Ultegra cranks

on the road

I've just bought a new chainset. My old cranks didn't come with a stopper plate and I tightened them to 13Nm no problem (the recommendation was 12 - 15Nm).

But these new cranks come with a stopper plate, according to the instructions I'm supposed to leave the stopper plate in and then tighten the cranks, but it just doesn't seem like the stopper plate should be left in, and with the stopper plate in the best I can get them tightened is 7Nm without forcing it. I'm a bit reluctant to tighten them any more in case I tear the threads.

I'm wondering, could the instructions be wrong, maybe I am suppose to take the stopper plate out before tightening the cranks?

chriskempton

OTR, no, the instructions aren't wrong. I have no problem tightening mine to proper torques (and I do swap between a regular and compact, so have done this many times). One thing that occurs from the photo is that you are supposed to push the plate in so that it is flush to the slot in the crank BEFORE tightening. I don't know if that's what you're doing, but the photo shows it in the wrong position for tightening.

To recap:

1. Push the Left crank onto the axle with the stopper 'out' as per the photo. Be sure to grease the 2 crank bolt threads first
2. Tighten the plastic cap on the Left crank
3. Push the stopper in as described above - you should feel it click into place
4. Tighten the two crank bolts as per the description. This shouldn't 'feel' too difficult or like you're going to strip them.

Done

PS don't tighten the crank bolts with the bike in a workstand. I did this once and rounded the allen key slots :roll: make sure it's propped solidly against a wall, and press your torque wrench into the bolts as you tighten.

A bike that pink deserves to be on the road

dennisn

chriskempton wrote:

OTR, no, the instructions aren't wrong. I have no problem tightening mine to proper torques (and I do swap between a regular and compact, so have done this many times). One thing that occurs from the photo is that you are supposed to push the plate in so that it is flush to the slot in the crank BEFORE tightening. I don't know if that's what you're doing, but the photo shows it in the wrong position for tightening.

To recap:

1. Push the Left crank onto the axle with the stopper 'out' as per the photo. Be sure to grease the 2 crank bolt threads first
2. Tighten the plastic cap on the Left crank
3. Push the stopper in as described above - you should feel it click into place
4. Tighten the two crank bolts as per the description. This shouldn't 'feel' too difficult or like you're going to strip them.

Done

PS don't tighten the crank bolts with the bike in a workstand. I did this once and rounded the allen key slots :roll: make sure it's propped solidly against a wall, and press your torque wrench into the bolts as you tighten.

A bike that pink deserves to be on the road

chriskempton is right on.

Dennis Noward

on the road

It is flush, that photo is from yesterday before I pushed it in, but I'll just loosen it and try again, but thanks anyway.

robbarker

chriskempton wrote:

PS don't tighten the crank bolts with the bike in a workstand. I did this once and rounded the allen key slots :roll: make sure it's propped solidly against a wall, and press your torque wrench into the bolts as you tighten.

Or, alternatively, get a decent workstand..

McBain_v1

I'm going to go and check whether the stopper plates are still in position on my cranks now - I have a nasty suspicion that they might not be there at all :shock: If that's the case then it's back to the LBS to play hell :evil:

on the road

Well, I got there in the end.

Maybe I just wasn't trying hard enough, I blame my skinny arms :roll:

McBain_v1

Roadie arms - only true roadies covet arms that are less than 12"