Why Aluminum Stems/Seatposts Get Seized In Steel Bike Frames

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I show how, and why aluminum seat posts and stems get stuck/frozen in steel bicycle frames. I explain galvanic reaction/corrosion trying to keep it as non-technical as possible. Mostly, it's the build up of aluminum oxide that makes it hard to remove the stem/seatpost. If you want to read all the details of the electrochemical process, you can google it, and find all of the details about anodes/cathodes, ions, hydroxides, etc. I am sure some viewers may post some of the technical information in the comments. And I guess I should mention it's aluminium for my UK viewers.
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Опубликовано:

19 мар 2018

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Комментарии : 143

@RJTheBikeGuy 5 лет назад

For more bike repair videos hit the subscribe button ► bit.ly/SubRJTheBikeGuy

@stevespanos75 Месяц назад

The Manufacturers OBVIOUSLY know this problem exists. WHY don't they COAT the aluminum stems and seat posts ? OR all seat posts should have a Durable Sleeve, and the problem won't exist. Thank you for the explanation, knowing this MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE. A good explanation and information about aluminum oxidation.

@eelkovander356 6 лет назад

Hi RJ, thanks for explaining that. I have just finished removing a ceased handle and seat stem from my current project and it is nice to know there is a a reason!

@tomgreen3351 5 лет назад

Simple yet thorough explanation. Thanks so much for the insight.

@vegasastras5367 6 лет назад

Very useful tips no bullshit and old school style explained. I am thinking to remove my bicycle stem, clean bearings, grease everything and put it back, removing play in the process. Thx

@TheRokko66 6 лет назад

Excellent explanation, practical and useful! Thank you very much RJ!

@davidbeasley232 6 лет назад

I'm getting ready to grease my seat and handle stems now. Thanks for the video. Very informative.

@leestimson12 6 лет назад

Great explanation. Now I know what is going on over time and how to prevent it as I rebuild a lot of old bikes for charity. Thanks RJ.

@Roginator007 6 лет назад

Thanks RJ, Looking forward to the next build.

@trekkie9942 6 лет назад

Great video RJ! Very thorough explanation.

@danielnagy9717 6 лет назад

Thank you for the great explanation and for the lot of useful video, which helped me a lot.

@robkunkel8833 Год назад

Hey RJ thank you. This was a nice explanation and good advice. Caribbean living on a boat and we are always dealing with galvanic issues with metal. I just bought an expensive grease gun kit for the first time. Unfortunately I couldn’t put it together right and now I have a GREASE PIT made of Tupperware. Oh well, could be worse. I kept clean.

@denishuber7758 6 лет назад

As always very nice video...nice explained...well done RJ!

@georgehibberd93 3 года назад

SO useful! That explains why it took me a week to get my stem out of my bike

@jorgeace7745 6 лет назад

Great video and explanation! Congrats.

@RandyDarkshade2 6 лет назад

I had a friend ask me a few days ago what causes this and I could not for the life of me remember what the reaction was called. Thanks RJ.

@goriverman 6 лет назад

Thank you great tip. That’s something I will do from now one.

@DrDrew1979 6 лет назад

Great video and an excellent explanation

@chrismad1344 6 лет назад

Thanks for this info.

@bikeme1969 3 года назад

Excellent video - I've always referred to this problem as Galvanic Corrosion and I've never come up or heard of a cure for this once it's happened to a seat post. Now that you've identified the culprit as Aluminum Oxide, perhaps there's some good chemists out there that have a chemical or something else that would be the solution to get rid of this once it's set in on the seat post.

@wahrhaftigkeitbarmherzigke3163 2 года назад

A user commented on another RJ Video tthat phosphoric acid works much better than vinegar for this kind of rust or corrosion.

@gordonc3600 5 лет назад

Interesting, thanks for explanation

@that70sschwinn 6 лет назад

Nicely explained RJ...

@gdwilson001 6 лет назад

Nice work as usual

@dangerdavefreestyle Год назад

Outstanding info

@jazzleman 5 лет назад

Really clear explanation - thank you!

@RJTheBikeGuy 5 лет назад

Thank you for watching.

@zakdk1 6 лет назад

Well explained

@sinanmahmood3916 6 лет назад

nice advice , thanks

@gabingo 6 лет назад

Great explanation.

@blakeworsham3026 6 лет назад

Why not coat that aluminum bar in grease then assemble the battery again to see the voltage reduction from the grease layer ?

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

I thought about it. Maybe I will make a short follow up video.

@mslonik 6 лет назад

Also please give it a try when both plates (aluminium and steel) are dry, for comparison.

@s1ocky 6 лет назад

The reaction needs a solvent to transfer the electrons. There is water vapor in the atmospheric air so you will get some reaction, but the problem is not significant with dry parts.

@mslonik 6 лет назад

Not sure of that. If grease is copper based it should also reduce potential - should affect the voltage reading.

@pmd7914 6 лет назад

mslonik - don't use a copper based grease/antiseize in contact wth aluminium. Copper/aluminium are not compatible, often used to example galvanic reaction.

@juliewalls5804 6 лет назад

Cool to know the science!

@brianwallenburg9224 6 лет назад

If we could only somehow harness that .5 volt and direct to the crank! Great explanation.

@MrAndyloz 6 лет назад

nice explanation

@radubaleanu5689 6 лет назад

Nice. RJ the bike guy turns into RJ the science guy :)

@PeterC-up9ue 6 лет назад

Brilliant galbonic explanation!

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Galvanic. Like galvanized steel.

@CongTrancongqcb 6 лет назад

thank you so much

@Carlos-the-cyclist 6 лет назад

Very interesting. Would have like to seen another two piece of steel & aluminum with grease between them and check to see what voltage was made.

@josephgiustiniani2834 2 года назад

It's not difficult if you have a volt meter. Horror Freight sells them for under $10.00. Nice to have around for other things .

@jasmohi 6 лет назад

good content

@mguerramd Год назад

I use anti-seize compound. The worst case of this I ever saw was in a Norton Commando motorcycle isolastic suspension. They have through bolts that pass through a rubber isolator, and there is a metal sleeve in the rubber donut for the through bolt to bear on. When those through bolts seized to the sleeve, it was a nightmare scenario.

@dereksmith3632 6 лет назад

Thank you, I finally understand. I asked GCN tech this morning about aluminum anti seize on bike parts? Your thoughts? They haven't responded and it was a late comment. Anyway, I been wanting to tell you, you're the first channel I ever subbed to back in 16. I was shy to comment and 40 bike channels later I'm commenting all over the place, probably to much, but I love to talk, again probably to much Thanks for getting me back building bikes (I'm now working on three). Things have really changed since my teen years! I appreciate you and what you do! Sorry for the long comment but I wanted you to know.

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Thanks! Anti seize can be used, but I generally use marine grease on bikes.

@mikeo1567 6 лет назад

Excellent explanation!!

@keithschrack 6 лет назад

metal humor.

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

That's how I roll. :D

@th_js 6 лет назад

Super great explanation, you should be a teacher! 😀

@Metal-Possum 6 лет назад

Moral of the story, use grease! Undo and move those parts every few years.

@michaelwieland9236 3 года назад

Cool mug.

@dugldoo Год назад

Nice illustration and explanation. For the first time ever I just took the aluminum seatpost out of the high-end steel road bike I bought new in the mid 70s. It slid out easily. It had a light coating of powdery iron oxide which wiped off easily. Under that was the faintest hint of aluminum oxide which came off with a little polish. It's good to study special cases when things go better than expected as well as when things don't go well. What do you suppose prevented this post from getting corroded over all that time?

@GodBlezzAmerica 11 месяцев назад

Did you keep it in a climate controlled garage? My 1984 Schwinn looks new with the chrome un rusted even though I live in Chicago. It must have not been exposed to the elements

@yuukiokazaki3543 6 лет назад

Whoo AP Chemistry knowledge is coming in handy :D

@gilberttiborjakub9890 4 года назад

Hi! May I ask what is your opinion regarding the carbon seat post in a steel frame combos? I bought a modern cromo gravel frame and I am thinking about to use carbon seat post in that. Should I have to use some grease in that too? On some forums I read the steel+ carbon works better dry... is that true?

@kyliemack5241 9 месяцев назад

LIKED THE VIDEO, BUT HOW DO YOU GET IT OUT WHEN IT IS LIKE THAT?

@yorgios22 6 лет назад

thats why i keep cleaning and greasing my aluminium seatpost of my steel bike, and put some inner tube to protect it(at least from mud)

@andreyavramov9326 Месяц назад

Can we reverse that reaction by applying external current in the opposite direction somehow? And hoping that Aluminum Oxide will disappear that way?

@HenningJohansen 6 лет назад

It might even be worth looking into: 'Dielectric grease is electrically insulating and does not break down when high voltage is applied. It is often applied to electrical connectors, particularly those containing rubber gaskets, as a means of lubricating and sealing rubber portions of the connector without arcing.'

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

This is not high voltage. This is tiny, itsy, bitsy voltage,

@speedindeemin 6 лет назад

Also seen called dissimilar metal corrosion!

@classydays43 4 года назад

So technically, all bikes with aluminum seat posts and stems are potential e-bikes.

@mikieson 6 лет назад

interesting

@johnb.9806 6 лет назад

Copper grease is good I believe. Used to stop alloy wheels sticking to steel hubs on cars.

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

I prefer marine grease. Keep in mind, bikes are different than cars. Cars have more extreme conditions. Higher temps, etc.

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

"There is a problem however, aluminium is very susceptible to an electrochemical reaction known as a galvanic corrosion when it comes into contact with copper in the presence of an electrolyte, even salty water will do!" www.puretyre.co.uk/mobile-brake-fitting-service-norwich-norfolk/why-copper-grease-should-not-be-used-on-the-brakes-of-modern-motor-vehicles/

@johnb.9806 6 лет назад

I bought some to do my brake pads because Ed China always seemed to use it on Wheeler Dealers. I think I heard a tyre fitter mention it too once. I was under the impression it was best practice on brake pads. I'll just replace it on my saddle stem with ordinary grease. I'll leave it on the brake pads because they're steel on steel. I did Google to see if it was conductive, and it isn't, but that article says it can become conductive when it evaporates

@SergeyGalin 6 лет назад

Copper and graphite are conductors so the grease will become more and more conductive as the oil part gets away.

@ninetailsnet 3 года назад

Thats why everytime when we are cycling and our bicycles was get wet because of the heavy rain, we disassembled our bikes to drained the water in every part of it.

@maximiliangutmann Год назад

What do you call a wheel made of iron?

@IGotsBadFeeling 6 лет назад

But doesn't the seat post slip when lubricated with grease? I use anti-seize. I don't know if that is the same.

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Not generally.

@benjamindminor7552 4 года назад

No there is still enough friction holding the seatpost and stem. You just need a light coating of grease and you can apply this as part of your seasonal maintenance.

@romanmentor9238 3 месяца назад

Are steel spokes on aluminium rims also at risk then?

@carsonstephens2508 6 лет назад

Completely unrelated to bike stuff; had a washing machine that had a steel transmission and an aluminum basket and they had galvanized together

@allenschmitz9644 6 лет назад

same thing people found out when they had an aluminum engine block and steel bolts..hey there stuck!

@realityanalyst 2 года назад

I have a seized aluminum crank arm on my steel bottom bracket. The battle is on. If I use a torch to heat up the join will it help to break the rust and remove the crank arm?

@Desi365 2 года назад

Are you sure it's what you describe ? They're really seized with corrosion ? Or is the arm just wedged ? BBs are aluminum in general, too. I got rid of a stuck crank arm by sawing it, once. Aluminum is soft metal, you can saw it pretty easily. It's just about finding the right angle to saw confortably. You don't even need to saw it all the way, at some point, it weakens the compression and it comes off.

@realityanalyst 2 года назад

@@Desi365 Probably it was wedged pretty good and maybe a little rusted. It hadn't been taken off for years. I managed to remove it with a 2 leg pulley.

@Darryl603 6 лет назад

There's no wet paper between the seat post and the frame. What does the meter read with the wet plates touching each other without the paper? Thanks RJ

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Exactly. In that case, they are touching, and the voltage would go straight into the steel.

@harunrasyid9347 5 лет назад

This is what happening to my handle bar stick is being seized inside the fork bike,, I try rust remover but did not work,, is tnere any better chemical to use .....

@RJTheBikeGuy 5 лет назад

Rust remover won't do anything unless the stem is steel. Penetrating oil might help a little. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7GvN7w386U0.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8b4t42wiJpQ.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0GRbdnTRH-4.html Good luck!

@AndrogyneMichinaga 3 года назад

I'm starting to worry about the paint bubbling low down on the aluminium frame of my bike. A 19 year old Cannondale T800 touring bike.

@RJTheBikeGuy 3 года назад

Could be some corrosion going on there.

@pierre-de-standing 2 года назад

So, is it possible to reverse the reaction having a higher potential difference from the steel to the aluminium?

@pierre-de-standing 2 года назад

Hmm, forget that, it would probably set up corrosion the opposite way!

@marscookingshow2352 3 года назад

Hi sir can i seek some help im having a problem on removing my quill stem on my bike..It's litterally stuck and frozen..What am i going to do?thank you

@RJTheBikeGuy 3 года назад

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7GvN7w386U0.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8b4t42wiJpQ.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0GRbdnTRH-4.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-knEvRhM-g4Q.html

@yaronmtb8848 6 лет назад

👍 📹

@MP-zf7kg 3 года назад

something else to keep in mind: aluminum fatigue-fails pretty dramatically. There's not really usually a warning "bend", crack, or so on, it just RIPS apart. I had a relatively new handlebar do it at the clamp, was lucky it happened while I was going slow(er). Long story short is I won't use aluminum on a bike again.

@phrodendekia 2 года назад

It happened to me too, luckily I wasnt going fast as well

@Londonfogey 2 года назад

@@phrodendekia Happened to me too, and I got the jagged broken end in my crotch, in the middle of a busy road in central London! Fortunately no serious damage was done.

@tedoyle61 3 года назад

Think you can remove a seat post from 30 years ??? Chances, ideas?

@code3xiv 6 лет назад

How about titanium seatpost against 4130 seat tube?.. better corrosion resistance?

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Doesn't look like a good combo. www.ssina.com/images/corrosion/galvanic-series.gif

@code3xiv 6 лет назад

RJ The Bike Guy Owhh. Ok thank you sir!

@Greg-tj8rg 6 лет назад

Anyone wondering what the video said at 5:28 : Q: What do you call a wheel made of iron? A: A ferrous wheel

@osito71 3 года назад

What dissolves aluminum oxide?

@RJTheBikeGuy 3 года назад

Google it for a lot of different opinions.

@johnplink 6 лет назад

I would have liked to first see a measurement from the volt meter with the paper dry. And why is paper needed for the demonstration? Couldn't the two pieces of metal have been together, with and without water, and then with grease between the two pieces of metal?

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

The paper is needed because if the pieces were directly together, the electricity would go straight from the aluminum into the steel, and not through the voltage meter which would then read 0 volts. If the paper was dry, there would be no galvanic reaction. You need the water as an electrolyte.

@TheKeithbruce 6 лет назад

what dissolves aluminum oxide ?

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Supposedly ammonia, but the problem is getting it in there since the layer is very thin and very deep. It will only contact the edge the corrosion.

@pocopal 4 года назад

Manufacturers who screw steel parts in aluminum frame bottom brackets without grease should be tarred and feathered and run out of town...so frustrating some times....makes for a lot of extra work.

@lesleylesley5821 3 года назад

This is a common problem with motor homes. The roof is often aluminum and the body of the unit is steel, and tiny holes will appear all over the roof, the next thing, the water gets in and the roof is Swiss Cheese holes.

@honda200twinstar3 2 года назад

yup grease ..thats what i aplly to my reconditioned bikes

@EntrE01 6 лет назад

use assembly paste, not grease for a seatpost!

@SergeyGalin 6 лет назад

Did you ever encounter this effect with modern, higher quality anodized seat posts?

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Yes. Aluminum is aluminum. Anodized just means they put a controlled layer of oxidation on it. If the aluminum is not anodized, it will quickly oxidize anyway.

@SergeyGalin 6 лет назад

But anodizing is not just an oxidation, it's a layer of some other material.

@ketmax2805 6 лет назад

i have a lame chemistry joke water:dude wanna swim? sodium:NA that was lame

@ketmax2805 6 лет назад

remember to put grease or you will have a bad time! ;-)

@MisterCristianH Год назад

I have an aluminum frame with a cro-mo stem. It’s stuck. The bike is 30 years old. How fucked am i ?

@Create_o_raptor 6 лет назад

What about carbon?

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

I know carbon fiber can seize, but I am not sure about the process involved in that.

@Create_o_raptor 6 лет назад

RJ The Bike Guy oh.. ok..

@wheeleyguy 6 лет назад

Awesome post! Very informative. " An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure"

@ledzeppelin1212 4 года назад

What do you call a wheel made of iron? A FERROUS wheel!

@RJTheBikeGuy 4 года назад

That is bad!

@gakbrenti 3 года назад

now i know why my stem is stuck. fak.. oh thanks btw..

@johnlemuelmedina1041 3 года назад

a ferrous wheel 😁

@scamdemic1016 3 года назад

Grease is the word.

@seraphan6 2 года назад

Easter egg joke found!

@allenschmitz9644 6 лет назад

In the 1970's and 80's they didn't care about that stuff, people bought cars after they had bikes.

@RJTheBikeGuy 6 лет назад

Yes they did. They just greased the parts.

@robinburt5735 6 лет назад

I can't even remember the last bike i had with a steel frame.. 1989 maybe?

@wubforceone 6 лет назад

i dont like ferrous wheels

@pentiuman 5 месяцев назад

You're wrong! Electricity is free sometimes. Like as a teenager, you typically don't have to pay for the electricity you use at the family home. Usually, the parents do!