Heat gun vs butane torch for seized seatposts - I was dead wrong

I spent 3 HOURS last week trying to get a stuck aluminum post out of a steel frame with a heat gun. Got it hot enough to melt the paint but the post would NOT budge. A buddy at the shop said try a propane torch, just be quick and careful. One minute of direct heat on the collar and the post turned with barely any force. I was totally skeptical about using an open flame near a frame but now I GET it. Has anyone else had a stripped bolt that seemed impossible until you switched tools?

3 comments

3 Comments

stella3071mo ago

You tried heat for three hours? Dude that's brutal, I feel your pain.

blairwhite1mo ago

Stella's heat gun story reminds me of that whole category of stuff where you try the obvious fix for way too long before admitting it's not working. Happens with everything, not just vehicles. Like how people will keep shaking a stuck jar lid or hammering a nail that's clearly bending instead of just grabbing a different tool. Something about sunk cost, I guess. You've already invested the time so you keep going even when your brain knows it's pointless. Ever catch yourself doing that with something simple like a software update that just won't load?

wren8061mo ago

Man I did the same thing with my old truck last winter. Two and a half hours with a heat gun on the fuel lines and nothing lmao. Finally just gave up and called a buddy to tow it to a shop.