[Nately27]

Ive got a seatpost that is seized in my Kona and i need some machinists or engineers to help me out. Ive tried twisting the seatpost, so much so that i twisted the seat mount collar in the seatpost. I also pulled on the seatpost with a come-along and tried to twist it. i drilled a hole through the seatpost to bypass the collar and pulled on a steel rod i passed through the hole. i ended up just bending the steel rod i was using to pull the seatpost. currently the frame is sitting with a seatpost full penetrating lube for a few days, them in gonna try at it again. does anyone know of a tool that will ream out a cylinder, such that i could machine the seatpost out of the seat tube? like a cylinder honing tool, but one that will remove material faster? or will a cylinder hone work? we're gonna try to use a cone brush tomorrow and see how that does. but this is an aluminum seatpost in an aluminum frame that moved several months ago, and was grease when it was installed. there was one wreck that messed up the seat, so i thought it was bent. I cut a vertical slit down to the seat tube, and even after clamping down on it with a vice grip, i was not able to winch it out. i can only think that it is somehow corroded to the frame. so lemme hear any ideas you have. im gettin desperate...i miss my frame

 

[Nately27]

here's a picture of the winching process

 

[dhmtbj]

I had the similar problem with my minuteman which in the end caused the frame to fail. Our solution for removing the post was to use a drill bit the size of the post but smaller than the tube and drill the seatpost out. We were able to drill down about 3.5-4 inches so that another seatpost could be used. Unfortunately we hit the seattube just a little in one spot and the seat tube is now cracking Good luck!!

 

[zedro]

maybe try twisting the seatpost using a monkey wrench.

i bet either the post or seat tube is ovalised or bent. I would exhaust the non-destructive ways first, then maybe consider going to a machine shop where a couple of different methods could be considered.

 

[COmtbiker12]

Maybe you should just sell the frame with the seatpost before you end up breaking something

 

[Jm_]

hehe, my friend luke took one out of a bike a few months back at the bike shop by tying the frame to a jeep, and tying the seatpost to a 4-runner, then driving away...lol...

 

[stoner_303]

Originally posted by zedro
maybe try twisting the seatpost using a monkey wrench.

wait.....waaa??? nately already said he tried to twist it out.......

 

[esr]

Best safe solution is take a hacksaw blade and cut the post down the inside cutting a small slot the crush the post that will break the crousion and make it easier to remove or cut ti into slices this process take a while but is safe and easy

 

[zedro]

Originally posted by stoner_303
wait.....waaa??? nately already said he tried to twist it out.......

you are a stoner.......i said twist the seatpost, not the seat mount like he said he did (which just ended up twisting it and not the post). Unless there is no seat post actually exposed, in which case its stuck because some posts have larger ODs at the end (my Konas post got stuck because of that).

 

[BMXman]

if you don't mind messing up the paint...I have fixed this same exact problem using cold and heat treatments......you get the idea...D

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Originally posted by zedro
maybe try twisting the seatpost using a monkey wrench.

i bet either the post or seat tube is ovalised or bent. I would exhaust the non-destructive ways first, then maybe consider going to a machine shop where a couple of different methods could be considered.

That would be my thought, make sure you are close to the seat tube it self and try somemore penitrating oil. Or if there is room left in the seat tube try smacking the seatpost down with a hammer to try to break it free that way, then remove with a pipe wrench. And try to use a big wrench like an 18" one for better leverage.

 

[sikocycles]

pull the bb out a hope the is a seat tube drain hole if not make one. Pour so liquid wrench down the hole and let sit over night. Bleach also works it breaks down the corrosion

 

[BlackDiamond]

Try lime-away or CLR. That will eat the rust. Cut the seat post about 3" above the seat clamp, then cut a slit down the post as close to the clamp as you can get. Then pinch the post and this will help loosen it more.

 

[zedro]

Originally posted by Brian HCM#1
Or if there is room left in the seat tube try smacking the seatpost down with a hammer to try to break it free that way,

hmm, the thing is, i'm thinking its mechanically stuck, and not chemically from corrosion. Forcing it further may jam it more if its the former.

 

[Swine]

kona= straight and same diameter tubing all the way to the bb right?

 

[Curb Hucker]

get a buddy with a pick up, and put a blanket down in the truckbed. Tie the frame to the tie downs, so when the post comes out it falls on the blanket. Go and get your car and tie it to the post, then in 1st gear just rip it out :devil:

 

[Transfer]

These are some good ideas. I want to hear the result of this dilemma.

 

[Nately27]

OH H3LL YES!!! that sonbitch is out! i tried just about all the ideas posted except for the monkey wrench. when winching it out didnt do anything, i hooked the seatpost to my truck and the frame to a tree. only i bent the two steel rods i put through the holes in the seatpost. so i got some u bolt things, and hooked them through the holes. hooked it to my truck in 4 wheel drive low, and gassed it. and it popped right out. It turns out there was quite a bit of corrosion at he bottom of the post, a white powdery residue is all around the bottom half. more grease for me next time i install a seatpost. ill post some pics here in a minute. thanks for all the ideas. i think im gonna mount that seatpost on my wall now.

 

[Nately27]

Thanks again for the help. i was glad to know someone else thought of hooking a truck to the post because i'd been considering it as well. now lets go riding!

 

[COmtbiker12]

Originally posted by Nately27

Thanks again for the help. i was glad to know someone else thought of hooking a truck to the post because i'd been considering it as well. now lets go riding!

Glad to see you got it out!

 

[zedro]

man, thats one solution i could never bear to do, i could never bear to watch...well if i valued the frame at least. Glad it worked out for ya.

 

[Castle]

Rock On or I mean Ride On!!!!

whatever, I'm stoaked it's out!!!

Grease is your friend..... the weird thing is; it was greased when it was put in I know it was, multiple times, strange stuff,

I guess it's a good idea to raise and lower your seat every month or so and add a lil grease.......

nice pics btw.... I could never see myself tying my frame to a tree, oh man, that would be scarey

 

[phillyvanilly]

4000 lbs of brute force, I like it, hopefully it ddint stress any welds on your frame too bad but at least you can use it now, plus the Kona is pretty burly so I wouldnt worry about it, good job. While it seems sketchy, in reality is probably better than messing up the heat treating of your frame by heating and cooling, or potentialing damaging the tubing by boreing out the seatpost.

 

[Dartman]

Thanks for the laugh!!! Glad no one got hurt and the seatpost came out. Here's how to do it if you don't have access to a 4WD vehicle.

Stuck seatpost removal.

Mike

 

[Shortbus]

people do strange things to their cars... (AND bikes)... That's why there's certified preowned blah blah blah...


GLAD it worked out

 

[bushwacker]

Man, I got to the pictures, and thought I was going to see a seatpost embedded in the windshield of your truck from the rope tension springing back.

 

[Inclag]

LOL

If you removed the BB, poured in alot of ammonia, let it sit for a week, and then put the post in a table vice and rotated the frame, it might have been a bit easier.

 

[JAB]

WAHAHAHAHA!!!

Form now on that is how Im gonna remove my headset, crankarms, UST tires and my contacts!

 

[Matt D]

We've had a lot of luck pouring antifreeze into the seattube and seatpost through the BB shell and letting it sit overnight. Some kind of chemical reaction eats the rust I think. We've gotten dozens of seized posts out, no trucks either!

The only one we couldn't get out was an old carbon fiber Trek OCLV frame, we didn't know what the antifreeze would do to the carbon, so we left it alone, we didn't want to go there.

edit: Glad you got it out, but I'm sure that puts A LOT of stress on tubes that weren't designed to take it; not to mention the welds.