# New seat-post removal technique



## tacochris (Dec 15, 2020)

This may be old news but it helped me and may help someone else:
Ok, so Ive been known to my group of friends who can take apart just about any rusty, frozen bike and I still have not been beaten to this day.  My friend brought me this coppertone stingray because the entire bike was frozen solid.  I worked my magic on all but the seat-post but not to be beaten I devised this idea in bed one night and low-and-behold it worked!  this will only work if you have some, even an inch, of post sticking out.

Tools
-A welder
-PB or any manner of Liquid Wrench type stuff
-impact socket that fits inside or snugly over the post
-impact

This post is the tapered kind found on most earlier bikes so I found a cheap Walmart impact socket (yes I know its chrome and not black) that fit snug over the post and tapped it as far down as it would go (inside the post if its cut off short).  Once the socket was secure and I had removed some chrome and prepped the post, I did 3 small stitch welds joining the socket to the post.  While its still hot, spray where the post goes in with Power Blaster (or whatever you use) and the heat will cause it to boil down into the seat mast area and then let that sit for a second.

Once that was done I put the frame on the ground between my knees and proceeded to give it all the ugga-duggas with the impact I could give it.  To my surprise, it only took around 30 seconds of grunt and it wiggled slightly and then started spinning for its life!  

Once that was done and I stopped smiling I thru it into my stand upside down, spun it with the impact and worked it down and came out clean as a whistle and hell it even cleaned the inside of the seat mast on the way out! 

I should note, up until this point I had been working on it a week and had tried tightening a seat on it and wiggling it, I tried heat and then rapid cooling, I tried jarring it loose with small hammer taps, I taped the end of the post and filled it upside down with Power Blaster and even tried a pipe wrench on a rag....NOTHING.  This method got it out in about 10 minutes total counting welding.

In this case James didnt care if I ruined the post so i didn't bother fixing it or the cheap socket, but if you have a cut-off wheel and a grinder and wanna save the post or socket, afterwards you can cut thru the weld carefully, remove the post from the socket and grind down the welds.


Here are some lame screen grabs from the video I made.


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## AndyA (Dec 16, 2020)

The 2020 Award for Ingenuity and Perseverance in Bicycle Disassembly goes to ... Tacochris! 

The IPBID!


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## tacochris (Dec 17, 2020)

AndyA said:


> The 2020 Award for Ingenuity and Perseverance in Bicycle Disassembly goes to ... Tacochris!
> 
> The IPBID!
> View attachment 1321261



Lol....thats a good one.  

I take great pride in the fact that I can blow apart any bike no matter how rusty or frozen if you give me a week or two.  Its all about patience and creativity.  This bike was nothing compared to the 1941 Autocycle I blew apart not too long ago.  Looked like a rusty boat anchor but I still got it completely apart down to the last bolt.


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## Rusty Klunker (Dec 20, 2020)

Liked it!

I've had a few stuck schwinns lately. What I've done with just trash off the job is this. About a 3' piece of 3/8" threaded rod and about a 1' piece of 3/4 EMT. Had to open up the hole on top of the post to 3/8. Slide the rod down to the BB and double nutted it. Pulled the rod up and the nuts get stuck where the post tapers down. Slide the EMT over it, unistrut square washer, flat washer and another nut. Crank down on the nut and it walks it right out.


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## tacochris (Dec 20, 2020)

Rusty Klunker said:


> Liked it!
> 
> I've had a few stuck schwinns lately. What I've done with just trash off the job is this. About a 3' piece of 3/8" threaded rod and about a 1' piece of 3/4 EMT. Had to open up the hole on top of the post to 3/8. Slide the rod down to the BB and double nutted it. Pulled the rod up and the nuts get stuck where the post tapers down. Slide the EMT over it, unistrut square washer, flat washer and another nut. Crank down on the nut and it walks it right out.



Funny you mention that!  I was designing something very similar in my head before i decided on this method!
It was crazy how fast this worked but then again if you cant weld its not the best option.


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## Goldenrod (Dec 20, 2020)

tacochris said:


> Funny you mention that!  I was designing something very similar in my head before i decided on this method!
> It was crazy how fast this worked but then again if you cant weld its not the best option.




No welder.  Must use dynamite in someone else's garage.


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## Goldenrod (Dec 20, 2020)

I am stunned.   Toco Chris-- "You are a better man than I am Gunga Din".  

                                                                                                          Kipling


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## ricobike (Apr 11, 2021)

Rusty Klunker said:


> Liked it!
> 
> I've had a few stuck schwinns lately. What I've done with just trash off the job is this. About a 3' piece of 3/8" threaded rod and about a 1' piece of 3/4 EMT. Had to open up the hole on top of the post to 3/8. Slide the rod down to the BB and double nutted it. Pulled the rod up and the nuts get stuck where the post tapers down. Slide the EMT over it, unistrut square washer, flat washer and another nut. Crank down on the nut and it walks it right out.




I was trying to use your method on a stuck seatpost today but unfortunately, it was a columbia and didn't have a hole in the tube at the bottom bracket.  Fortunately I was able to get a pipe wrench on the seat post and was able to get it to turn so I could get it out.

Then I turned my attention to the fork.  It had a wedge stuck in the bottom of the fork.  Common problem.  I was able to get the bolt back in the wedge but I couldn't get it to budge at all no matter what I tried.  Then I thought of your seat post idea and wondered if it would work for my stuck wedge.  I used a socket instead of your EMT and a heavy metal strap and a washer to do the job.   I leaned on my impact driver for a bit and to my amazement it finally popped.  I never would have thought to do this if it wasn't for your suggestion for the seatpost.  Thanks for sharing!


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## Rivnut (Apr 13, 2021)

I just got a 1941 Monark. i didn’t want the handle bars but the seller did.  The stem bolt loosened easily and the bars twisted in the stem.  Turns out that the goose neck broke close to the wedge.  Took out the bolt and the seller kept the broken goose neck and the handle bars.  Got the bike home and removed the fork.  Put the bolt back into the wedge, put the fork into the vise, heated up the fork, and hooked a big assed slide hammer to the head of the bolt.  About four slides and the wedge pulled the broken stem from the fork.  That big slide hammer has come through for me on a number of occasion.   The trick with the impact socket reminds me of who a mechanic friend of mine removes wheel locks when a customer brings in a car for which he’s lost the key to the lock.. Drive the impact socket onto the wheel lock with a big hammer and let the impact wrench do its thing.


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## tacochris (Apr 13, 2021)

ricobike said:


> I was trying to use your method on a stuck seatpost today but unfortunately, it was a columbia and didn't have a hole in the tube at the bottom bracket.  Fortunately I was able to get a pipe wrench on the seat post and was able to get it to turn so I could get it out.
> 
> Then I turned my attention to the fork.  It had a wedge stuck in the bottom of the fork.  Common problem.  I was able to get the bolt back in the wedge but I couldn't get it to budge at all no matter what I tried.  Then I thought of your seat post idea and wondered if it would work for my stuck wedge.  I used a socket instead of your EMT and a heavy metal strap and a washer to do the job.   I leaned on my impact driver for a bit and to my amazement it finally popped.  I never would have thought to do this if it wasn't for your suggestion for the seatpost.  Thanks for sharing!
> 
> View attachment 1389577



If my technique can help one person save a fork or a seat post then its 100% worth it so thanks for sharing!  My method has saved at least 3-4 bikes other folks had literally given up on.


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## catfish (Apr 13, 2021)




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## tacochris (Apr 13, 2021)

catfish said:


> View attachment 1390561



In theory yes....but this method doesnt work if you have to remove a seat post from an original paint bike you want to save the paint on.  I always try to heat the seat post or stem as a first try and then spray with water to shock the rust loose but there have been many instances where this has not worked at all.


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## Rivnut (Apr 16, 2021)

Heat causes metal to expand.  If you're heating the seat post, you're expanding it inside the seat tube.  I've had pretty good luck with soaking the post with some rust breaker (your choice) and letting it sit for a few days.  Then putting a pipe wrench on it and working with it till it will turn.  Once it will turn, you can usually get it to come out.  On a Schwinn post, I tapped the small end for a bolt.  Screwed in the bolt then took the slide hammer to it.


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## tacochris (Apr 17, 2021)

Rivnut said:


> Heat causes metal to expand.  If you're heating the seat post, you're expanding it inside the seat tube.  I've had pretty good luck with soaking the post with some rust breaker (your choice) and letting it sit for a few days.  Then putting a pipe wrench on it and working with it till it will turn.  Once it will turn, you can usually get it to come out.  On a Schwinn post, I tapped the small end for a bolt.  Screwed in the bolt then took the slide hammer to it.



I have tried all of those methods and every single method anyone has ever suggested. Soaking, heating, pipe wrench, etc etc.  On the 3 bikes ive done this method on, soaking did nothing, taping, hammering, heating, cooling....this method got em out in 10-15 min flat.  Even did the slide hammer thing and zilch...
I should mention this isnt my go-to method, only on stubborn bikes that refuse to come apart...this method is used when everything else fails.


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## hm. (Apr 18, 2021)

Did this few years ago. Was posted somewhere on here. Anyway bought a 83 schwinn cruiser with a stuck seat post for $40 that the previous owner gave up on. He had tried heat with no luck, burned the paint still could not get seat post out. I got it home took an old VW trans cradle bolt I had with stripped threads. It fit inside the post snug. Weld it up and an used an impact gun. Heat from the weld did the trick. Came right out. Pretty easy..


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## Barto (May 6, 2021)

tacochris said:


> This may be old news but it helped me and may help someone else:
> Ok, so Ive been known to my group of friends who can take apart just about any rusty, frozen bike and I still have not been beaten to this day.  My friend brought me this coppertone stingray because the entire bike was frozen solid.  I worked my magic on all but the seat-post but not to be beaten I devised this idea in bed one night and low-and-behold it worked!  this will only work if you have some, even an inch, of post sticking out.
> 
> Tools
> ...



Electric Impact Driver - Love it!  I wanted one for years, just got one last weekend at the 1st Swap meet in Connecticut!


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## tacochris (May 6, 2021)

Barto said:


> Electric Impact Driver - Love it!  I wanted one for years, just got one last weekend at the 1st Swap meet in Connecticut!



I know right!  Lol  
This one was a "pass-down" from my late father and the cord is spliced and it shoots hot oil occasionally but it works really well and does the job.  I have a 60 gallon compressor but its just so much easier to use the electric one.


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## tacochris (May 6, 2021)

hm. said:


> Did this few years ago. Was posted somewhere on here. Anyway bought a 83 schwinn cruiser with a stuck seat post for $40 that the previous owner gave up on. He had tried heat with no luck, burned the paint still could not get seat post out. I got it home took an old VW trans cradle bolt I had with stripped threads. It fit inside the post snug. Weld it up and an used an impact gun. Heat from the weld did the trick. Came right out. Pretty easy..



Man I have been preaching this method for a long time and its the absolute end of the road, best way to get one out when everything else has failed.  Ive seen people cut frames, burn original paint, drill holes etc to save a seat post and I dont understand that because its SO much easier to replace a seat post than ruin a frame to get one out.  This way will get it out and save the most important thing which is the frame.


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## Barto (May 6, 2021)

tacochris said:


> I know right!  Lol
> This one was a "pass-down" from my late father and the cord is spliced and it shoots hot oil occasionally but it works really well and does the job.  I have a 60 gallon compressor but its just so much easier to use the electric one.



Yup, same here - 60 gal!  I also have Batt powered and now this electric one.....always ready!  Yuck, yuck!


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## Schwinny (May 22, 2021)

I just had a early 60's Western Auto frame that the post wouldn't budge. It soaked with PB for 3 days. I put the post in a vice and turned the frame, nothing but twisted the post. 3 more days soaking, tried again, nothing. Tried smacking it in a little, nope. There was two inches of frame tube above the top bar so I cut an inch off the top and re-slotted it with a Dremel, then soaked it again. In the vice again, nope.
Time for heat. so with heat, its in the vice again and it eventually starts to turn...
.... but it peeled a huge chunk of the tube below the top bar with it. It had literally welded itself to the frame.
Crazy too, since the rest of the bike was fairly rust free.
I dont think that would have happened with a Schwinn. This Western Auto was a Murray built frame and was on the thin side to start with. The seat post was a very soft steel also. Probably had something to do with metal alloy dis-similarities between the frame and the seat post. Kinda like how copper and iron corrode faster with each other.
Too bad, I had nice plans for that frame, now its gone to scrap. 
I kept thinking that if I had a an impact hammer with an egg tooth bit I could have ripped a trough down the seat post length on the inside but I've long since passed those tools on. Probably would have done the same tho. This rust was black as coal and seemed harder than the metal it was rusting.


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