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Anyone had any luck getting a stuck carbon seatpost out of a aluminium frame ? I have tried all sorts of lubricants such as wd40, and even Halfords Shock and UNlock with no luck. ANyone else had this problem and if so how did you solve it ?
I've had this before and it was a nightmare. Took it to my local bike shop and they tried putting the seat post in a vice and slowly twisting the frame. No luck so the final option was to cut the seat post just above the frame and then using a hacksaw blade inside the hole of the seat post carefully cutting a slot through it 180 degrees apart. They managed to get it out after a lot of cocking around.
That may be the only option left I guess. Would give me an excuse for getting my first dropper seatpost.
ACF50 spray - dissolves the aluminium oxide that forms due to galvanic corrosion. The oxide build-up jams the post in position - applying excess mechanical force can split the seat-tube
A mate used this guy http://www.theseatpostman.com/ to get a properly seized post out of his frame. Speaks highly of the service.
Si
Sudocrem. Applied liberally.
#protip
i spoke to a machine shop (might have been BETD?) they had an adjustable reamer on a machine tool.
not cheap - charged per hour and no guarantee.
They said never to cut the post off at the seatclamp as you'd assume, but leave it alone for them to cut, or cut with a good couple of inches left as it helped the tool centre
Do you know how much post is in the frame? Cutting the top off and using a hacksaw for the rest would be nigh on impossible if lots of post in the frame.
I'm not sure how much is inside the frame unfortunately. I'm going to ask the local bike shops what they think can be done and go from there. Worst case scenario is that it remains in the bike and stays there.
The amazing, multi-purpose, can of coke?
I had same problem. Tried WD40, coke, and various other methods using hair dryer, ice, acetone etc..
Finally tried Loctite Freeze and Release and it worked (or the other stuff had finally taken effect !)
I'd send it to the seatpost man.
Watches with interest for more unsticking tips as I can't unstick a pedal in some old cranks
Carax: I believe that is basically the same as the Halfords stuff I have tried.
StuF: I will keep this thread updated if/when I get a solution.
Have you tried hammering it in a little?
Leave it in if you are still using bike.
Leave it in if you are still using bike.
Not with an alu frame, the oxide might protect the frame, but the galvanic reaction might also continue to corrode the frame and in time damage the CF too if some road salt gets in there. Road salt will accelerate the corrosion in any event, so you've got until winter...
I had the same problem so I used a kettle.
Boil up a kettle of water. Lay the bike in its side. Pour boiling water over the seat-tube (but not the seat post) wait about 30s to a minute then try pulling the seat. Worked a treat on my carbon post earlier this year.
I tried the kettle trick already. I will give all the suggestions another try tomorrow when I clean my bike. Was surprised to see this topic posted to the facebook page !
scc999 - Member
A mate used this guy http://www.theseatpostman.com/ to get a properly seized post out of his frame. Speaks highly of the service.
x 2
Great service and rescued both the frame and the seat post, now working together as good as new.
Watches with interest for more unsticking tips as I can't unstick a pedal in some old cranks
lenght of copper pipe on the end of a spanner usually works
Out of curiosity; In order to prevent this should you remove the post every couple of months, clean, reapply carbon paste and stick it back in again?
(I'm new to carbon)
I used a hair dryer to do the same on a titanium seat post and frame.
Had a seized aluminium seatpost in a steel frame that I wanted to sell. Applied a lot of force with no joy, turned it upside down and filled the seat tube with releasing agent via the hole in the BB and left it sitting for 4 months but no joy. Ended up sending it to the Seatpost Man who did a fine job, no damage to the frame. Would recommend.
I had an aluminium seat post in a carbon frame and managed to get moving with most of a can of finish line chill zone but thought it was going to be getting cut out. With an alu frame you could maybe put the post in a vice and turn?
As I understand it too much twisting force on the frame and it can be damaged.
Next time, carbon assembly paste every few months!!
I had a alu seatpost stuck in an on-one carbon frame... took me months to get it out, wasn't really bothered about time as I wasn't using it... started off by spraying plusgas around the neck of the seat tube where the post goes in about once a week then tried putting the post in a vice and turning the frame... didn't work! After a few months I stuck a big steel rod in the top of the seatpost (it already had a hole where the seat fittings went through it), then stood on the rod and started to turn the frame back and forth... eventually it started to creak and withing five minutes it was moving from side to side. Another five minutes and it was turning enough to get it free... there was a hell of a lot of oxide build up... maybe the plusgas worked, not sure, but both frame and post are ok