Sjtaylor

I bought a steel framed bike with a stuck quill stem. The stem was slammed all the way down, so far down that the steer tube locknut could unscrew but just barely. After soaking the upside down steer tube with liquid wrench I was able to spin the stem with the help of a hammer handle in the fork for leverage. I could eventually spin the stem fairly easily but not completely in a full circle. I messed with it for quite a while.

i started tapping the stem out with a wooden block and a hammer. I got the stem to move a very little before it would lock up again. Right now the stem has come out about 1/8” and is locked up. I’ve got it upside down again filled with iquid wrench.

The wedge is loose and it seems something else is going on other than corrosion. I’m wondering if it’s possible that someone tighted the wedge so tight that they mushroomed the end of the stem or someone slammed the stem with a mallet mis shaping something inside.

Ill try again tomorrow but I don’t think corrosion is keeping the stem from coming out. As a last resort I’m going to cut the stem off just above the locknut. I’ll see if I have or can find a tap to thread the inside hole of the stuck stem. I’ll rig up a slide hammer to impact the stem and hopefully impact/pull it out before I ruin the steer tube or head tube.

Any comments or suggestions? Thanks.

Pop N Wood

I agree it sounds like the quill wedge is stuck. I would tighten the quill finger tight, heat the outside of the headset with a heat gun, then just a couple of hammering blows downward to try and loosen the wedge. if the quill is snug this might allow some twisting force.

Can you work a punch in from bottom and knock it out that way? A lot of times the bottom of the headset is open.

I've known people who have drilled holes in the bottom of a car strut tube for just this purpose.

dsbrantjr

It sounds like whomever slammed the stem might have gotten the wedge "wedged" into the butted section at the bottom of the steerer: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html#danger so you can't pull it out and can't drive it down either.
I think that Pop N Wood's suggestion to try and drive it out from below is a good approach.

Sjtaylor

The wedge is definitely loose and hangs by the threads of the quill stem bolt. I can verify that by looking in from the bottom.

I can’t imagine that corrosion will let me spin the stem fairly easily until I start to drive the stem out. This morning after a night of soaking I’ll try again to free the stem. If not I’ll drive the stem back in where I can rotate it and let the whole mess soak again with liquid wrench. I’ll be patient because I want to save this build.

With the slide hammer trick I’ll be able to efficiently drive the stem in and out. I worry what damage I’m doing to the steer tube bearings. If I cut the stem off just above the lock nut I should be able to remove the fork from the frame and continue to work on the piece that is stuck.

This is fun but a little nerve racking. I’ve only invested $50 so far but the bike is pretty special being a my size high end touring frame from the 80s.

Iride01 

If you feel that it is the wedge that isn't moving, then just unscrew the bolt all the way and remove the stem. The you can deal with the wedge by itself. Which I'd think will be just putting a drift or something through the bottom of the steerer and give it a whack or two.

Center bolt on the top of stem is what you are loosening? Apologies for asking, but a while back someone here on BF was trying to tighten up their loose stem and was tightening the large nut holding the steerer tube in.

jadocs

Was thinking the same. The stem itself (even if loose) might be "wedging" the wedge preventing the whole assembly from being removed. If you unscrewed it all the way and removed the stem (leaving the wedge) you might have a better chance of getting the wedge out.