 Battaglin Giro. It's got cool Gippiemme and campy super record parts. The frame is rough and will need paint. I think the chrome is good. I started working on it and the stem is way stuck. I clamped the fork legs and gave the bars a good tug, Nada.. Zip. I am not getting medieval on the thing, no way.

I decided to make a tool to draw out the stem by pushing on the headset top nut. There is really no other way that I could think of.

So, onward.

I removed the stem bolt and washer and tapped the drilled hole 3/8-16. That is an American bolt size that is pretty common. I figured there would still be plenty of metal for an washer to lay on so the stem will be fine. Unless this doesn't work..


29 676 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

I then threaded in a piece of threaded rod of the same 3/8-16 size. I added a nylon washer or two, steel washer and lock nut. I wanted to make sure the stem wasn't a "working" thread to decrease the likelihood of yanking the threads out.


29 677 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

I found a piece of hard plastic tube that fit the stem on the inside and a steel tube I had on the outside. I cut things up a bit and made the steel tube fit around the stem and contact the headset nut.


29 678 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr


I then dropped a couple of washers on the rod and ran a nut down. I thought everything would stay in line but figured a couple of zip ties would help. I built up some pressure but when I turned my back, it slipped over the plastic sleeve and nailed the aluminum nut. ugh.


29 679 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

Considering how bad it could have been, I got off easy. I can delete 50% of that at least.


29 682 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

I decide to dump the plastic and use vice grips and a thick rag.


29 680 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

I am able to apply a lot of pressure. The stem didn't move so I applied more pressure. Another pop.


29 681 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

I buckled the tool. It wasn't thick but I will use .120 wall or better with an inside diameter that fits the stem and may be something that holds a closer fit to the stem quill.

I flooded the steerer with a special potion and will come pack tomorrow with a better tool..


stay tuned!

: Curious to see how this plays out.

Sure looks medieval.

I had a thought....

the objective is the get it to move.

If you get the expander out the other end, and can inspect how deep the stem is in the fork,

is it possible to try using pressure instead of tension?

now Ol andy capp should come round here and look at it.

I have been in the same boat,

what if you had something that you could shove up the bottom, and clamped on top of the fork crown,
then a large shaft could push up the tube.

other idea was to use your idea to pull the stem inward, if you could get it to budge even 1 mm the battle is one


another idea- 2 pieces of wood on both sides of the stem resting on the fork crown, you would need to use hoseclamps to squeeze the 2 to the headtube-then you could apply pressure to the top of the wood

mike

I predict you win, Frank.

Whew. Good luck.

I'm assuming you were able to get the wedge off of the bottom?

maybe you could make like frame blocks that fit the stem perfectly an clamp those together and rest the peice of tube on that instead of the top nut ....if this makes sense

Your method is much more creative and elegant than mine...I soak overnight and WACK with a large rubber mallet. Hasn't failed me yet, but I've only had two really stuck stems and they probably weren't as bad as this one.

Subscribing to see how this turns out. I'm voting FTW FTW (for the win)

I think you should approach this with a bit of impact, like a sliding weight you can put on the threaded rod then flip the frame upsidown and drop the weight down the threaded rod repeatedly (just don't go too hard on it and gradually increase the amount of impact towards a limit that you might feel is still safe for the stem and fork) and have it hit against a nut and washer on the end make sure you only hold on to the crown of the fork to isolate the frame from the impact. I think you can crack the corrosive bond between the steerer tube and the stem easier this way.
I'm afraid that your tool can start pushing too much pressure down against the top nut, headset bearings and down to the top lug and start buckling and cracking things down there. There still is danger of damaging the fork with the impact tool, but at worse it might just kill the fork instead of killing the frame which is harder to replace. But with some luck the impact method might get it out.
Just my suggestion/opinion........

Chombi

I am definitely rooting for you, but at least to me it seems like quick short bursts of energy would work better when a stem is chemically bonded inside the steer tube instead of using a slow application of force like this.

I have a schwinn voyageur frame with a stuck stem here that I've been occasionally doing battle with off and on for a few months now. I just bought a hacksaw and a few extra hacksaw blades recently, pretty much resigned to trying to cut the little bugger out of there but I'm always interested in seeing other methods.

sdggh :cheerful:

Ok, I will give the slide-hammer technique a try. I don't think the wedge will come all the way out of a butted steerer tube. (Ill check to be sure it's butted)

I have a giant electric soldering iron I am going to shove up there and see if I can warm things up.

I am worried about the headset also. It's still smooth now but I like the slide hammer idea.

If the threads pull out of the stem, put on your safety glasses.

I dont think heat is the answer, you would be expanding the aluminum in the fork and that is anti progress.

I have mounted a 2x4 in the vise and the fork went over it, then I could work the bars back and forth just every so slightly to try to break the bond.
also could be good to throw a bare hub in front to keep the legs from bowing out

I did this with the stuck seatpost in the tandem, slowly,eventually it moved 1mm,
after that its easy,
it was slow left right flexing and not too much torque, I really worried about it breaking.

BluesDaddy and I are heading to the scene of the stuck stem as I type. This crack reporter and his trusty camera man are all over this breaking story!

Even though Frank is across the river and just over the boarder in VT, we are certain this event will go viral and make worldwide news in the next 12 hours. Vintage bike lovers world wide will soon be using the FTW SSRT1* and be forever in his debt.

Next stop, The Bicycle Mechanics Hall of Fame.


*Stuck Stem Removal Tool 1

I love stuff like this Frank. Necessity is the mother.... unfortunate this stem is such a mutha, though. I recently worked on one and was convinced I'd have to cut the stem out, but got lucky. Also thought of sticking my big soldering iron up inside the steerer but it wouldn't fit, alas.

Do I read this right? Is the wedge / expander nut still in place? Expanding the stem?

Good luck Frank!

Frank, Because the head tube really can't be properly supported for brute force extractions like a seat tube, I have felt your pain. I finally borrowed a pneumatic chisel, made an attachment to fit into the stem's bolt hole and the chisel body hoping that high frequency vibration would work. Before I could try that arrangement, the stem almost fell out on it's own and I never had a chance to try my Rube Goldberg tool.

Since you've threaded the stem I wonder if a variation of "my tool" would work. Install a standard bolt into the stem and hit it with an impact wrench. That may break the stem loose sideways.

Brad

You should just use it at its current height.

that too easy, nothing got broken, no blood, and no forum meat

Get a steel rod of a diameter and length that you can insert up through the steerring column and and into the stem but is thicker than the expansion bolt, so it will not pass though the stem. Turn the frame upside down and support the headset lock nut between the jaws of a vice and used a hammer on the end of the rod. Be aware that you will almost certainly damgage the headset races in the process.

I think he said the expansion bolt is still there.

beating on that will do nothing other then deforming the tube.

If he could get the expansion bolt out the bottom, this might work

Frank, I live only 80 miles away. Should I be worried? Maybe hide in the basement until this blows over?

Thxs. I'd didn't read his subsequent post (or it didn't register). It's a Columbus fork, so he probably can't get it past the butt. Nix on my approach.

May just have to sacrifice that quill to save the rest. Cut it off just above the headset, remove the headset and fork, and drill that puppy out...or leave it inverted in a vice, soaking regularly with PB Blaster, and tapping a few times a day with a hammer...eventually, something may give. It took me over a week to get a stuck seatpost out...and it was reusable.

You're doing it the wrong way as most people do, you should remove it from underneath by putting a thread and screw it out, works everytime, it just say click and it hasn't failed me once with any stubborn stem.
See my picture so you get a understanding of it, just screw it out and it will click loose.

looking forward to the outcome on this one :