I just got a new seatpost for my uni today. My old seatpost is a 22mm width and so is my new one. My old seatpost easily slid up and down like it was supposed to when you loosend the clamp, but when i was puting my new one on, it is so tight that it will only go down 3 in after I have banged on it with a rubber mallet!
What should i do? I was thinking about using a heatgun to heat up my frame and put the post in my freezer to get a little shrinking/contrcrting action. I cant really send it back because i need it for a upcoming event. It says plainly on the post 22mm. What to do...
Your hot frame, cold seatpost will work but then you have to get it out. That becomes tricky so I would try to avoid it. Have you tried greasing the seatpost? Have you tried reaming the inside of the seatpost tube with sandpaper on a stick or something? Is there a weld bulge inside the seatpost tube or a burr? The seatpost itself is probably plated and you wouldn't want to sand it down because the plating would come off. That produces potential rust spots. Cleaning up the inside of the seatpost tube is better if possible.
-- harper - Riding a Fat
-Greg Harper
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well on an attempt to try it again, it is stuck in my frame... badly stuck. Ill send it back, but i need to get it out. of i use a metal pipe a little smaller than the size of my seatpost ill hammer it through the hole on the bottom of the seatpost tube (Near the wheel) i think that will get it out.
If you have access to a metal lathe it's relatively straightforward to cut a few thousandths off of the seatpost to make it fit.
WD-40 would be good to try and get in to help get it out, but for getting it in in the first place, WD-40 isn't particularly good. It isn't actually a grease or oil, it's a breakdown fluid used to dilude and break down old oils and greases, thus freeing up parts. It will help prevent corrosion okay, but grease or oil is better. There aren't really any places on a unicycle that would benefit from a shot fo WD-40 compared to oil or grease. WD-40 stands for Water Displacement 40, if that means anything to you.
I had the same problem when i switched from the KH saddle and post to the Miyata saddle and post on my Bedford frame, but not even close to the extent that you clearly have. To solve the problem i just spun a (cylindrical?) wire brush, by hand, inside the frame stem to clear out some rust, burrs, and dirt. That did the trick pretty well. I still need to torque the seat a little to move it up and down, but it's fine. Good luck with getting you post out now that it's stuck.
