Appreciation post: a customer's seized seatpost in the Florida heat

Last week, a guy brought in a bike that had been sitting in his garage in Tampa for two years. The aluminum seatpost was totally seized in the steel frame. I tried the usual tricks, but it wouldn't budge. I ended up mixing up a batch of ammonia and dish soap, let it soak overnight, and it came free with a solid twist the next morning. What's your go-to method for a really stuck post when basic penetrating oil doesn't cut it?

3 comments

3 Comments

owens.jenny19d ago

Just a heads up, ammonia can be risky on aluminum. It can cause corrosion. I've had better luck with a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and acetone.

quinn60618d ago

Acetone can eat some plastics too, careful.

oliviatorres18d ago

Yeah, @quinn606 is right, that stuff is no joke.