Removing V-brake posts

[Fiveohhh]

I just bought a pair of disk brakes and while they installed fine, I'm having troubles removing the old rear v-brake posts. Is there a trick to them(reverse threaded maybe?) or do I just need to get a bigger wrench?!

[WKWizard]

No tricks. Maybe some solvent and a couple taps with a scrap of wood to break up the gunk in the threads.

[jeffgude]

They are usually installed with threadlocker.

[RichZilla]

Heat (from a torch) always works. Of course it always burns the paint off too.

The above comments are spot-on. Also, make sure the wrench fits properly and try giving it a sharp blow to break the initial bond. A dead blow hammer (a.k.a. The X-Wife's Hammer) usually works best for this. If you don't have one of those you can use a regular hammer or your hand. Tap easy at first, and increase force reasonably until it cracks loose. Then just finish removing it with only the wrench. It will probably be difficult to turn throughout the entire length of the threads due to the 'threadlocker' in there.

Happy Wrenching!

[Fiveohhh]

Thanks for the input, I'll try the suggestions out when I get back home Tuesday.

[jeffgude]

I'm dealing with the same thing right now, and the posts have very limited flat area for the wrench.

[Homegrown]

vise-grips

[soupboy]

Get a big crescent wrench and/or a breaker bar for leverage. Keep your hands clear of getting pinched given the amount of force it might take.

Separately - what kind of fork is it? I know that on certain Marzocchi forks the v-brake bosses are integral to the chassis. In these cases the mfr typically offers a shorter boss/bolt for disc users that provides a "cleaner" look.

[Inspiribomb]

I just did this on my monocog cuz I'm putting Hayes Strokers on it. Even brand new, 1 of them was tough. Make sure you use the right size wrench. Don't use an adjustable, that's just asking to round off the posts.

[4Screws]

use these...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/118VBBYXD0L._AA160_.jpg
not this...

http://www.wxxzr-keqiang.com/bookpic/c2.jpg

[soupboy]

Put a propane torch on the post, not the fork, for a bit. The metal will transfer the heat down to the threads w/o effing up your paint.

A hex wrench typically won't work here hombres due to the fact the most posts have 2 flats. An open ended wrench can work but typically is not available with enough length for the required size (TWSS) to impart sufficient leverage.

Big crescent wrenches FTW! A HQ big wrench with good threads will not slip.

[jeffgude]

The posts on my Fox fork came loose ok, its the posts on the Epic rear end that are stubborn. They only have 2 flats, so a socket or box end wrench doesn't fit. The flat surfaces are very small and the open ended wrench slips if I apply a lot of force. I am debating just how much heat to apply to the post itself, clearly applying heat anywhere near an aluminum seatstay is not a good idea.

[4Screws]

my bad, I read Marzocchi somewhere and thought thats what was needed to be taken out.:hammer:

http://www.speedgoat.com/images/products/FK9938.jpg

[jeffgude]

Mine look like this.

http://penncycle.com/images/library/catalogs/soc/prodl/FK4715.jpg

[bigwheel]

The posts on my Fox fork came loose ok, its the posts on the Epic rear end that are stubborn. They only have 2 flats, so a socket or box end wrench doesn't fit. The flat surfaces are very small and the open ended wrench slips if I apply a lot of force. I am debating just how much heat to apply to the post itself, clearly applying heat anywhere near an aluminum seatstay is not a good idea.

Presumably, the posts are throw-away. So, why not just snap on a big honking pair of vice grips and crank like hell on it. If you ever decide to go back to V brakes, then buy another set of posts. Seems safer than heating it up with a torch.

[Inspiribomb]

Agreed, I'd rather trash a $2 part than risk damaging the frame.