Elgin Cardinal Stem Removal - Help Please

[Kato]

Call it a brain fart or whatever but I'm fighting getting the stem out of my 29-30 Elgin Cardinal
I've taken others out but am not sure if this one is different or just me since I'm by far no expert.
Can someone take a look at the pic and tell me what the heck I need to do before I break something.......?
It's been soaked in PB but probably needs to be soaked again. It's cleaning up nice but I need to get back on it.
Thanks !!! Kato

 

[mike j]

I would first, make sure that the plug isn't still wedged up in the stem. Then brace the fork, get a piece of wood & a 4lb hammer. Use the wood to protect the stem & tap, side to side while applying PB. Start fairly gently & increase pressure. Thin piece of hardwood like from a pallet works good to protect it but doesn't absorb too much shock. Patience is key here, good luck w/ it.

 

[buickmike]

Take it outside. With a. Small bottle of propane+automatic ignitor heat up the threaded portion then have squirt bottle with water to quench. Once you see the water rapidly leaving heated area. You will realize what it will take to expand and contract the fork tube. After a couple cycles of this I hope you will have confidence for next step. You can protect top tube with wet rags and it wouldn't hurt to have some handlebars for leverage. After heating up the tube it will dry all liquids that were present. Now for the smokey. Now you heat the tube again but will quench with blaster. After a couple cycles of this. There gonna be a big mess. And prolly your neighbors gonna call five-0. Get someone to stand over front wheel holding it while you try to turn handlebars. All u need is a small amount of movement.

 

[catfish]

 

[Kato]

Thanks for the ideas - I think I'm going to try the non-flammable hammer approach first
Is the stem supposed to slide up and out from just above where the threaded section is...........it almost looks like they are one piece?
If I understand right I should be able to PB it, put the bars back in for leverage or maybe the handle of a breaker bar and try back and forth working it loose......?

 

[catfish]

Paint is too nice to use heat.

 

[tech549]

was there a stem bolt ? if so thread it back in and leave half of an inch of play ,hit the bolt downward to release the wedge,then
clamp the stem in a vise and use a 2x4 at the top of the fork and twist.if its been soaking should break free. you will have to take the rear tire and fender off to accomplish this

 

[Kato]

was there a stem bolt ? if so thread it back in and leave half of an inch of play ,hit the bolt downward to release the wedge,then
clamp the stem in a vise and use a 2x4 at the top of the fork and twist.if its been soaking should break free. you will have to take the rear tire and fender off to accomplish this

Yes there was - I'll try that also................somebody had mentioned that to me also.
Back tire and fender are off so I should be able to lock it into a vice. Thanks !!!

 

[tech549]

I had one stuck just like this on a 35 hawthorne and that's what did for me,just keep working it in both directions.

 

[Kato]

I had one stuck just like this on a 35 hawthorne and that's what did for me,just keep working it in both directions.

Well, I've been working on this fargin thing for 2+ hours today and I can't get it to move
I've been soaking it in Kroil for a 2-3 weeks, tried banging the bolt partially back in method and hit it with heat.

The reason to get it out is I need to get the bolt that holds the fender out - the hole in the fender is to big and the bolt, lock washer and nut are seized up.
I got out the Dremel and buzzed the nut and washer off so now I have the 1/2 bolt in the headtube, along with the thing that the stem bolt screws into.
I flipper the bike over so I was working from the bottom and found a longer socket that would fit up in the head, over the 1/2 fender bolt piece, put 4 extensions so I'd clear enough room between the forks so I could bang the hell out of it and did.....trying to drive it back out from the bottom - nothing. notta - zilch.

I was hoping working on the bike would help desress me but it did the opposite so I'm done for the day.

Here are a couple pics..........am I missing something basic ???
I'm usually pretty decent at this stuff - especially outhinking a problem like this, BUT this is the first older bike I've run into something like this.

In the pic there is the spot where you can see the thereads and I'm thing the stem slides down inside........correct.
It's soaking again.....not sure what else to so so any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Mike

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