Pro tip: A customer brought in a 90s mountain bike with a seized seatpost that took me three hours to free

I used a mix of penetrating oil and a bench vise with soft jaws, but the real trick was applying heat with a small propane torch for short bursts. What's your go-to method for a really stuck aluminum post in a steel frame?

4 comments

4 Comments

finley_shah644d ago

Always thought heat was best, but that acetone mix sounds way smarter.

the_robert4d ago

One thing folks forget is that aluminum oxide powder from the corrosion acts like a grinding paste. A good penetrant has to flush that grit out, not just loosen the bond. The acetone mix is thin enough to seep in and carry some of that abrasive away, which is why it works so well on those really stuck posts.

ryant502d ago

Can't beat that combo for stubborn stuff.

quinncoleman4d ago

Last year I had a steel frame where the aluminum post was completely frozen. I ended up using a two-foot pipe wrench on the post after soaking it in a 50/50 mix of acetone and transmission fluid for two full days. The extra leverage from the long handle finally broke it free without hurting the frame. Patience with the penetrant was the key for me, more than heat.