Rant: A seized seatpost on a 90s steel frame took me three hours of heat and penetrating oil to finally break free.

What's your go-to method for a stuck post that's already soaked in Kroil?

3 comments

3 Comments

Three hours is a long fight. Did you try putting the frame in a freezer first before heating it? The big temperature change can help break the bond.

piperb931mo ago

Yeah, I get the theory behind that, but in my experience with old steel frames, the freezer trick can make things worse. The sudden cold can make the metal more brittle, especially if there's already some hidden rust. I've seen a lug crack that way. @the_ray, I've had better luck with just slow, even heat and a good penetrating oil, letting it soak for a full day before trying to twist.

butler.abby1mo ago

Saw a wild tip on a forum once about using dry ice instead of a freezer. The idea was it gets way colder, way faster, and the extreme shrink might pop it loose without the slow soak. Honestly never been brave enough to try it myself, sounds like a good way to wreck a nice frame if you're not careful. The old heat and patience method seems safer, even if it takes all day. Three hours of active fighting sounds brutal though, that post really wanted to stay.