removing "old type" stem... help!!!

Francesco Devittori said:

Hi everybody! I did something really bad. I have to remove the stem from my bike, an old type one
(3TTT motus, tinyurl.comri3dOpen ↗) that seems to be in its place since many years (I just
received that bike). I noticed that the nut was hard, so I sprayed some penetrating oil. After a
while I tried again, the nut stayed at its place until it suddenly opened... or, better, I thought
it opened. In fact I rounded the bolt, even if the key I use is a good quality one. It isn't 100%
rounded, but now I have a little fear trying it again. Are there any solution to remove the part
in question before going to the shop (which has opening times not so compatibles with mines)?
Opening the headset (a threaded Dura-Ace, about 7 years old I guess) could help?

Oops.

The procedure with these stems is to loosen the central bolt just a few turns then give it a tap
with a hammer (use a block of wood in between). This will pop the wedge inside the steerer tube and
the stem should lift out easily.

You should *not* remove the bolt, nor does it have to be undone very far. Likely problems are:

1) wedge does not pop (i.e. bolt does not drop when struck). Try hitting it harder or spray a load
of WD40/Plus Gas up inside the steerer tube and leave overnight, then try again.

2) wedge pops but stem will not move. Try the WD-40 trick but if this doesn't work and you've heaved
on the handlebars with all your strength, visit the bike shop. Interesting things can be done
with heat/cold/caustic soda.

The headset and stem have absolutely nothing to do with one another in the traditional design.

Zog said:

Francesco Devittori said:

After a while I tried again, the nut stayed at its place until it suddenly opened... or,
better, I

thought it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

opened. In fact I rounded the bolt, even if the key I use is a good

quality

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

one.

Oops.

The procedure with these stems is to loosen the central bolt just a few turns then give it a tap
with a hammer (use a block of wood in between). This will pop the wedge inside the steerer tube
and the stem should lift out easily.

The problem is he rounded off the allen bolt, so he can't loosen it at all.

Art Harris

Quoted message said:

The problem is he rounded off the allen bolt, so he can't loosen it at

all.

Quoted message said:

Art Harris

Yes, this is the problem. Sorry for my bad english!

mmmh... after googleing a bit I found a thread about the problem: tinyurl.comris6Open ↗ Dabac said
on the last post on that page:

< Just thought of something even easier - Since that bolt needs to be scrapped anyway, get yourself
an 8 mm drill bit and simply drill out the bolt head. The hexagonal recess should make it fairly
easy to keep the drill bit centered. Don't worry about the bolt head being wider than the drill bit,
once you get through it into the shaft of the bolt the head will drop right off. You might still
need to find something to hit the shaft of the bolt with to get the wedge to loosen though. >

So I guess I found a good solution. Thanks to everybody!

Francesco

Hold front wheel between knees whie standing. Make sure bolt is lose. Now hit stem with rubber
mallet to the left or right it will break free.

Fire up MTB 03

Francesco Devittori' francesco.devittori-AT-epfl(-pleasedontstealmyaddress-).ch said:

Hi everybody! I did something really bad. I have to remove the stem from my bike, an old type one
(3TTT motus, tinyurl.comri3dOpen ↗) that seems to be in its place since many years (I just
received that bike). I noticed that the nut was hard, so I sprayed some penetrating oil. After a
while I tried again, the nut stayed at its place until it suddenly opened... or, better, I thought
it opened. In fact I rounded the bolt, even if the key I use is a good quality one. It isn't 100%
rounded, but now I have a little fear trying it again. Are there any solution to remove the part
in question before going to the shop (which has opening times not so compatibles with mines)?
Opening the headset (a threaded Dura-Ace, about 7 years old I guess) could help?

To get this out, you need to loosen the locking mechanism, which you can only do by first releasing
the tension on the bolt. If you can't unscrew it, can you either cut or drill the head off it?

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

I'm fed up with Life 1.0. I never liked it much and now it's getting me down. I think I'll
upgrade to MSLife 97 -- you know, the one that comes in a flash new box and within weeks you're
crawling with bugs.

If after removing the bolt, the stem is still seized in place, take the front brake off the stem,
turn the bike upside down, and use the a long dowel and rubber mallet to knock the stem out.

You'll likely want to have a bikeshop clean the inside of the steerer ube -- they will have a long
wire brush that mounts on a drill. And, make sure you use antisieze or grease when reinstalling the
stem. "Francesco Devittori" <francesco.devittori[-AT-]epfl(-pleasedontstealmyaddress-).ch> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

mmmh... after googleing a bit I found a thread about the problem: tinyurl.comris6Open ↗ Dabac
said on the last post on that page:

< Just thought of something even easier - Since that bolt needs to be scrapped anyway, get
yourself an 8 mm drill bit and simply drill out the bolt head. The hexagonal recess should make it
fairly easy to keep the

drill

Quoted message said:

bit centered. Don't worry about the bolt head being wider than the drill bit, once you get through
it into the shaft of the bolt the head will drop right off. You might still need to find something
to hit the shaft of the bolt with to get the wedge to loosen though. >

So I guess I found a good solution. Thanks to everybody!

Francesco

Quoted message said:

Then you need to drill out the bolt from the botttom. At the weddge end.

Not really. After taking off most of an allen head you can strike the expander bolt stump with a
punch, freeing the wedge. Then you're on to the next problem - corroded stem in steerer.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

(Phil Brown) said:

Quoted message said:

Then you're on to the next problem - corroded stem in steerer.

And a fun problem it is. Phil Brown

A good auto-supply ...(hell maybe even "Pep-BoyS"😉 will sell a bolt/screw extractor. It is a Tool
Steel (very hard) fluted device something like a weird drill bit.. they are designed just for this
type of problem..

(Phil Brown) said:

Quoted message said:

A good auto-supply ...(hell maybe even "Pep-BoyS"😉 will sell a bolt/screw extractor. It is a Tool
Steel (very hard) fluted device something like a weird drill bit.. they are designed just for this
type of problem..

Won't work here. Once the bolt is out the traditional solution is to saw the extension off and use
a hacksaw blade to saw a slot in the quill. Careful not to cut the steerer. With some luck it'll
come out. If not another slot usually does the trick. Other solutions involve big amchines. Good
luck. Phil Brown

Did I miss something? I thought the problem was with a stripped bolt? If the bolt extractor were
used to back the bolt off by four or five threads It should be possible to use a hammer (applied
carefully to the top of the bolt) to drive the wedge down and brake the seal it has formed in the
steer tube... until that has been done we really can't be sure that there is any other real
problem...

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

Quoted message said:

Zog said:

Francesco Devittori said:

After a while I tried again, the nut stayed at its place until it suddenly opened... or,
better, I

thought it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

opened. In fact I rounded the bolt, even if the key I use is a good

quality

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

one.

Oops.

The procedure with these stems is to loosen the central bolt just a few turns then give it a tap
with a hammer (use a block of wood in between). This will pop the wedge inside the steerer tube
and the stem should lift out easily.

The problem is he rounded off the allen bolt, so he can't loosen it at

all.

Quoted message said:

Art Harris

I drilled the bolt out, the stem wasn't hard to remove!

Thanks to everybody for the help!

Francesco