[Yak] Loosening tight screws

[charles voigtsberger]

Hi Rhonda:
Check with your tinkerer friends and see of any of
them have the appropriate tap and die for the size of
the screw. Run the screw through the die and run the
tap through the screw hole. It may be that the two
pieces were made by 2 different manufacturers and so
the specs are "within specs" but enough out that they
bind a bit. Running them through the process I have
mentioned most likely will put them closer together.
Bike Friday could have done that but instead chose to
pass the problem on to you (:<(! You can also try some
penetrating lubricant on both sets of threads. You can
take the part off your bike and turn the screw all the
way to max and back out again several times and that
may free it up. You can also smooth the threads on the
screw with fine steel wool which will smooth them out
enough so that with lubricant they will turn easier.
Again, all of which could have been done at BF or the
lot could have been rejected which IMO is what should
have been done. As long as manufacturers are allowed
to continue to produce subpar parts, they will
continue to do so.
Chuck Voigtsberger
Ventura CA