Stuck quill stem

[User]

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Bigger hammer.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

Try soaking in Plus Gas. The ultimate DEFCON assuming a steel frame, is caustic soda. It will eat (spectacularly) the aluminium stem but not harm the steel frame. It might heat damage the paint though.

I have heard of people cutting it off flush and using a hacksaw blade to carefully remove a wedge section and then squeeze the remainder towards itself.

 

[mjr]

I trust you've only undone the bolt a few turns, so there's still maximum thread trying to push the cone or wedge down, not just bouncing the bolt end up and down on its top? And used a soft mallet or some wood between hammer and bolt? Has the wedge or cone fallen out and the stem remained stuck?

After that, try plus gas or similar, dribbled in alternately down the stem and up the forks with the bike stood in a trough... then you get onto really nasty stuff.

 

[mjr]

If the bolt's bent, you probably need a new one. As you've got it out, a new stem may be cheaper. If the stem is essential for a period restoration, I apologise for the blasphemy and suggest plusgas next.

 

[mjr]

Hang on. I'm confused. What's the tapered bit and what's it stuck to?

 

[midlife]

Is the stuck bit a wedge shape or a cone

Shaun

 

[midlife]

Corrosion most likely, I'd try and move it by hitting it with something from the fork crown end as the wedge is flat underneath.

Shaun

 

[midlife]

Check with a torch.......

Shaun

 

[midlife]

.....It was s wild stab in the dark

Shaun

 

[biggs682]

@User you are a lucky man then if all free now