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Thread: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

  1. #1
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    Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    I am trying to loosen these shocks. One of the things I am trying is to hit the fork to loosen it up. That is after liberally applying a high grade rust loosener.

    I have turned my bike upside down and tried hammering from the other end.

    I noticed that the rust loosener drips out the bottom after I spray it on area where the piston is in the fork.

    So there is not a total "rust out."

    I know heat expands metal. What do you think of cleaning the rust loosener off and then heating the the ouside ?

    *output.jpg
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  2. #2
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    I'm not sure how those shocks are constructed but they usually have a piston with rubber seals. Chances are that the mount of heat required to loosen rusted parts will damage the seals and the paint also. But I guess if they're rusted tight like that the seals are probably already gone. I'd spray them with something like WD-40 or penetrating oil then move them back and fourth to help loosen them. clamping everything in a vice would help. Depending on how many tools/materials you have kicking around you can improvise a simple slide hammer to hammer the shock tubes out rather than in.

  3. #3
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    I am not worried about damage to the paint.

    I have had a lot of good times with that bike, so I would like to get it running.

    I moved from Houston, Texas to a small city.


    What is a slide hammer?
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  4. #4
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_hammer
    It's basically a metal cylinder that slides along a rod. The rod usually has a stopper on one end and bolt threads on the other. A long bolt sometimes works. You attach the threaded end to the object you want to remove and hammer the cylinder against the stopper. I use improvised slide hammers to hammer out things that I can't access from the back. Bearing and pins, stuff like that.

  5. #5
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    Thanks.

    You gave me an idea.

    There is an attachment point that I can use.
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  6. #6
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    @raleigh3

    You know the front forks can be replaced, right?
    Cheers,


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  7. #7
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    I can not find a replacement fork for a Huffy 21 speed hard tail mountain bike.
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  8. #8
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    Quote Originally Posted by raleigh3 View Post
    I can not find a replacement fork for a Huffy 21 speed hard tail mountain bike.
    Try here:

    https://www.searspartsdirect.com/com...-cycling-parts
    UP THE IRONS!

  9. #9
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    Re: Loosen rusted front bicycle shocks

    Thanks Norm24.

    They do not use the same model number that Huffy uses.

    I am chatting with them now.
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