How Not To Remove Frozen/Seized Quill Stem From Bike Fork
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- I enjoy the challenges of removing stuck handlebar stems form fork steerers. I have multiple videos on the subject and am always trying different methods. Viewers often suggest methods. In this video I show the viewer suggested method of striking up from underneath the fork with a bar to drive the stem out. I also show why I don't recommend this method using a bicycle fork with a cutaway in the steerer to show what is happening inside.
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Lol the surgery was a success but you killed the patient
⚰️
Then wouldn't that mean that the surgery was NOT successful??? If the patient is killed in the process???
First!
Cheeky boy.
Foul!
So how how DO you pull ot then
Bravo on the cut-away; I really like it. I think I'll build one for my own classes.
Do a How to, repaint an old frame ..
RJ as always has the amazing solution to almost bike-related headaches, already subscribed
The pavement 😆😆
What you need is proper LEVERAGE, I put a crowbar in the fork to block it against the frame and turn the handlebar back & forth. Works every time even with aluminum corrosion. Holding the wheel between your legs is insufficient leverage and you risk bending it.
The 'operation is a success but you killing the patient'.. So useful..
What's with the joke at 320 the hardest part of riding a bike is the pavememt?
Awesome channel, thank you so much for putting the time into these :)
Do you know what is the hardest part of learning to ride a bike?
The pavement
I have a hearing problem, so I watched your video without sound. No captions were available. Either way, this is a good … a VERY good video for this problem. Thank you for the cut away on the fork. This was a lot of work and it makes it very clear for the audience. I Ebay bought a ‘56 Schwinn Corvette that must have had someone who took it apart for shipping with a large hammer and steel tube, even taking out the bottom race. You de man. And so quiet, too! 🌴Love from theUS Virgin Islands Schwinn Chicago vintage collection.
Thanks for not showing how to fix the issue.
Subliminal jokes now included!
John Possum I was trying to catch that also
3:19 haha nice one RJ
Alex N what does it say? It's driving me crazy!
Ok, got it now. Nice one, hehe
Q: What's the hardest part of learning to ride a bike?
A: The pavement
Change the video speed to 0.25 or slowest as possible and pause it at a good timing.
Use comma and dot on your keyboard to advance the video one frame at a time when it is paused
Great video, loved the fact that you cut the thing in half and showed how it looked like from the inside.
Glad i watched this first. This was going to be my next coarse of action.
If the stem is not rare or valuable, just smack it sideways with a rubber mallot to rotate it in the forks. (First spray penetrating oil such as Kroil into the forks and let it soak overnight.) The stem should come out no problem.
Had frozen stem before,did everything I saw in the Internet,nothing worked..what I did is loosen the wedge, and used the bike daily,not on high speeds of course..then one day it loosened.. 😁
If it's totally frozen, that will not do it. I have a frozen seat post (Aluminium post inside steel frame) and I've driven the thing without bolts for three years. No movement ever.
@@MikkoRantalainen
i had a similar case. The contact surface was roughly 6-7 inches high all around the tube, white aluminum oxide. what i did to remove it was to let it soak over days in wd40, hammered on it for a bit. Finally drilled a 12 milimeter hole through the post, put a big allen key through it and put a pipe on it as a lever. Took some serious brute force but it came out with no damage.
@@Exgrmbl It depends on how badly is stuck. In my case, following this video was not enough: th-cam.com/video/aXuc9dTH9qE/w-d-xo.html
I even tried to make the post how as shown in this video but failed because my gas burner was tiny compared to this one and I didn't get it hot enough to get it free: th-cam.com/video/wUzFj2K8Ti4/w-d-xo.html
Huh, sometimes YT algo works I guess. Yesterday I saw your videos on frozen stem. I was thinking of using this method today. I didn't start on it yet. And suddenly this video pops out :)
Thanks.
3:19 if you blink, you'll miss it
This stem removal instruction video was very helpful. Thank you!
thanks for the tips, just got mine out by using oil, hammer and all that, letting it sit over night, then I resorted to flipping it over, standing on the handle bars, and wiggling the fork until it could spin freely. The quil itself was frozen even though the wedge was free! Then I had to dig the wedge out cause it had fallen completely off
Thank youuu so much it’s been 20 years since I’ve had a bike ang just bought a 1985 gt that had the stem stuck and wouldn’t come out . Did like you said tap it in and came out like nothing . Thank you
Dam my dyno stem dont move for shyt bro tha rod comes off but tha stem iz froze like its welded in there i aint tryin to bend or strip anything
You are for sure one of my favorite bike mechanics
Hello! I have a question related to this issue.
There is a wedge stuck in my butted 531 fork, and it might be originally pushed too far into the butted section. Anyways, the stem is out, but the wedge remains.
Is it in this case, okay to hammer out from the bottom? Since if its indeed already in the thicker section of the steerer.
Thanks.
if my handlebar doesn't go further down after I successfully loosened it does it mean it has reached its bottom? my handlebar looks as if it could go down further but it doesn't.
Very clear explanation of a tricky problem, thanks!
God bless you for likely saving me from destroying my bike!
This was absolutely pointless, basically don't do this, so what do I do? Take a grinder to the fuqer?
, This is definitely the best explanation and I bet this is one of the best that you can find.
I had to cut steer tube once because the stem would not go. I lost the stem and the fork. Salvaged the Medici frame though.
How to remove the actual stem bolt if it’s stuck in there ?
I have a gmc denali with a rusted out recessed release allen head. I’m afraid I’ll strip it.
once i had a seized piston, it was so stuck, i had the top off the head, and soaked the piston for days in all sort of ils, and beat the shit out of it with a hammer so hard, it never budged.
Nice nice very very useful thank you so much. My confusen sold.🙏
Put the set bolt, through a large washer, thread it back into the wedge from the bottom of the fork, then tighten the set bolt to pull the wedge away from the stem, to relieve the pressure caused by the stem and wedge together. Then if stem is still stuck try your other methods to free the corrosion of the un wedged stem.
Update, I just tried the bolt from the bottom, and it worked SO easy and well. Please try it and update your videos. 🙂
Well explained, "operation success but patient is dead" lmao
3:20 That pavement's harder than a '90s gangsta' rapper! 💯😎😜
bro literally destroyed a japan fork just casually
Why am I getting subconscious message about pavement
Thx for the explanation, great to know but how to get it out then? 🤔
Lever through the bar clamp and apply rotational force. Worked on one for me.
*Edit* with a piece of wood through the arms of the fork to isolate the rotation to only the stem or vice versa.
Really helpful & straight forward videos, nice work bro
El primer comentario en español, saludos desde México +RJ The Bike Guy
3:19 had a little refresher on this recently. XD
RJ - Thanks again for the help. On mine, the wedge and post were both seized. I was able to get the post loosened up with a soak of PB Blaster for a couple hours. But, the wedge was still frozen. I had a little upward movement and side to side on the post. I turned the bike upside down, soaked the wedge with PB Blaster and then gently tapped it out with a long screwdriver and hammer (Very gently). I knew I had some play as the post was moving up and down. It came out fairly easy. I remain undefeated at 1-0.
The wedge is usually not too hard to free up.
How about locking the forkn in a vise and hammering the stem laterally , to twist it to unlock ?!?
I've used a 2x4 in the top of the fork for leverage. It worked but had to re-align the fork after sometimes.
Hi RJ, appreciate the explanation! Could you link in the description the other videos you mentioned on how to remove the stem a better way?
Thanks.
th-cam.com/play/PLxO5aF0sensjkcujxesiYTkZzC83SVKq0.html
Thank you! It's useful
So what did the frame of text say? I can't seem to get to the frame using the youtube controls.
Q: Do you know what is the hardest part of learning to ride a bike?
A: The pavement.
The operation was a success but you killed the patient lol
Now that fork is the perfect loaner fork
what if the steerer is free and the wedge is stuck? I can't get it out no matter what, is there anything that helps with that
Soak with oil or WD-40. Hit it harder with the bolt. Use a longer bolt if necessary or a metal bar that fits inside if it's a round one. Or with a bar from the wheel side as shown. Often you can easily push the plug further down because it's not corroded further below. Don't even need to push it through if you just replace with a shorter quill stem that can use the new space you created. Or just let your new quill stem sit higher. Your bike will be a few grams heavier now that there's another wedge inside. Oh well.
What does it says in the screen on minute 3:18?
Really useful video, I think this has helped me understand why my handlebars are crooked and can't be fixed -- I think the wedge has seized into the frame. The stem itself came out easily. I'm soaking it with some multi use spray at the moment (don't have any penetrating oil). Next I'll turning it upside down and hitting it to make the wedge come out the top... If that doesn't work I'll try soaking it in vinegar...
And if that doesn't work maybe I'll just tighten the handlebars and ride with them crooked -- I reckon it should be a nice theft-prevention mechanism, right?
If the stem is out, then there is no harm in knocking the wedge from the bottom.
@@RJTheBikeGuy success! I tried hitting it from the bottom, but that didn't work (or I didn't hit hard enough), so I turned it upside down, but some plastic over the top of the fork, held it on with hair ties, filled it with vinegar... And then hit it some more. It eventually succumbed to the repeated percussive force and now I have one very rusty wedge in my hands... I'll try and clean everything up a bit, grease it all and put it back together. Hopefully that fixes the wobble and I can get the handlebars on straight now.
@@GeorginaWilcox … Congratulations. Bikeman delivers again!
The time comes when one’s patience can come to an end and blowing up the whole bike might become necessary....at least with a little luck you might separate the two pieces...
There are various ways to remove stuck stems.
I use a burner to heat the fork tube, this way the heat causes the fork tube to expand slightly and the freeze breaks.
If it's an aluminum stem/post in a steel frame, aluminum expands more than the steel.
RJ The Bike Guy I don’t know... but it’s working in very hard situations!
so no link to how it should be done?
You clever buggr.
You need the patience of a saint for this. On a previous video, I gotta admit, my mind was wondering as I found myself fantasizing about throwing the bike off a 6 story building (without wheels of course) just to see if the quill would eject upon impact.
That thought left my head just as fast as it entered knowing that there’s a high probability that I would be staring at a mangled frame with the quill still in place mocking me from six stories below.
Enter fantasy # 2- strap the bike on a wide oak tree and shoot the top of the quill with a shotgun using #00 double-aught large game shells. Again, a poor idea, but it’s getting more fun isn’t it? Yeah this one is all about admitting defeat but scoring some gratification. Still….another bad idea.
I’m currently facing this dilemma. I think I’ll try some leverage. I’m going to put the fork on a bench vice (protected with soft wood of course). Once the fork is secured, I’ll use a 3 foot metal pry bar and place it in the drops (handle bars) in such a way where I can put tremendous torque in either direction. I believe this will work, and will work quickly.
I’ll post the results whether good or bad, but I’ll refrain from letting my mind wander to gratifying fantasies that won’t do squat for removing the stem.
I was trying to get a stem out of a vintage bike after soaking in vinegar and releasing the quill. I made a jig which resulted shearing the steerer tube right below where corroded stem is located. The thing basically exploded. The AL stem stayed stuck in the other half of the steerer tube.
Guess I’ll do a threadless fork conversion.
Last!!
LOL!
Thanks for these videos it helps on, especially in not what to do… 🙈, found a useful way of get the stuck stem loose.
I used the stem bolt and inserted it from the bottom of the fork and created my own little puller that helped free the wedge that was seized into the bottom of the stem 😊
WOW! I did not see your comment, but I arrived at the exact same idea as you, I tried it and it worked in seconds with ease, then I came back here, started scrolling and was blown away to find your comment. I hope he updates his video to help others faster.
Hi,
How did you create this puller? I'm a bit frustrated with hammering on the top screw, I think I need more torque..
Why would you say how to do it the right way in the same video??
Because there isn't just one "right way". But this is a wrong way that often get suggested.
th-cam.com/play/PLxO5aF0sensjkcujxesiYTkZzC83SVKq0.html
i'm sorry i'm beginner, in this video what hole size in your fork? and what adaptor/quill size you use too? thank you
i want restoration my old bike and the bike adaptor is missing, mine the size hole of fork is 22,2mm so if i choose adaptor 22,2mm is safe right?
Quill stems are sized by the fork steerer outside diameter. The stem for a 1" fork, is 7/8" in diameter. Since it fits inside the 1" fork.
@@RJTheBikeGuy thanks
I agree do a painting video. What spray paint should we use...rustoleum? Primer?
I use PB Blaster. Apply liberally, let it soak two days, apply again, then strike the underside of the stem with a dead blow hammer (a hammer encased in rubber with loose shot inside the head) while placing my weight on the front forks.
So I have question about quill stem safety. I believe I heard from you somewhere, that quill stem bolts can break unexpectedly. Would a genuine titanium bolt make a quill stem a little bit safer / stronger?
Can you do a video about how to turn a Walmart bike into a 1950's full Campagnolo Italian bike worth thousands? Thank you.
What is the best method
When removing the stem I had to use a thin pipe to take it out. In the first place I should left the bolt in the handlebars to turn it around. When I took out the bolt,I couldn't put the bolt back in,so I had take the route that you suggested. Anyway the handlebars is back in its right position.
Great video. Thank you. What about cutting the stem off and trying to knock it off from the top of you are not to bothered about the stem?
Thanks for illustrating why you don't do this! Lots of backyard/shade tree mechanic ideas out there that usually make things worse, not better. Do bike shops no longer care or know-how to deal with issues like these?
Brilliant. Just stopped me wrecking a frame..
Thank you.
I tied the bike Fork down to the ground take a block of wood underneath the handle bars and jack it up, then,stems comes out
Hammer tap worked perfectly! I cannot believe I was struggling for much too long before viewing this!
not the situation I have, but the info that the headtube is tapered was new info to me and explains why the quill end is lodged after being tapped as everyone instructs to do .. I didn’t realise it was bonded as it apparently is, so will be trying the ‘bottom up’ method to see if it loosens .. good video btw thx
88 dislikes were from people who hammered their wedge through their steerer tube
RIP fork
Instead of coming up from the bottom opening, take that same rod you have and shape the end to fit in the inside bend of the stem. While keeping it as parallel as reasonably possible, nail it with a 3 lb hammer as hard as you can. The stem will get marked up, but those quill stems are available from an assortment of suppliers.
Brilliant .......
Was that fork already bent, or did you ruin a good fork? Awesome video btw!
It was a fork from a lower end frame I didn't plan to use.
I just watched a GCN video about servicing bearings and noticed they now have a Park Tool grease dispenser similar to yours. Trendsetter.
the pavement
Genius 👍
GENIUS!!!!
Thanks, dad
Just got a brand new Mt bike and expansion nut is loose after tightening it. The handle bars will move left n right after tightening the Allen bolt. My friend and I tried one off my other bike and tried different things. Can you help and tell me how to tighten my handle bars so they stay straight and tight please?
If it's a brand new bike, take it back to the shop and have them fix it. I can't tell you why that is happening without examining the bike. Maybe they screwed up when putting the bike together and have too long of a bolt, or the wrong sized stem. I do not know. And you didn't need to double post this question!
Buytuful
I always thought it was balance...but pavement makes sense too!
What if the small metal is the only one that is stuck? Im having a hard time with it. I already purchased wd40 and nothing is happening so far.
The wedge? Spray a good penetrating oil in from the bottom, and tap the bolt down.
What if the wedge or cone is seized to the bolt...can't get it to tighten or loosen, they rotate together.
Both the fork post and stem are steel :(
I already answer your question.
Thanks.
Thanks for your help. Great video
niceeee
RJ, had to give you the thumbs down on this one - you told us exactly what not to do, but not what to do to rectify the problem. I have a stuck stem just like you're showing here. The wedge is loose, but the stem won't budge. I'm trying to let some penetrating oil soak in hoping that will do the trick. Any other ideas?
I have videos removing frozen ones.
th-cam.com/video/0GRbdnTRH-4/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/7GvN7w386U0/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/8b4t42wiJpQ/w-d-xo.html
Did I miss something or did you completely ignore telling how to actually get it out successfully?
What you missed was the point of the video.
th-cam.com/video/7GvN7w386U0/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/8b4t42wiJpQ/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/0GRbdnTRH-4/w-d-xo.html
g 00d