Adjusting stem height?

redddraggon

I've had a look on the Sheldon Brown and Park tools site, can't see anything on this.

I've got two spacers on the steerer under the stem, and I want to lower my bars. I'm a bit worried I'll mess it up and get splattered all over the road coming down a hill at 30mph.

Is it as simple as removing the cap off the steerer, slipping off the stem and the spacer(s), replacing them back in the proper order, and tightening the cap back on?

(I'm not going to bother cutting the steerer).

Is it easy to do? Can anyone give me any good tips/warnings?

Anonymous

Yes,it's that easy.
Put the spacer you remove above the stem and under the top cap to enable you to tighten the assembly.
Would be helpful if you got someone to put their weight on the front of the cross tube next to the head tube whilst you do this so as not to lose preload on the crown and top bearings.

blackhands

The full sequence would be:

1) Undo top cap and remove cap and bolt
2) Undo bolts clamping stem to steerer tube
3) Lift off stem
4) Take off spacer(s)
5) Replace stem
6) Replace removed spacers on top of stem
7) Replace top cap and bolt and gradually do up until steering is free but with no play i head bearings.
8) Do up stem bolts clamping stem to steerer tub
9) Go for a ride and test.

redddraggon

Thanks alot, changed the height, didn't have any problems.

aracer

Or in the good old days, undo the bolt in the stem, give it a whack with something solid. Adjust bars to correct height, retighten bolt. Somebody remind me of the advantages of threadless :?