Serious stem problem!

[ROX]

I got my NOS blue Suntour bar stem yesterday, and when fitting it last night it was tight, so I hammered it into the hole, and now it is completely stuck, it won't go down below the "safe" line, it won't twist to line up with the forks/wheel and it won't come out!

I've put a lever between the forks and tried to twist it using an old set of bars, but I'm afraid of twisting the forks,  I've sprayed it with penetrating spray, I've taken the wheel off and tried to knock it back out with a drift, but it is stuck fast!!! 

Any ideas?

[toys19]

IF you use a drift through the bottom of the forks and the wedge is still in there then all you will do is make things tighter. Remove the stem bolt, then using something like an old stem bolt drift out the wedge, this can be done by screwing the old stem bolt into the wedge and tapping gently to loosen it. Then try drifting out the stem from below, although you mnay find that its loose enough now as its probably the wedge which is holding it in...


 

[ROX]

I removed the wedge out the bottom of the forks before trying to drift the stem out.

[toys19]

Oh dear.
I can only suggest that you hit it with something larger then...

[Peanut]

stick the forks in a vice and put an extra long pole into the stem instead of bars, twist and shout.... alot.

Failing that mallets mallet.

[ROX]

Right, Ive blocked up the hole with plasticine, and sprayed a load of penetrating spray down the hole.

I'm going to leave it over the (long) weekend and try the vice/iron bar treatment on Tuesday.

Wish me luck, as if I wreck my frame or forks I will probably cry! 

[toys19]

I'll be honest I cant see what the pentrating spray would do for you, its not like its been in there for years and rusted solid, you only just banged it in didn't you?
I would defo just hit it from below with a large hammer using a large bit of metal as a drift, something like a 20mm bar or bigger. All you did was hammer it in so you should be able to hammer it back out again.

I would also consider if the headset lock nut is causing the problem, so loosen that off and see if you can raise it up the stem jsut to be sure its not that which is fouling the shaft of the stem.

[ROX]

The headset locknut is completely out.

Trouble with hitting it from below is that it may cause the stem to splay, so making it even tighter and harder to remove.

[toys19]

Maybe, but I dont think so, hitting things is a standard engineering method for removing stuff. The stem is 20 ish mm dia with a 3 -4mm wall thickness, thats pretty hefty, they have to be, its not like a crummy bit of frame tube, its a proper thick tube, go on smack it!
You could get a metal bar the same dia as the inside of the stem, then you wouldnt have that problem but you might push the aluminium bit off the top...

[QUADROPHENIA]

had the same problem with a set of performer forks with a suntour stem, upside down twat it very very hard with a hammer to get it out, the stem shaft had to be ground down to go in a set of forks in the end as to thick

[ROX]

It's out!

20mm bar and a 10lb sledge hammer... it didn't stand a chance, although my neck bearings have now gone a little rough, but nothing a little grease won't sort hopefully!

Thanks for all your help and suggestions chaps! 

[toys19]

When I was starting out as an engineer this was known as the american method...

Young gun " This is stuck in here how the hell do I get it out"
Wise old welsh engineering shop manager with a Windsor Davies accent "Oh lovely boy, you will have to use the american method"