# How to remove a seized stem?



## Ktse (Jul 12, 2008)

I have 77 Raleigh Record that's neither vintage, retro, classic, or even an MTB (persecute me) but it's old, and you guys know old stuff :thumbsup:. I'm trying to make it usable as a commuter/fixie/project bike for the winter but I'm not a huge fan of the drop bars or the zero rise quill stem so I want to change it.

Upon trying to remove the quill, I found out it was seized into the frame, no amount of force apart from breaking the fork could separate the stem from the fork. I've tried hammering it from the bottom with a copper tube, and hammering down the bolt to loosen the bottom part of the quill (not too sure what that part is called) and sprayed a large quantity of liquid wrench from the bottom of the fork to try to loosen the stem; still no results. Anyone dealt with this sort of problem and have a solution?


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## -Anomie- (Jan 16, 2005)

My dad has a '72 Raleigh Record (that I used to ride when I was a kid) still hanging in his garage. :thumbsup:

The last-ditch-effort way to remove it will destroy the stem, but it doesn't sound like it's anything collectible anyway:

-Remove the bars from the stem.
-Remove the wedge bolt (the long one that runs vertically through the stem).
-Use a hacksaw to cut the stem off about an inch above the top of the headset locknut.
-Using a hacksaw blade (blade only), saw vertically through the side off the stem quill from the inside out. If the hole isn't big enough to get a hacksaw blade in there, you may have to use a scroll saw blade or something similar. 
-Do the same on the opposite side.
-Once it's cut through on both sides, smack the parts sticking out of the stem with a hammer to break it free from the inside of the fork steerer. It should break free and just fall out. Alternately, you can squeeze the two sides together with pliers to try to break them free.

If this doesn't work, you can try sticking a 1" diameter steel pipe through the bottom of the steerer and pound the pieces out that way, but the first method usually is enough to break them free. Incidentally, my shop charges $75 an hour for this kind of job, and it usually takes at least 30 minutes. It's a ***** to do, but if you DIY you'll save a good chunk of change. Good luck.


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

Holy Sh!t! dude, put the hacksaw away and take a step back for a minute. 

Before getting all Medievil on it try this. Get a can of Coke or Pepsi. Dribble the soda into the gaps around the stem and into the steer tube. Turn the bike upside down and dibble it into the steer tube where the wedge of the quill is sitting. 

Soda has the remarkable ability to eat away at rust as well as your digestive tract. 

Let it sit for a while and periodically dribble more soda into the spaces. this flushes the old soda out and the rust along with it. This process may take the better part of a day or longer, but what's the rush? 

Eventually the rust will get softened enough for you to put some torque on the handlebars and get the stem out.

Another method is to use a low-temperature flame to heat the stem and the rust. Again, the rust will heat more readily if moistened by a fluid, water works better here unless you don;t mind the smell of roasted soda. Take care to not burn yourself on the stem.

Both of these methods have worked for me when I was wrestling with bikes left out in the elements here in Wisconsin. UW students and commuters are not known for their ability to have their bikes prepped before leaving them in snowbanks from now until April. Seatposts and stems were always a PITA to remove after being rusted in for years.


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## djmuff (Sep 8, 2004)

One thing to add that has never failed me. After dribbling/soaking soda and/or lube, turn the bike upside down and clamp the stem in a vise. It's all about leverage, and by clamping the stem in a vise you can use the frame to break the stem loose. It's always worked for me, and I've never damaged a frame. Granted, I've only had to do this on cheaper bikes. Good luck. Oh, and it's easier if you remove the wheels before you do this.


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## Linoleum (Aug 25, 2008)

Caffeine Powered said:


> Holy Sh!t! dude, put the hacksaw away and take a step back for a minute. Before getting all Medievil on it try this.


Ha, sorry but that was funny.


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

All that, and after a good soak, I've found a punch (or crappy old screwdriver) through the bottom of the fork, whacking upward has yielded excellent results on several occasions.:thumbsup:


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## -Anomie- (Jan 16, 2005)

I didn't call it the "last-ditch-effort" for nothing. If nothing else works, break out the Sawz-All .


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## rollercam (Mar 25, 2005)

I had a customer come into our store who works at a Marina nearby. They had one of their customers boats out of the water for service and had been tasked with upgrading the bikes for that boat owner. I have seen it before where the salt water and bikes left on a boat with no usage just salt and oxygen and time.

Anywho I tried everything to remove this stem hammer, vice on an immobile table etc. The final trick that got it loose was heating the bejesus out of the aluminum stem with a Propane torch, then submersing it in a bucket of cold water at least a couple of gallons. And CRACK as the aluminum does its job as a great conductor and rapidly cools and shrinks leaving the steel fork steerer tube hanging out and slowly cooling down. Then back to the vice to leverage and twist that sucker out

If your stem is steel then it is all about cutting tools and sorry but you will have a really tough time and my typing has been for not.


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## azjeff (Jun 3, 2006)

djmuff said:


> One thing to add that has never failed me. After dribbling/soaking soda and/or lube, turn the bike upside down and clamp the stem in a vise. It's all about leverage, and by clamping the stem in a vise you can use the frame to break the stem loose. It's always worked for me, and I've never damaged a frame. Granted, I've only had to do this on cheaper bikes. Good luck. Oh, and it's easier if you remove the wheels before you do this.


Clamp stem in vice, frame rotates around fork right? You using a length of 2x4 between the fork legs to twist the fork or what?

I can just see giving the frame a mighty push and having it spin around and bash your head:thumbsup:


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## rollercam (Mar 25, 2005)

azjeff said:


> Clamp stem in vice, frame rotates around fork right? You using a length of 2x4 between the fork legs to twist the fork or what?
> 
> I can just see giving the frame a mighty push and having it spin around and bash your head:thumbsup:


uh no, you secure the frame. so that it does not rotate and risk your safety

the 2x4 is okay but use it close to the fork crown or risk bending the fork legs out of alignment


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## Ktse (Jul 12, 2008)

These are all great ideas, I'll definitely try heating the stem before the doing destructive removal. Using a vice while not out of the question will likely damage the fork if it; these road forks are very thin and weak.

Worst case scenario: I keep the stem on the bike and change the bars from drops to large risers, it'll look goofy but it will work.


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