Can't tighten - can't raise?

[Bill]

Your welcome George. The Armstrong 3spd I restored has one of those I think. Or it maybe the Brittany FreeSpirit. It wasn't a hassle for me because it came out pretty easy.

[GeorgeET]

Yeh, it aint a hassle till its stacken. My wife's bike is a Free Spirit Cross Roads. I looked in the fork, but there is a plate under the brake bolt blocking view and bottom access.

[Bill]

Well I do have another idea but I am uncertain as I never tried this before! If you knew the size of the bolt like thread pitch and diameter, you could obtain a piece of all thread (basically a long rod that is threaded) of the same size. Turn the bike upside down try to thread it into the expander. Then take a big flat washer that fits over the rod slip all the way down. Next take a nut that will fit the all threaded rod and screw it down to the washer until finger tight. Slowly turn the nut clockwise. If you can get it to turn one to two full turns then the expander should be out of the flanges of the handle bar stem far enough for the handle bars to come out.
Again this theory is something I personally have NEVER tested but it is one more option. Good luck please let us know.