Appreciation post: a trick for stuck seatposts that actually worked

Had a steel frame with an aluminum post totally seized in the shop. Tried the usual heat and penetrating oil for a week, no luck. Ended up using a 50/50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid, let it sit for three days, and it finally broke free. Anyone have a different go-to for this kind of corrosion?

2 comments

2 Comments

davidmurphy8d agoMost Upvoted

Totally agree, that mix is magic. I had a post so stuck I thought the frame was a loss. I used a ton of that stuff, let it soak over a weekend, and then put the whole frame in a bench vise. I whacked the post with a mallet and a block of wood for what felt like forever. When it finally spun, I almost dropped the frame.

oliviabarnes8d ago

Ngl, that acetone and ATF mix is a lifesaver. I had the same problem on an old Peugeot and used a product called PB Blaster, soaked it for a full week with daily taps. The creaking when it finally turned was so satisfying.