Seized seat post and stem

[531colin]

I use a big drill set slow with a lot of torque....plenty of lube and light feed pressure just enough to feel the taper in....lots of backing off to clear debris.
Not broken anything yet, or even been concerned...recent drills have a clutch that slips rather than burning the motor out, useful when a SDS masonry bit binds.

I would still only do this after trying heat and oil, and ammonia.....even a sharp crack with a 1 pound hammer on the top of a seatpost can start some recalcitrant posts moving....if it moves down a fraction, it will then turn...if it turns, it will come out

[mig]

how often typically do people re-grease/slip/lube their seatposts / BBs etc? would the process be done more often if using certain combinations of post and frame materials?

[pwa]

I must confess that I rarely grease a seat post after having slippage problems in the past. A little and not very often.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Nice tool 531colin Ouch
Never of thought of that.

[Thomas125]

how often typically do people re-grease/slip/lube their seatposts / BBs etc? would the process be done more often if using certain combinations of post and frame materials?

Pre and post winter for me. Stops the salt rotting it in place and cleans it up after winter. Another month - 6 weeks and I'll go over mine again.

[garygkn]

I made a decision to cut off the top of the seat tube there is about 230mm inside.
I am now thinking about cutting along the length inside but I may use a rounded file first to make an inroad.

[pwa]

Did the same operation about a week ago. but with only about 15cm in the seat tube. You might be doing yourself a favour if you can get hold of a new file, long enough and with plenty of bite. I find I need 2 opposing cuts to get the thing to release.

If you know anyone with a machining workshop they might have a way of boring it out (or down to a couple of mm). That would save hours of tedious filing.

[garygkn]

No I don't know anyone with those facilities close by. Someone told me it took them 30 minutes and it was the worst job in the world while they were doing. I'd be very happy if it took 30 minutes. I think 4 - 5 hours of going slow.

[RogerThat]

There is a small gearbox workshop near me, took out a stuck seatpost with a borer for £20. Seemed to think it easy money!!

I'm sure there are places all over who have slack periods in winter would welcome the work...

[garygkn]

That's a good point. I'll ask around town if anyone knows of anywhere local. Thanks.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
The cost in machine shops is set up time, not the machining, especially aluminium which is a doddle with a borer / milling machine.

[garygkn]

I've got a delay in getting onto this project. So I'll do some more research.