Hello, I know there are other topics like mine but I would also like to have your opinion on what I have done so far and what seems most relevant to you for the future.
After several days of wd-40 and effort without twisting results on the saddle, I decided to cut and make a fairly long split. The idea was to pinch the rod, create spaces to pass wd-40 through and, fingers crossed, pull the rod out.
Without result.
I then pierce the rod, pass a threaded rod through, I crush the rod as much as possible, I fill it with wd-40, I apply freezing spray for a long time inside the rod (-35°) and immediately I try to rotate the rod in the tube using simultaneous hammer blows.
In 1 hour, I used a whole can of freezing spray, crushed the tube more and more, tried to hammer from the bottom to the top… Nothing, not 1mm of play gained.
I tried to move the collar of the tube a little with a screwdriver to be able to pass more wd-40 but it was ineffective.
I would like to point out that it does not seem to me that the rod is too big and has been forced through.
I have seen here and there advice, methods…
What would you advise me to do from here? Effective and simple if possible 😂
THANKS !
by Fit-Masterpiece1821
14 Comments
maybe try to heat the frame with a torch that it expands.
The amount of people that use WD-40 as a “do everything” spray is astounding.
Get an actual penetrating catalyst.
I guess one problem you have created, by compressing two sides of the post, is expanding the other sides. You have made gaps left and right, but front and back will be pressing on the frame making it even tighter… I’d try a heat gun if I was you, heat the frame up really hot, this will expand the frame and hopefully make it easier for the post to move. It will also help the wd40 make it’s way further inside. But, I’d be using penetrating spray/fluid not wd40, it will do a much better job.
If all that doesn’t work, you will have to cut it out I’d guess. Some people use caustic soda if it’s an alloy post in a steel frame. Never tried that myself though.
Drip some gallium down there. Problem with dissolve itself
Put the seat post in a vice and use the frame as leverage to turn it. Go to a local bike Co-op if you don’t have a bench mounted vice.
All the other comments will help. I’ve had luck with a slide hammer. Attach it to the bolt and start hammering.
Not to discourage you, but it can take up to 2 tons of pulling force to get a post out: [https://youtu.be/tVXgnqm2qEs?si=Y90kn4L5CM9tguZk](https://youtu.be/tVXgnqm2qEs?si=Y90kn4L5CM9tguZk)
I make these little hacksaw blade holders to cut out seatposts. split a paint stirrer in half and epoxy the blade in between with only the same thickness of the post exposed so you don’t bite into the frame.
https://preview.redd.it/852kk05oewle1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cefb0131ceac13409f737853009c5961d0d44f9b
If there’s enough aluminum Oxide build up doesn’t matter what you try and drop down there.
If you don’t know a shop with a seatpost puller then do what I used to do and cut it off and drill it out. You can finish with a one hand sawzall blade holder cutting two-3 slits and peeling the bits out
https://preview.redd.it/1my5ku72fwle1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6781164a2e34b1621552630c4c91d8ba12c1f7b
Pictured is a 26mm drill bit with a step down to 13mm for hand held drills
WD40 is a water displacer. It’s a terrible lubricant. RP90 or Plusgas.
Sorry to be a downer, but I think you may be past the point of no return on this one. Last resort is to melt it out with lye, but even then, you need to be able to grab it super tight and pull/twist really hard, and with that having already collapsed in on itself, I just don’t know. I think a likely result is you break off what remains of the seat post outside the seat tube and then you have nothing to grab and still have a seat post in there.
Seems like a cool old chrome 26″ mtb, so I understand the desire to keep trying, but this is pretty bad.
Do your research before messing with lye. You mix it with water (“add lye to water, you’re smarter; add water to lye, you might die”) and you need specific plastics that it can’t dissolve. Wear eye protection, cover your skin. It’s a whole damn thing. For sure, trying PB blaster first makes sense. I’ve had success with white vinegar, too, but I let it soak and I don’t know how you’d do that with a broken hollow seat post.
I once dissolved a seatpost out of an old centurion with lye, it took a couple days and messed up some of the paint but I was getting it powder coated anyways so that didn’t matter to me. This is should be used as a last resort and only works with steel frames but was an interesting experience.
If it’s a steel frame just put some caustic soda there, will melt the aluminium and leave the steel untouched
Ive done this many times with caustic soda. Strong solution, remove any aluminium parts (you dont need to strip whole bike if careful but its better with just the frame. Take out the bottom bracket a fill from there with the frame upside down. Plug the seat post side with clay. Change the solution preferably daily. Wear some protective gloves/goggles if scared., Have a good bucket of water handy to rinse stuff off. Add caustic to water not water to caustic. In a few days maybe a week or two if lazy/slow will likely be done.
there are other brute force methods but the chemical route is best imho