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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?
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finley_shah645mo ago
Always thought heat was best, but that acetone mix sounds way smarter.
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the_robert5mo 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.
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ryant505mo ago
Can't beat that combo for stubborn stuff.
2
quinncoleman5mo 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.
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