Need Help - Stuck handle bar

[Limecreek]

 

I am right in the middle of swapping my K16GT bars out for a set of K13GT bars and I've run into my first challenge.

 

The black bar stub is stuck in the aluminum base. It looks like it has rusted in place. Will heat do the trick?

 

I am looking for suggestions to free the stub from the handle bar base.

 

 

 

 

[Guest Kakugo]

It all depends if it's just rusted in place or, much more likely, it's held in place with a strong thread locking compound.

 

In both cases you'll need to heat the part (heat gun at 120°C usually does the trick). If it was thread locking compound, just wait for the bar to cool down and loosen it. The compound will take a little while to solidify again, so no need to burn yourself by grabbing the hot metal right away.

 

It it's rust, after heating the part, put it in the refrigerator or, if it's not big enough, wrap it in a plastic bag filled with ice cubes (or, if it's freezing outside, just leave it there for a few hours). Allow it to freeze, then start tapping the area with a rubber mallet to loosen rust scales. You may need to repeat the process another time.

 

Hope this helped you out.

 

 

[sardineone]

My R1200ST steel handlebars mate to an aluminum base with a bolt and they also need heated to separate the two pieces. So that may be the same case with your bars as well. BTW, I used a propane torch heating the aluminum so I can't state an exact temperature.

[swmckinley]

I gots me a can o bacon lard. Be right over.

[racer7]

If its rust or corrosion I'd start with an ordinary penetrater/rust cutter solvent before reaching for heat. Give it overnight and if it doesn't come out with gentle tapping (maybe back and forth), add heat gently enough to not damage any finishes nearby. A torch is more risky than a heat gun especially if your attention wanders...sometimes even a hair dryer which is designed for much lower temps than a real heat gun (so it won't burn hair) is enough if you don't have a gun or torch.

 

If its a threadlocker, heat may be your only option. And some need to get darn hot to break loose- a hairdryer won't usually cut it for threadlockers. I normally use a torch for those.