# Need advice on stuck gooseneck removal.......



## Rick Palmer (Apr 6, 2011)

Help,

     I'm restoring a 1936 Hawthorne duralium bike for my wife.  Any bolts or screws that penetrated the frame broke-off upon removal, in spite of a thorough soaking with WD 40.  I drilled and tapped most of them.  The expander bolt broke off in the goose neck making the gooseneck nearly impossible to remove.  I've used plenty of WD 40 and beat the gooseneck with a block of wood and a single jack, all to no avail.  I also tried turning the gooseneck with a large wrench.  Didn't work.  I need to exercise some caution so as not to break the aluminum fork.  I've considered applying heat to the gooseneck with a torch, but there is not much exposed gooseneck shaft to heat, and I would probably melt the thin aluminum truss rod bracket.  Anybody have any helpful suggestions?

                                           Thank You In Advance,

                                                     Rick Palmer


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## Gordon (Apr 6, 2011)

First, use PB Blaster or some other penetrating fluid instead of WD 40. Others have had good luck using an air hammer to vibrate the stem. It evidently breaks the bond with the steering tube and allows the penetrant to get down in there. Good luck!


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## Andrew Gorman (Apr 6, 2011)

I'd heat the exposed part of the gooseneck with a torch, keeping the flame away from the truss rod bracket.  Get it good and hot so the  lower end in the steerer tube can expand.  Once it's cooled down, spray in some PB Blaster- it does work better than WD-40!  Then support the bottom of the fork arch securely, straddled on a 2X4, and work a long, thin punch down through the top bolt hole and hammer away to break the expander loose.  The stem won't budge until the expander is  rattling around.  Once it's out of the way keep on heating,  soaking with PB Blaster and tapping the area with a hammer to try and free things up.  Your steerer tube might be bent  which makes things harder.  With the fork straddling your 2X4 try wiggling the stem with your big wrench.  In a worst case scenario I've clamped the stem in a vise and wiggled the fork with a 3 or 4 foot long 2X4 to break a stem free.  I don't know if a Silver King fork would tolerate that though...  Keep the fork crown supported during any extreme measures and you should be able to break it loose.


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## tobytyler (Apr 9, 2011)

did you try pounding the expander bolt back down thru the tube using a metal rod and small sledge hammer alway's worked for me. good luck toby t.


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