Got this LHT frame from a swap meet and someone had already tried to hacksaw it out. I thought I was built different and could do it better, but this was not the case.
I really did not want to use caustic soda so instead we used aluminum MIG to add new material to the top of the post fragments and then weld a new post on top of that. The new post then went into a seatpost pulling rig, although it came out with very little force. I suspect that the heat from welding and then cold from sitting in my garage may have helped free it. The other possibility is that it was no longer that stuck and we just couldn't put enough pulling force on the fragments with pliers/channel locks.
This frame has occupied 100% of my brain power since I acquired it so very happy to finally have it free. Now time to strip the powdercoat and redo it.
by iwrench4beer
10 Comments
Love a story with a happy ending. Congrats and enjoy.
Great job! Why no caustic soda?
🫡🙏
Crazy some-bitch did it!
Nice save. Stuck seatpost = sleepless nights
Always glad to see someone save a frame. Nice stuff.
I once bought a tandem without checking and, of course, *both* seatposts were stuck!
I just spent 3 days taking a seat post out of a cross check myself. Used lots of penetrating oil, a bolt through the post 3 guys and a 5 foot breaker bar.
Are you worried about heat affected zone further down where you heated the seat tube?
I have zero experience welding or brazing on frames so I’m legitimately curious.
My LBS had one of those extraction tools fabricated. Looks about the same