stuck handlebar stem

Quoted message said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
side but can't free it up enough to

can you remove the stem from the wedge completely and see what's going on in there? how 'bout going
at it from the bottom with a little oil and the tappies again?

"BilDom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike.

The fork

Quoted message said:

is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork

legs.

Quoted message said:

I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up

enough to

Quoted message said:

move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it.
I've successfully removed a terminally

stuck

Quoted message said:

one in the past, so I know the worst case scenario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
proceed with this one? I don't care if I

have to

Quoted message said:

waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.

Thanks

Quoted message said:

in advance. - Bill

Having dealt with this more than once on some older frames, I am now the proud owner of a 7/8"
drill. This is a simple stepped drilling operation for an aluminum stem stuck inside a 1" steel
steerer tube. I save the fork and sacrifice the stem. To prevent future problems I've replaced the
aluminum stem with steel.

Phil Holman

"BilDom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The

fork

Quoted message said:

is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork

legs.

Quoted message said:

I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or
get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully
removed a terminally

stuck

Quoted message said:

one in the past, so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
proceed with this one? I don't care if I have to waste the stem but I want to save the fork and
not damage it at all.

Thanks

Quoted message said:

in advance. - Bill

I am surprised there _is_ a carbon threaded fork. It seems to me a poor design as the force of the
stem wedge would tend to split the carbon material. After you get it out, make a thorough inspection
of that steerer in a good light!

--
Andrew Muzi yellowjersey.orgyellowjersey.orgOpen ↗ Open every day since 1 April 1971

Quoted message said:

I am surprised there _is_ a carbon threaded fork. It seems to me a poor design as the force of the
stem wedge would tend to split the carbon material. After you get it out, make a thorough
inspection of that steerer in a good light!

i wondered about that myself, but i eventually decided that it *had* to be a carbon fork with steel
steerer. otherwise i'd be scared to go anywhere near it.

The fork is carbon with a steel threaded steerer tube. I wouldn't ride a carbon threadless steerer,
let alone carbon threaded steerer. - Bill "A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"BilDom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The

fork

Quoted message said:

is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork

legs.

Quoted message said:

I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up enough

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it.
I've successfully removed a terminally

stuck

Quoted message said:

one in the past, so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
proceed with this one? I don't care if I have

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.

Thanks

Quoted message said:

in advance. - Bill

I am surprised there _is_ a carbon threaded fork. It seems to me a poor design as the force of the
stem wedge would tend to split the carbon material. After you get it out, make a thorough
inspection of that

steerer

Quoted message said:

in a good light!

--
Andrew Muzi yellowjersey.orgyellowjersey.orgOpen ↗ Open every day since 1 April 1971

"BilDom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have
used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully removed a terminally stuck one in the past,
so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to proceed with this one?
I don't care if I have to waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.
Thanks in advance. - Bill

Is the stem bolt recessed on on the top of the stem. If the bolt is on the top, unscrew the stem
bolt a couple of turns, and then smack it down with a hammer. If the bolts recessed, use an allen
key with a hammer to hit the bolt. The sudden downwards force on the expander wedge should free
the stem up.

Bill Dom said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have
used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully removed a terminally stuck one in the past,
so I know the worst case scenario.

This is the main benefit of the "threadless head-set." It no longer has the elegant (hidden) but
useless stem attachment that is prone to seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by
expanding or wedging the bottom end in the steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from
side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping in sweat and water. Salt water and aluminum create
corrosion can expand a steel steer tube. An example of this can become is seen on stainless steel
swimming pool ladders that have rounded aluminum "bar-end" plugs. These plugs, together with
chlorinated water increase steel tube diameters by more than 1/8".

Forks have been ruined by twisting on such seized stems. Don't do it. Saw the stem off nearly flush,
take the fork out and mount it in a vise to drill out the stem with increasing drill sizes up to
7/8". Then take a Dremel tool and slot through to the steer tube. The remaining aluminum shell will
come out easily. I have examples of these lying around my place.

Long live the "threadless stem!"

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

Bill Dom said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The fork is carbon fiber, so
I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork legs. I can get it to move a little, side to
side but can't free it up enough to move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have
used penetrating oil and tapped it. I've successfully removed a terminally stuck one in the past,
so I know the worst case scenario.

This is the main benefit of the "threadless head-set." It no longer has the elegant (hidden) but
useless stem attachment that is prone to seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by
expanding or wedging the bottom end in the steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from
side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping in sweat and water. Salt water and aluminum create
corrosion that can expand a steel steer tube. An example of this can become is seen on stainless
steel swimming pool ladders that have rounded aluminum "bar-end" plugs. These plugs, together with
chlorinated water increase steel tube diameters by more than 1/8".

Forks have been ruined by twisting on such seized stems. Don't do it. Saw the stem off nearly flush,
take the fork out and mount it in a vise to drill out the stem with increasing drill sizes up to
7/8". Then take a Dremel tool and slot through to the steer tube. The remaining aluminum shell will
come out easily. I have examples of these lying around my place.

Long live the "threadless stem!"

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

Quoted message said:

seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the
steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping
in sweat and water.

Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the end
of the nose, but...
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Kill the tomato!

David Damerell said:

Quoted message said:

Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the steer
tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar, pumping in
sweat and water.

Quoted message said:

Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the
end of the nose, but...

But what? I guess you never stand while climbing and it is climbing that generates the most sweat.
It only takes a little bit and I have the seized stem-remains hanging on the wall to show the
results. Today I use a steel stem and an extended steer tube with clamp to prevent any further
seizures... of dangerous materials.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden] Palo Alto CA

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the
steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar,
pumping in sweat and water.

"David Damerell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the
end of the nose, but...

You wouldn't think that should happen but it does - big time. Jobst does not exaggerate the problem.

We have certain customers who periodically and predictably need their corroded quill stem extracted
with great effort. Other riders with the same brand of bike, similar miles and the same stem go
years with nary a spot and the grease is still clean on removal. We associate the problem with sweat
which varies in quantity (and perhaps in salinity??) from rider to rider. Rollers are definitely
associated with stem corrosion because with no airspeed the salt runs straight into the quill.

yellowjersey.orgunstuck!.jpgOpen ↗
yellowjersey.orgwfdstuck.jpgOpen ↗

--
Andrew Muzi yellowjersey.orgyellowjersey.orgOpen ↗ Open every day since 1 April 1971

Sorry, not even close. "Steve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"BilDom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have a quill stem semi-stuck in the steerer tube on a road bike. The

fork

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is carbon fiber, so I'm trying not to put too much torque on the fork

legs.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can get it to move a little, side to side but can't free it up enough

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

move it up at all, or get it to spin completely around. Have used penetrating oil and tapped it.
I've successfully removed a terminally

stuck

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

one in the past, so I know the worst case senario. Anyone have any suggestions about how to
proceed with this one? I don't care if I have

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

waste the stem but I want to save the fork and not damage it at all.

Thanks

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in advance. - Bill

Is the stem bolt recessed on on the top of the stem. If the bolt is on the top, unscrew the stem
bolt a couple of turns, and then smack it down with a hammer. If the bolts recessed, use an allen
key with a hammer to hit the bolt. The sudden downwards force on the expander wedge should free
the stem up.

A Muzi said:

"David Damerell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

seizure. Quill stems are secured against rotation by expanding or wedging the bottom end in the
steer tube, leaving the top end free to yaw from side-to-side with loads on the handlebar,
pumping in sweat and water.

Steady on - how does sweat get onto the top of the head tube? I suppose a few drops land off the
end of the nose, but...

We have certain customers who periodically and predictably need their corroded quill stem extracted
with great effort. Other riders with the same brand of bike, similar miles and the same stem go
years with nary a spot and the grease is still clean on removal. We associate the problem with
sweat which varies in quantity (and perhaps in salinity??) from rider to rider.

Ah, fair enough; if there is a variation in quantity, my head perhaps sweats less than is typical,
and that is why I have not noticed this possibility - since I do stand while climbing when
necessary.

My forehead sweat does not run off the forehead but instead evaporates immediately, so that the
moment I stop riding the next load of sweat becomes saturated with salt and lands in my eyes. :-(
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?